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Author Topic: Texas once had 1,000 dance halls. Now there’s a rush to save those that remain  (Read 941 times)

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Offline Sanguine

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Texas once had 1,000 dance halls. Now there’s a rush to save those that remain
« on: June 06, 2019, 02:40:29 am »
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By Molly Hennessy-Fiske
Jun 04, 2019 | 3:00 AM
| Blanco, Texas

As she watched couples in cowboy boots whirl across the dance hall her ancestors built in 1879 — the place where she played as a child, met her husband, married off her son and taught her grandchildren to two-step — Jo Nell Haas despaired.

Twin Sisters Dance Hall used to draw people by the hundreds. In the early days, families came from surrounding farms on horseback to waltz Saturday night away under kerosene lamps. Children played in the nursery out back heated by wood stoves. Elders supervised young dancers from the “buzzard’s nest,” a platform near the entrance, ensuring they didn’t get too familiar.

Lyndon B. Johnson is believed to have danced at Twin Sisters growing up. Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and Grammy winner Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys pioneered western swing from the narrow stage....

https://www.latimes.com/columnone/la-na-col1-texas-dance-hall-20190604-htmlstory.html

I have no idea why it's in the LA Times.
« Last Edit: June 06, 2019, 02:50:31 am by Sanguine »
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Offline Jazzhead

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Re: Texas once had 1,000 dance halls. Now there’s a rush to save those that remain
« Reply #1 on: June 06, 2019, 03:59:40 am »
Thanks for this fascinating article, @Sanguine .   I wanna see the Gary P. Nunn retirement tour!  " I want to go home with the armadillo  . . . "

My first college roommate was from San Antonio, and he introduced me to a lifetime of great Tejas music. 
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Offline EdJames

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Re: Texas once had 1,000 dance halls. Now there’s a rush to save those that remain
« Reply #2 on: June 06, 2019, 09:14:53 am »
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Offline thackney

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Re: Texas once had 1,000 dance halls. Now there’s a rush to save those that remain
« Reply #3 on: June 06, 2019, 11:44:36 am »
Quote from: Sanguine on June 06, 2019, 02:40:29 am
I have no idea why it's in the LA Times.

Because they wrote about in Texas Monthly in April?

https://www.texasmonthly.com/being-texan/texanist-decent-dance-halls-left/
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Offline GrouchoTex

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Re: Texas once had 1,000 dance halls. Now there’s a rush to save those that remain
« Reply #4 on: June 06, 2019, 12:00:54 pm »
Been to Gruene Hall several times.
Saw "2 Tons of Steel" at Gruene a few times during the summer "Two Ton Tuesdays".
"Asleep at the Wheel", and a few others.

Got to play at the octagon one they have in Bellville, at the Austin County Fairgrounds, 20 years ago.

Sengelman's re-opened in Shulenburg a few years ago, but I haven't heard if it's still going.
Saw "Wayne the Train" Hancock, and went to a Sunday Polka dance there.
Guess I should google that one.

Saw  "Two Tons of Steel" at John T Floore's country store in Helotes.

Not sure if the Broken Spoke in Austin qualifies, but we've been there, too.
It should, the dance floor is built that way, with picnic tables on the sides, and the dance floor in the middle, a little like Gruene Hall.
« Last Edit: June 06, 2019, 12:06:25 pm by GrouchoTex »
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Offline Sanguine

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Re: Texas once had 1,000 dance halls. Now there’s a rush to save those that remain
« Reply #5 on: June 06, 2019, 01:19:26 pm »
There used to be one outside of Johnson City, but I think it's gone now.  Saw Joe Ely at Gruene Hall.  The place in Walberg is still very active.  Been to Luckenbach and Broken Spoke.   Been to Hye.  I see there's still quite a few I need to visit.
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Offline Sanguine

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Re: Texas once had 1,000 dance halls. Now there’s a rush to save those that remain
« Reply #6 on: June 06, 2019, 01:24:44 pm »
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Offline IsailedawayfromFR

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Re: Texas once had 1,000 dance halls. Now there’s a rush to save those that remain
« Reply #7 on: June 06, 2019, 01:31:25 pm »
Quote from: Sanguine on June 06, 2019, 01:19:26 pm
There used to be one outside of Johnson City, but I think it's gone now.  Saw Joe Ely at Gruene Hall.  The place in Walberg is still very active.  Been to Luckenbach and Broken Spoke.   Been to Hye.  I see there's still quite a few I need to visit.
There a lot of them out there in small towns that I bet you never heard of.  I have been to them in Hillje, East Bernard, Flatonia and New Taiton, to name a few.  Really popular in German and Czech communities.

In case you get the monthly Texas Highways magazine, a recent article appeared on dance halls.  If you don't, I would certainly recommend subscribing as it is really cheap and chock full of Texas information and history.  It also has some of the best photography one can find.  I have had mine since the 70's and kept it up while living overseas and several other states.
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Offline IsailedawayfromFR

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Re: Texas once had 1,000 dance halls. Now there’s a rush to save those that remain
« Reply #8 on: June 06, 2019, 09:16:37 pm »
Here's one article on them

This June’s Texas Dance Hall Tour Showcases DFW Halls
There’s never been a better reason to boot scoot
https://texashighways.com/culture/art-music/this-junes-texas-dance-hall-tour-showcases-dfw-halls/

And another one a short drive from Austin to the #1 county of dance halls in the state where you can also get great kolaches.

Bohemian Rhapsody
The Texas-Czech culture of Fayette County
https://texashighways.com/culture/bohemian-rhapsody-fayette-county-czech-culture/
« Last Edit: June 06, 2019, 09:27:43 pm by IsailedawayfromFR »
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Offline GrouchoTex

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Re: Texas once had 1,000 dance halls. Now there’s a rush to save those that remain
« Reply #9 on: June 07, 2019, 04:56:01 pm »
Jak se mas?

 :cool:
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Offline dfwgator

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Re: Texas once had 1,000 dance halls. Now there’s a rush to save those that remain
« Reply #10 on: June 07, 2019, 05:06:11 pm »
Quote from: GrouchoTex on June 07, 2019, 04:56:01 pm
Jak se mas?

 :cool:

Been to WestFest a few times. 
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Offline IsailedawayfromFR

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Re: Texas once had 1,000 dance halls. Now there’s a rush to save those that remain
« Reply #11 on: June 09, 2019, 01:18:09 am »
The dance halls around Czech and German areas are decidedly biased toward polka.

My wife's relatives were early on in this music and mentioned in this article.

https://www.texaspolkanews.com/news/al-sulak-krenek-family-tradition
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No punishment, in my opinion, is too great, for the man who can build his greatness upon his country's ruin~  George Washington
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