Hundreds of square dancers bring festival to Spokane

Ask a square dancer, and they’ll tell you their hobby is about much more than the colorful handmade dresses. It’s about having fun and getting together with people from other states. And dancers can wear whatever they want.

More than 800 dancers from six western states and Canada are expected to attend the 2017 Washington State Square Dance Festival, held at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center Friday and Saturday.

This is the 65th festival to be held in Washington State, said Claudia Amsbury, who chairs the festival together with her husband, Bob.

“Together with 25 committee chairs, we have been working on this for four years,” Amsbury said.

Early Friday, dancers lined up for caller Mike Seastrom, a dentist from Thousand Oaks, Calif., who will be overseeing dances throughout the festival.

Laura and Bob Dion were part of the first “tip” – what dancers call a session– with Seastrom calling steps to lively pop music.

Laura Dion has danced since she was eight.

“We danced while dating,” Dion said, looking at her husband. “Now we have three kids and we bring them. It’s a nice thing to do as a family.”

Dion was wearing a traditional square dance skirt – with many petticoats and layers that makes it stand out like a tutu – but for her, the event isn’t really about the dress, she said.

“Unless you’re competing, you can dance in whatever you want to, as long as you’re comfortable,” she said.

Bob Dion was in black jeans, boots and a burgundy shirt that matched the festival fabric in her skirt.

“It is pretty,” Laura said, giving the skirt a little swish.

This year’s theme is Create a Dream in 2017, and the fabric features groups of colorful hot air balloons.

Laura said that square dancing is often misunderstood as being stuffy or “just for old people” with music that’s nothing but country.

“Our caller uses music by Lady Gaga,” Laura Dion said. “There is something for everyone.”

This winter, the Dions went to Hawaii for a square dance festival, and are already looking forward to the national convention’s return to Spokane in 2020.

That convention brought 6,000 dancers to Spokane in 2012 – coincidentally on the same weekend as Hoopfest.

“It was really great,” Laura Dion said.

The origin of square dance can be found somewhere between old New England quadrilles, contra dancing and western barn dancing.

Rose Styczinski, who’s a member of the StarShooters Square Dance Club in Spokane Valley, said credit for the revival of square dance is often given to Dr. Lloyd ‘Pappy’ Shaw, a high school principal from Cheyenne Mountain School in Colorado Springs. According to the Lloyd Shaw Foundation’s website, he researched old American dances and began teaching them in his schools, preserving what became the foundation for square dance.

“My parents danced, so I learned to dance,” Styczinski said, in between dances. “My children dance and soon my grandchildren are old enough to dance.”

The festival runs all day Saturday and visitors are welcome.

“It’s free to come and watch,” Amsbury said.