Wonder #7: Dad Actually Square Dances
When first-time guests look at the weekly Camp Arcadia schedule, there is one fairly common reaction. “I will not be square dancing,” Ted, father of four, announced to his family over dinner on Sunday night. Despite an elbow to the ribs from his loving wife, Ted was fairly certain of his stance on this issue.
But that was before the entire Camp community migrated to the Tennis Courts on Monday evening and Ted folded to the peer pressure of his fellow dads. In an event that can only be described as miraculous, Ted found himself with elbows linked in a line of people as a caller chanted, “Left heel, right toe, right heel, left, cross!”
In the Trading Post later that evening, Ted did not recall the exact moment he decided to join the square dance. “It just seemed like people were … kind of… having… fun,” Ted shrugged. “It made me feel like a kid again.”
During the Virginia Reel, Ted was seen taking direction from a 13-year-old lifelong Camper. While Ted did not stay to participate in the line dances, he thinks he might “give it a shot next year” because The Amos Moses sounded “kind of funky.”
This article is part of our series, “The 16 Wonders of the Camp Arcadia Experience.” Some heartfelt and some silly, each of these stories reminds us of one of the blessings we receive through the Camp Arcadia experience – like reconnecting with our own childhood and playfulness!
Your gifts make this experience possible (yes, including square dancing dads) each year! Would you consider making a gift to Camp Arcadia this end of year to support the ministry of play and rest on the shores of Lake Michigan? We would be grateful for your support. Learn more about giving or make an online gift here.
