How one North Texas group is keeping square dancing, the state dance, alive

As celebrations for the Fourth of July and the 250th anniversary of the U.S. kick off, many people will gather for traditional celebrations such as parades and fireworks.

However, a small group of North Texans will ring in the holiday by square dancing, one of the state’s original traditions.

Gladys Keeton, associate professor of dance at Texas Woman’s University, said Texas designated square dancing as the official folk dance in 1991. Once a staple of elementary school physical education classes, square dancing became less common beyond community clubs and conventions after fading from school curriculum in the 2000s.

Yet, hundreds of dancers gathered last week in Waco for the 75th National Square Dance Convention, the first time Texas has hosted the four-day event in 20 years.

Members of the North Texas Square and Round Dance Association attended. Established in 1961, the association oversees several local clubs in the North Texas area and hosts several major dances a year.

The association defines square dancing as an American folk dance involving a mixture of dance steps based on style, timing and form. Dancers perform with four pairs, totaling eight people, in a square formation.

“One of the fun things about the convention is you have callers that come in from not just the United States but around the world that’ll convene right here to dance,” said Vince Matej, outgoing president of the association. “I enjoy going out and just meeting new friends, and this is the best place to do it.”

A key component of square dancing is the “caller,” who announces moves to the dancers through patterned instructions or song, said Donna Miller, the association’s incoming president.

How square dancing came to Texas

Keeton said square dancing can be traced back to European court and folk dances brought to America, where the dances evolved into an American folk tradition.

The dance saw a revival during the early 20th century, Keeton said, partially due to educator Lloyd Shaw, whose teacher workshops and summer camps helped institute square dancing in schools’ physical education curriculum.

While traditional square dancing is typically performed with country music, Matej said modern square dancing now includes a wider range of music, such as pop and rock ‘n’ roll.

Matej said some of the best ways to learn more about square dancing is to visit various clubs to hear different callers and meet more experienced square dancers.

“Sometimes it helps with the new dancers to see some of the experienced dancers mess up while they’re dancing. That way they know that it’s not just them,” Matej said. “If you can walk and count to four, you can square dance.”

Miller said taking square dance lessons is the best way to learn, as instructors can teach the basic 60 calls the callers use at square dancing events. She added that square dancing lessons typically run for 12-14 weeks, with several dance clubs hosting training throughout the year in the North Texas area.

“The more you dance, the more you fall in love with it,” Miller said.

Square dancing today

Keeton said she is one of the remaining few dance educators teaching square dancing at TWU, noting most students today do not even know what square dancing really is.

Matej said the COVID-19 pandemic caused a decline in attendance for some North Texas square dance clubs, but many members still attend long after they stop dancing. He added that one Houston club regularly welcomes several longtime members who are no longer able to square dance, but simply come to visit with friends.

“Technically the purpose of coming to the dance is to dance, but the caller feels it’s important … because those people will come just to meet each other and visit,” Matej said. “It’s not about the dance … It’s about the get-together.”

 

Charlie Whisner