Club History
Circle 8s was founded on December 1, 1968 as the Swinging Singles of BC Square Dance Club, and held its first dance on January 22, 1969. In spite of a record snowfall that day, the dance hall was filled that night with well over 100 people, enough for 13 squares of enthusiastic would-be square dancers. After a brief sojourn in Vancouver, the club moved to Burnaby. We started at the Capitol Hill Hall, then to Burnaby Lake Pavilion in 1973. This has been our current home up until recently; as the City of Burnaby is currently making adjustments to that venue, we are currently dancing out of Alan Emmott Centre.
In the early days, to meet the social needs of the times, the Club was strictly for people without partners who wished to get out and meet people while having fun dancing. Today, being partnerless is not a requirement and we accommodate couples and singles equally. To further emphasize that the club is not only for single dancers, its name was officially changed under the BC Societies Act in 2023 as the Circle 8’s Square and Round Dance Club of BC.
Mission Statement
The Circle 8’s Square and Round Dance Club of BC, which includes singles and couples, has an objective to promote fun, fitness and friendship of its members, in a healthy and welcoming social environment.
The Square Dancer who expects to achieve perfection is probably doomed to disappointment. Perfection belongs to the professional world and is always a result of hard work, usually involving a great deal of anxiety. This hardly seems a qualification for healthy recreation.
Our goal is to teach you the ground rules of square dancing well enough so that you can enjoy it as a recreation for many years to come.
Recreation means play, relaxation, diversion, and relief from anxiety. The fun is in the learning and the sharing with others, the practice that improves your skill, and the fellowship and happy times.
Amand Genest, Founder and First President of the Swinging Singles Square Dance Club
Caller & Cuer
Our Tuesday night SSD classes are called by Nicholas Brendzy, with rounds performed by Caitlyn Brendzy.
Our Sunday night Phase II Round Dance classes are cued by Nicholas Brendzy and Caitlyn Brendzy.
