February 2026 Presidents’ Letter to HSRDC Club Members
February is here already! Where did January go? We enjoyed visiting HSRDC clubs this past month! A lot of great dancing is happening in our Houston area clubs! A big shout-out to Katy Prairie Promenaders for hosting a fabulous Chili Cook-Off Challenge on January 23! Many thanks to the cooks who entered their chili creations in the contest! The chili and dance were enjoyed by 20+ KPP members and 57 visitors! Congratulations to Donna Bowen winning 1st place, Michele Russell for 2nd place, and Bob Russell and Jackie Clift for tying for 3rd!
Our focus for 2026 is Communication, Education and Participation. To improve communication with club members, we’ve updated the HSRDC email list. Our goal will be to send out one email a week to keep you informed of upcoming events and dance opportunities. The HSRDC website is valuable source of information as well! Bookmark https://houstonsquaredance.com/ to stay up to date on what’s happening with Square Dancing around our area.
Our focus on education is two-fold: lessons for people to learn to square dance, and exhibitions to introduce and inform the public about square dancing. Brazos Bottom Belles and Beaus, Fairbees, Hanger Squares and Tomball Promenaders had very successful Fun Nights and many people have signed up for lessons! KPP will begin lessons February 20. If you have friends in Katy, share this information with them, or better yet, invite them to KPP’s Intro to Square Dancing Fun Nights on February 6 and 13.
The Mainstream Class led by David Bearden will be graduating in February. David will continue a Mainstream Workshop and Dance from 4-6pm on Saturday afternoons at Concordia to give these dancers and other Mainstream dancers opportunities to practice their new skills and get much-needed floor time in a relaxed setting. All current students and members at HRSDC Clubs are welcome to attend this dance FREE OF CHARGE! Let’s keep our square dance community growing!
For Plus dancers, Tim Ploch will begin teaching the new calls that have been added to the Plus list at his First Tuesday Dance on February 3, 7pm at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church.
Looking ahead, February is a busy month of dancing! The Hey Lollies Trail End Dance with Jack Pladdys is Thursday, February 5 and the HSRDC Houston Sail Away Dance is Friday and Saturday February 6 and 7! We’ve asked HSRDC Clubs to help with the Sail Away Dances to provide refreshments (savory and sweet), act as Greeters as guests arrive, help with directing guests to overflow parking (if needed), and stay to assist with Clean-up at the end of the dance. Here is the Host Club Schedule:
Friday 2/6, 7pm – Bluebonnets, BBBB’s, Hanger Squares
Saturday 2/7, 3pm – KPP, Tomball, Woodlands
Saturday 2/7, 7pm – Fairbees, Hey Lollies, Renegades
We hope to see many Houston dancers at these dances to give our guests a big Texas welcome! You don’t have to go on the cruise to attend the dances. Just come on out and have fun dancing to Jack Pladdys, Charlie Petrea, Charlie Robertson, and Hunter Keller!
A free bus is available to take you to the Hanger Squares 52nd Anniversary Dance on Saturday, February 7. It will depart at 5:00pm from Trini Mendenhall Center, 1414 Wirt Road, Houston, TX 77055. To reserve a seat or for more information, contact Jan Albers, 281-785-7372.
The Brazos Bottom Belles and Beaus are inviting HSRDC clubs to their Mardi Gras Dance on Tuesday, February 17 (Fat Tuesday) with guest caller Philip Kamm from Germany, Debra Garner leading lines, and Marilyn Waguespack cuing Rounds. They are honoring us as the King and Queen of Krewe HSRDC, so wear your purple, gold and green or a costume or a mask and come out to enjoy a fun evening with friends in Sugar Land.
“Hail to the Chiefs” the Presidents Dance and First Quarter HSRDC meeting will be on Saturday, February 28 at Concordia Lutheran Church. The meeting will start at 5:30pm, Early Rounds at 6:30pm, and the Dance at 7:00pm, with Tony Oxendine calling and Marilyn Waguespack, cuing. Please join us as we honor HSRDC Club Presidents. We will have a table decorating contest like we did last year. We hope you will attend and may the best table win!
Several dance exhibitions are planned, including the Annual Valentine’s Dance at Brookdale Memorial Oaks, on Wednesday, February 11, from 11am to 1pm. RSVP to June Walston at 713-827-5640 to let her know you will attend. Also the Shriner’s Dinner on Saturday, February 14; Bunker Hill Elementary School “Go Texas Days” on Thursday, February 26 and 27; and Northwest Bible Church on Friday, February 27. Contact Don Prendergast at 832-943-9300 if you are interested in participating in these dance exhibitions. For more details on upcoming events, visit the calendar at https://houstonsquaredance.com/calendar/
We look forward to seeing you on the dance floor!
Carol and Charles Thornburg
President@houstonsquaredance.com
P.S. Do you have square dance attire that you don’t wear anymore? There will be a Clothing Sale (formerly known as Trade n Buy) at the April 25, New Dancer Jamboree. Please bring donations of gently used square dance clothes, petticoats, shoes and other items to Concordia at the Presidents Dance or no later than March 31.