In this issue, we revisit the monumental occasion that occurred on October 3, 2014  Last month we mentioned a few of the anniversary dances that were happening at various clubs along with some tidbits from the Timberline Toppers Square Dance Club.  We would like, however, to revisit the monumental occasion that occurred on October 3, 2014.  That night the oldest square dance club in America held a dinner dance, celebrating their 75th anniversary.  Congratulations Kilowatt Eights!  75 years is a...

We would now like to pose a question to our readers... Did you know? We are of the notion that an extraordinary component exists within the study and writing of history; that being that one simply cannot stick their hands in the air and say “I find nothing to study nor write of!”  We become more entrenched in that notion with each piece we research and write for the DAS&RDC Bulletin. Take for instance the URL we stumbled upon recently.  This short YouTube video clip shows us the dance scene in...

“Dance in America can hardly contain itself. We dance--from Florida to Alaska, from horizon to horizon and sea to sea, in the ballrooms of big cities and whistle-stop bars, in Great Plains Grange halls, underground kivas, church basements, barrio nightclubs, and high school auditoriums… I (Griz) must admit that I have been square dancing a relatively short period of time.  I did not take it up until after my wonderful bride Senda and I were married in 2009.  Now while I did not receive an...

We came across a 1960 interview1 of Jimmy Clossin, a long-time square dance teacher, author and caller from Texas.  The 1920s saw him start his teaching career at Texas Technological College, with thirteen years of classes in square dancing.  Jimmy also began to teach square dancing on the west coast and began teachers’ courses and recreational institutes in 1937.  During this period, his largest class of beginner square dancers was 800 strong in San Diego.  Beginning in 1948 he taught summer...

DAS&RDC Historical Report A Blast from the Past #16 aka History CornerBy Griz & Senda Casada Griswold WHEN YOU DANCE IN A SQUARE YOU MAKE A CIRCLE OF FRIENDS We thought we would start you out this month with some more square dance trivia questions. And so that you have ample time to research the answers, the answers will be in next month’s bulletin. Here you go;Question 1: Who was the first square dance record producer? Question 2: Who was the first caller to be recorded?Question 3: Did the...

DASRDC History Report By Griz & Senda Casada Griswold A Blast from the Past #17 aka History Corner WHEN YOU DANCE IN A SQUARE YOU MAKE A CIRCLE OF FRIENDS We know that you have been dying to get the answers to the trivia questions from last month’s history report, so here you are; Question 1: Who was the first square dance record producer? Question 2: Who was the first caller to be recorded?Answer 1&2: At the request of Henry Ford, Thomas Edison recorded Benjamin Lovett calling square dances.  Mr....