Schroon’s weekly summer square dance – proudly held in the Town Park since the 1930s – was recognized Sunday with a prestigious Arts Award

The 2012 Heritage Award from TAUNY -- The Traditional Arts In Upstate New York -- was handed out at the Kingston Theatre, at SUNY Canton. Also recognized was the Schroon Lake Chamber of Commerce, the financial backer of the weekly square dance.

Organizer Ed Lowman, who accepted the award, talked with North Country Public Radio’s Todd Moe about the award and the dances he has helped organize since 1979. In this excerpt Ed talks about the unique dance everyone calls the “zodiac.” From NCPR:

One very popular dance called “the zodiac” was started around 1982/83. Friends of Lowman from North Carolina asked to play at his dance on their music tour. He believes the dance was originally called “zoodio” and comes from the Georgia Sea Islands area. “My friends taught this dance to the group, and some of the kids picked up on it so much that they remembered it for next week.” He said they used to get so many requests for it that it is now played around the half-way point of every dance.

You can listen to the NCPR report here and read their story here.