Square dancers whirl through Sisters

For three days, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, about 150 square dancers whirled through Sisters in the 27th Annual Central Oregon Roundup.

Starting Thursday at Bronco Billy's Ranch Grill and Saloon, the group was there for one purpose only: to have fun.

They danced Thursday and Friday evening and had a barbecue Saturday morning. Then they're driven to an unknown location for their annual mystery dance. This year, like last, they made the pebbles bounce outdoors at Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery.

Then it was back to Sisters High School for the advanced, "plus" dancers to dance the afternoon away, ending with the big dance Saturday evening.

Debbie Combs came down from Oregon City, where she cues for the Happy Rockers. Cuers announce the moves for the round dances which are ballroom dance moves done in a circle with everyone doing the same move at the same time. Combs, along with many others, was one of six callers and six cuers at Friday evening's big dance held at the Sisters High School.

"Sisters provides so much to do," she said. "I've been geocaching since I got here. A lot of square dancers go caching. I found one of the first caches just a block from here."

Sisters Elementary School music teacher Deb Schlatter stopped by Bronco Billy's to watch. She teaches square dance moves like the Virginia Reel, dances the pioneers would have done, as part of the history portion of her class.

"It's good for the listening process for the kids," she explained.

She brought her own kids, who know how to do some square dancing, but generally don't.

"I don't get a chance to dance either," Schlatter said. "My husband doesn't dance."

The dances provide an opportunity to hear all the old songs like "Kissin' and A-huggin' With Fred," officially titled "Seven Little Girls," an old standard in 1959. Many of the dancers wear the traditional square dance clothes that stand the test of time.

On Friday, new cuer Ross Weakley got his chance at the mic. He has only been cueing for two months. He writes the steps. Last year's dance also sported a new young cuer, Jessie Shoffner. Dave Cooper, Roundup president, dance instructor and a caller and cuer taught both.

"Coop really knows how to teach," several people commented.

Jim Steele has been calling square dances for 50 years. He also sings.

"Jim is one of those callers who can call for beginners. He'll teach the new dancers about four steps and create a dance for them," said Jacque Talbot, who has attended dozens of dances where Steele has been the caller.

"Mom and Dad started dancing in 1954," Steele said. "They took us kids square dancing on Saturday in Minden, Nebraska. At 9 or 10 p.m. they'd put the kids in the foyer to sleep and the parents would keep dancing. They used to dance to the big 78 clay records with music on one side and music with callers on the other side.

"I started calling in 1959. I call for the Red Rocks in Powell Butte and the Sage Brush Shufflers in Prineville. I also call all over the United States and have called in six foreign countries.

"Square dance is an American dance. All the cultures came together and started doing their own form of dancing. It started as contra dancing and became square dancing in the '40s," Steele explained. "The other countries didn't have square dancing. They each had their own folk dances."

A plumber by trade, at one time he traveled the country and worked full time as a caller.

He met his wife, Jan, square dancing in Portland.

"You're on the road 50 weeks a year," he said. "I quit traveling about 30 years ago when I got married."

Juanita Kirzy who was sitting on the sidelines because of her recent knee surgery, said, "Square dancing is a form of therapy. It just makes you feel good."