Seabreeze Singles Square Dance Club - A History

They said that it couldn't be done! That statement is what Matt Wimpee, a local caller, was told in 1976 when he decided to form a square dance club for the single dancers in northeast Florida. Obviously they were incorrect. The Seabreeze Singles Square Dance Club continues to thrive. In September, 2022, the club celebrated its 46th anniversary.

Seabreeze sponsors a mainstream dance with announced plus calls. Our members actively support local, state, and national square dance activities. We welcome singles, married couples, and married with non-dancing partners in our classes and club. We still keep alive the spirit in which the club was formed; to promote and encourage square dancing and round dancing, and provide a place where single dancers may enjoy square dancing together in a spirit of friendliness and cooperation.

Returning to our origin, Matt found a place to dance, ordered badges, and handled the organization and calling. Wanda Deas served as the first president. The first dances were held in a church on Atlantic Boulevard; from there they went to the Hogan-Spring Glen School. Classes were also held in a room under the swimming Pool 011 Hendricks Avenue (a/k/a the "dungeon").

After Matt, Eddie Milan became the club caller. In 1986 Bob Belanger called until his job transferred him to Alaska. Then Jim Cosman became the caller, followed now by Mike Akers. A footnote - Mike Akers was a charter member of the club before he became a Caller!

Since 1976, the club has been forced to move several times. One move was necessitated when the beautiful and historic Friday Musicale burned to the ground with all of our club's belongings in it. We missed just one week of dancing, moved to a new location, borrowed supplies from another club, and literally got back on our feet.

In 1989, we began hosting an annual Valentine charity ball for the benefit of the Heart Fund. In 1994 we changed the beneficiary of the dance to the City Rescue Mission. These people provide a great service to our community and are always very appreciative of our efforts. We are proud of the many thousands of dollars our members, with the help of the square dance community, have earned for charity.

Cupid has always been very active in the Seabreeze Singles. Unfortunately, we have not kept a list of all the marriages resulting from people meeting at the Seabreeze Club, but there have been many. Although the club offers the possibility of romance, it most certainly offers a fun-filled square dance.

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