Texas
Dancing
Texas Dancing is a monthly column by John Rivard, published in The Texas Polka
News.
Dancing
Outside
the Box
Sometime in the 90’s a new phrase crept into our jargon. “Thinking outside the box” became the slogan for encouraging people to think about and try new things, to not be hampered by the habits of the past, to step off the cow path and see what else the pasture had to offer. Yes, we learned that to lead a fuller life we are to “think outside the box!”
So how about dancing outside the box? Same concept – same idea. Instead of following the same old cow paths to the same places and the same bands, why not dance outside the box?
Don’t
get me wrong. This is not to say
anything bad about the old and familiar places where we have enjoyed polka music
and dance over the years. They’re
still good, and deserve our continued support.
I am reminded of the jingle that our daughter’s discovered in Brownies
years ago. “Make new friends but
keep the old; one is silver and the other gold!”
And so it is with our favorite dance halls and bands.
But don’t overlook trying new dance halls and new styles of music.
They’re silver, and could become gold!
For
example, within the field of polka music try some new bands or new dance halls.
Sure, you might have to actually study the Texas Dance Calendar, and plan
your month in advance to check out the new places.
But the planning phase can be part of the fun.
After all, this is your avocation, right?
So avocate a little! (O.K., I
know avocate isn’t a real word, but you get the idea.)
Once
you get the hang of “dancing outside the box” you can venture even further
by sampling other styles of music and dance.
Traditional country music abounds in Texas, including the old familiar
places such as SPJST 88 in Houston, or Sweet Home, or Martinez Hall, or
Sengelmann Hall, just to name a few. Western
swing can open up a whole new world of great music and dance, with some great
bands available throughout the state, some in old familiar places and some in
exciting venues that deserve being discovered by you.
There’s a whole sub-culture out there folks, waiting for you. Speaking
of sub-cultures, let’s don’t forget Cajun music and dance.
Many polka fans have already discovered the joy of Cajun music.
We’d like to see more halls mix polka and Cajun as Sweet Home and
Sengelmann are doing. (They’re
thinking outside the box!)
Yes folks, dancing is a great avocation.
It can even be better if you “dance outside the box!”
So live it up. In case you
hadn’t noticed, we aren’t getting any younger.
Polka
Christmas
(TPN
- Your one-stop Christmas shop)
The
Holiday Season is just around the corner folks, and the TPN can be your one-stop
Christmas shop! Here are two good ideas.
First, give a
gift of The Texas Polka News!
Second, give a gift of polka music!
The
Texas Polka News is the perfect gift for that friend, aging father or mother, or
favorite relative that’s so hard to please.
Your gift subscription to The Texas Polka News will arrive timely each
month, packed full of news about the Texas and national polka scene, plus
interesting human interest stories, humor and a little bit of social commentary.
It’s the gift that says you cared enough to send the very best in
reading entertainment, and it reminds your recipient monthly that you are
thinking of them. Use the special
subscription coupon in this issue (page 16) and receive a free month (13 months
for $25). We will send the December
issue to your special person with a letter announcing the gift from you.
But be sure that we receive your gift subscription by Dec. 10 so that we
can beat Santa Clause!
But
what if your person already takes The Texas Polka News?
Simple!
Give them
polka music!
CDs
make a wonderful gift!
They make great stocking stuffers, and could be just the perfect gift for
someone on your list.
They’re a great bargain, easy to wrap or mail, economical, and provide
hours of great listening throughout the year.
Yes, polka music CDs are the gift that keeps on giving!
Why not
buy 5-10 CDs and give music to everyone?!
See the music ads in this issue by: the Dujka Brothers (p.10); Shiner Hobo Band (p.10), the Texas Polka Music Museum (p.12), Chris Rybak (p.13), Vernon Drozd (p.12), Walt Procanyn (p.15); and the Alaska Button Box Gang (p.15). You can get music from almost any national polka artist through Big Joe (p.13), or the Polka Connection (p.15). Don’t forget Hajek’s in Praha (p.11).
Make
it a polka Christmas with The Texas Polka News, or polka music.
Get your gift list done,
and enjoy this Holiday season!
Waxing Eloquently
Perhaps the three toughest problems in the world are world peace, man’s inhumanity to man, and how much wax to put on the dance floor! All three have defied resolution. Let’s think about things that might help on the dance floor.
The
problem of course is that every dancer
likes a different degree of “smooth,” ranging from “super slick” to
“safely sticky.” These
convictions are strongly held! Compounding
the problem is that each dance floor
responds to wax differently, depending on surface, cleanliness and humidity.
Things get stickier (pun intended) when people who don’t know what
they’re doing apply the wax (too much, too little).
Here’s some suggestions that might help, addressing the responsibilities of the halls, and the dancers
Hall
responsibilities: (1) Provide
the wax, retain responsibility for applying the wax, and designate only persons
who are dancers to actually apply the wax. (2) Know
your dance floor. Know how much wax
it needs.
(3) Keep
the dance floor clean. Regardless of
surface (wood, tile, etc), the cleaner the floor the better it responds to wax,
the less wax needed, and the safer the floor (less liability).
(4) Ask
dancers about the floor. Does it
need more or less wax? Be prepared
to sweep the floor if it gets too slippery.
Dancer responsibilities: (1) Wear
shoes that suit your preference. Leather
soles for the slipperies and rubber or felt for the safely stickies.
(2) Restrict
use of personal dance wax to the area under your table to wax your own shoes.
(3) Use
wet towels at your table to make shoes less slippery
With a little common sense and courtesy, maybe we can just all get along?
Bountiful Texas
We
are blessed to be in a beautiful and bountiful state.
Among its bounty is our rich heritage of polka music and dance, handed
down from the Czech, German and Polish immigrants that came to America to start
a new life! The
month of September brings out this bounty, with polka music pouring
out of church picnics, festivals, ethnic celebrations and Oktoberfests
with a melodic cornucopia of song and dance.
It’s music to our ears, and music for our souls.
It’s music to remind us that life can be very good, after all.
All
this blessed bounty does bring a few problems for The Texas Polka News.
Too much news, too many dances and celebrations and Oktoberfests,
and never enough space! One
of the toughest jobs we have is paring down the news to fit in our 16 pages.
But it’s a problem we love to have! The
Texas Dance Calendar spills over onto page 9 each year in September, and
there’s still not enough space. We
were able to squeeze in most of the dances through the October 3-4 weekend, but
had to leave out a few (they’ll show up in the October issue of course, which
will reach our subscribers the last weekend of September, barring hurricanes or
other ill winds).
We
give precedence throughout the TPN to those that advertise, because these
advertisers allow us to keep the subscription price low and stable.
We think that the TPN is a great value, and hope that you do too.
We love to bring you the polka bounty of Texas!
Dancing For Life
Dancing
is good for physical health, mental health, and spiritual health.
The physical health benefits are apparent to all.
Dancing is great exercise, whether it’s polka, Cajun, western swing or
country. It keeps the
cardio-vascular system pumping, keeps the leg muscles toned, maintains
coordination, and helps combat the aches and pains of aging by keeping us more
in shape.
Dancing
also helps with mental health by reducing stress.
A lecturer explaining stress management held out a glass of water and
asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?"
Answers varied. The
lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter.
It depends on how long you try to hold it.
If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem.
If I hold it for an hour, my arm will ache.
I couldn’t hold it for a whole day.
The longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes." He
continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management.
If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later the burden becomes
so heavy, we can’t carry on.
As with the glass of water, you have to put down your load for a
while."
Now you know why we all go dancing!
It’s a way to “lay our burdens down.” Which brings us to spiritual health..
So go dancing ...for life!
Travelin'
Texas to Dance
Texas is beautiful, and one of the side benefits of dancing is travelin’ Texas to see that beauty. Often we are on tight schedules, and the trip to-from is routine. But sometimes, when we are doing an out-of-town weekend and staying over, there’s time to see the sights, and smell the roses. That happened recently on a trip to dance at Luckenbach, Kendalia Halle and Anhalt on a Fri-Sat-Sun.
The trip from Houston to San Antonio on I-10 is one of our favorite drives. I-10 is the “Polka Road” of myth and lore, leading to all the dance venues in the Czech and German heritage towns that lay on both sides of the interstate. And I-10 is a pleasant and safe drive, with good scenery. On this trip, the recent welcome (and long overdue) rains have turned the hills and grasslands green, and refilled the stock tanks. It’s a great drive! Getting through San Antonio at the peak of Friday night rush hour is an adventure. The scenery changes but is still beautiful on the drive north on I-10 through Boerne to the little town of Comfort and our motel.
The adventure continues as we start out for Luckenbach, searching for the connector to Ranch Road RR473, unaware that you can’t get to RR473 from I-10. We take an alternative road to nowhere. Once consulted, our GPS comes to the rescue, with the soothing voice of “Samantha” telling me how to get back to RR473. By chance, the little one lane country road parallels the Guadalupe River, and the scenery in the evening twilight is a gorgeous (if unplanned) surprise. Green fields. Cattle and horses grazing. Deer too. A pastoral and restful setting. Too soon we’re back on RR473, and the rest of the trip is only mildly spectacular! We pull into Luckenbach in the twilight.
With the dance over, it’s time to head back to the motel in Comfort. Wanting to see something different, I consult Samantha first, who tries to take me back through Fredericksburg. But that’s too easy, so I ask Samantha for an alternate route. She complies, with a back road that even my Texas Atlas doesn’t dignify with a number. We turn where instructed, onto a narrow, curving winding and hilly road, through beautiful wooded country, and a Wildlife Management Area. The frequent bridges over the many creeks are narrow, all equipped with flood gauges, and without guard rails. (A little reasoning explains the absence of guard rails. They would plug with debris during the flash flooding on these creeks!) There are no buildings or side roads. We see deer by the dozens, out for their midnight meanders; we slow for each (even though we’re only going 25-30), concerned they may dart in front as we intrude on their domain. In 13 scenic miles we make it back to RR473, and follow it back to Comfort (learning where it crosses under but does not connect with I-10.
The adventure continues on Saturday as we drive to Fredericksburg to fill time. We select a back road leading north from town, and encounter beautiful fields of green coastal bermuda hay, beef cattle, a wild turkey, and a pecan orchard shadowing a lush pasture with dozens of deer grazing peacefully. We follow the road about 10 miles until it ends in a beautiful ranch. We retrace the route, enjoying the “replay.”
We drive the mains street of Fredericksburg, amazed by the throngs of walking tourists patrolling the streets and shops. Not done yet, we drive to Kerrville, inspect that city, and drive up the switchback to one of the developed “ridges” with houses overlooking the entire valley. Great view! Then it’s time to return to the motel to prepare for the evening dance at historic Kendalia Hall.
The 25 miles to Kendalia Hall on RR473 takes us through hill, dale and curve in the fading twilight. Deer are feeding everywhere, restricted only by the eight-foot “deer fences” erected by many landowners to keep their deer in and interlopers out. The fences say, “the buck stops here!” We make it to Kendalia for a great dance (see separate article). But the trip home is not without adventure. Leaving the hall I think I’m on RR473, but had actually parked on RR3351, so I’m on the wrong road. I turn on the GPS and ask Samantha to get me back to Comfort. She complies, directing me to a one-lane road that cuts across Comanche country. She promises me that it will get me to RR473 in about five miles. It does, but it’s one lane, pitch black (no moon) and the road has cattle guards about every half mile (private land?). This concerns us a little, but it’s all part of the adventure! Samantha delivers, and we are relieved to see a stop sign announcing that we are back to RR473. The rest is routine beautiful scenery in the still of the night, no cars. We stop, turn off the lights, and look at the stars in the jet black sky. Stars that we never see in our city living! It’s been a great adventure!
All part of the pleasure while
travelin’ Texas to dance!
Church Picnics and Polka
Church picnics are a blast! Their real purpose is fund-raising for the parish and socializing for the parishioners. But in filling these needs, they provide great opportunities for fun-filled polka music and dancing.
Let’s visit a typical church picnic in Texas. Looking around, you will see the traditional trappings. A large auction in the big pavilion, or perhaps inside the Parish Hall, where every imaginable type of donated merchandise, crafts and produce are bringing good prices for the good cause. The beer booth, always very popular, where ice-cold Shiner, Lone Star and Coors cans come dripping out of the ice-filled tanks for the thirsty crowd. Savor it! The Youth Group is selling hot dogs, nachos, pickles, soft drinks and popcorn, learning how to run a business, make change, deal with the public and be responsible. The ladies running the country store are busy merchandising their wares. The plant booth is selling greenery, raised and donated by parishioners. Bingo is scheduled later, or may already be underway if the auction is over. And of course the BBQ pit is attracting everyone with its delicious aromas, as apron-clad male parishioners labor over the smoking pits with love (it’s a guy thing!).
Dancers
ignore the heat to polka, waltz and two-step on the pavilion dance floor, while
scores more just listen, grabbing shade where they can find it.
Interesting people are all around.
Septuagenarians and youngsters share the floor.
One way to tell them apart is that the youngsters don’t have the same
staying power!
The Texas polka band just keeps on playing, providing the musical engine
for the scene.
See
the Texas Dance Calendar and the ads in this issue for some great Texas Church
Picnics.
Travelin’
Texas
We
are blessed to live in a beautiful state, and there’s no better way to see it
than “Travelin’ Texas” for dancing! Springtime
in Texas is especially wonderful, with the pastures greening; the wildflowers
turning the roadsides and fields into splendors of red, blue, pink and yellow;
and the gloaming twilights giving reflective pause to the day’s occupation.
(But we do need to pray for rain!)
In
Texas, all roads lead to polka, but principal among the dancing byways is I-10
between Houston and San Antonio, which is the main artery of polka country.
Within easy reach off I-10 to the north and south we find Czech, German
and Polish heritage people, keeping the tradition of polka alive in festivals,
dance clubs, and church picnics. I-10
is definitely the “Polka Road” of myth and lore. But
north Texas has its moments too, with dancing centered around Dallas, Ennis, and
as far west as Fort Worth. Speaking
of west, we even have “polka missionary” country around San Angelo. Fortunate
we are to be “Travelin’ Texas” for dancing.
And if you can’t be on the road much anymore, we invite you to travel
Texas with The Texas Polka News.
We can get you there!
Waking
Up in Texas
Isn’t it good to be waking up in Texas, where the variety of music is as great
as the variety of natural wonders in the state? We
have the opportunity to dance polka,
Cajun, country and western swing, just
to name a few.
While this is primarily a polka newspaper, we try to cover the broader
scene at least a little, helping to spread the word about Cajun, country and
western swing. How
about the variety of “where” you can experience this music?
Here’s a few reminders of what we have available.
Fraternal
organizations
across the state help keep the music alive.
This includes the entire spectrum: veterans organizations (American
Legion and VFW Halls); the Czech organizations (SPJST, KJT, Sokol); Church
organizations such as Knights of Columbus; and other groups like Hermann Sons.
These names appear regularly in the Texas Dance Calendar. Festivals
are another great music resource.
From great one-day events like the East Bernard Kolache-Klobase and
Caldwell Kolache Fests to the weekenders like the Hallettsville Polka &
Sausage Fest, Westfest, the Ennis National Polka Festival,
the big 10 day Wurstfest, and so many more. Texas
dance halls add
another dimension, with well known names like Riverside, Martinez, Harmonie,
Anhalt, Schroeder, Moravia Store, Cat Spring, Firemen’s, and Riflemen’s
illustrating the list.
They bring their rich dancing history to the smorgasbord platter.
Can you name the locations (towns) of each?
Don’t
forget about the community
centers around the state, such as Sweet Home, New Taiton,
Ellinger, Hungerford and more.
How many of these have you sampled? And
then there’s the dance
clubs in DaCosta, Rosenberg, Sealy, Wallis, Yoakum, New
Braunfels, Industry and Crawford helping to keep dancing alive and well.
What a great asset!
Can you name these clubs? Did
you think I’d forget church
picnics?
Not a chance!
They’re one of the great strongholds for polka music around the state,
and there’s too many to mention. But
this list isn’t done folks.
It’s time to give overdue recognition to Texas
Oprys as a musical resource that blesses our state.
While most Oprys are “listening only,” they are none-the-less a
musical resource that deserves recognition.
Give them a try! Isn’t it good to be waking up in Texas?
Celebrate
Texas and our good fortune!
Go dancing!
Polka
Proud!
Since
you are reading this editorial, you must already be a polka music fan, and we
appreciate your support. But
are you polka proud?
Are you a disciple of the music that you love?
Do you evangelize polka music, carrying the “good news” of happy
music to those less fortunate?
Do you consider it not only your right, but also a responsibility to
promote polka?
And do you have a good time doing it?
We hope you can answer “yes”
to all these
questions.
Polka
music and dance face decline, and we
all need to promote the music that we love.
We need to proclaim proudly the fun that is involved, the happy music
that appeals to all ages, and the health benefits of dancing.
We need to evangelize the idea that it’s for folks of all ages,
including youth! It
is our right and our responsibility to do so.
But “rights” can be tenuous if not exercised.
“Use it or lose it!” is more than just a catchy phrase.
The lesson? Never miss a
chance to speak up about the joy of polka music.
It’s not only your right, but also a responsibility! In fact, there’s a life
lesson here that applies to more than polka.
We all need to be proud of things in which we believe.
So be polka proud.
It’s our right.
It’s our privilege.
It’s our job!
Oktoberfests!
Oktoberfests!
The
very word rekindles pleasant memories and evokes excitement, as the Oktoberfest
vision plays on the back roads of our mind!
It’s oompah music! Frosty
cold beer. Lederhosen and dirndls.
Smiling faces everywhere. Sausages,
potato pancakes, and mouth watering food of all kinds.
And finally, dancing to the music of the Texas polka bands!
Take
heart dancing fans, Oktoberfest season is here again.
Life is good!
Oktoberfests
flourish like ripening grain across the nation, and of course here in Texas.
Some have already occurred, like the big one in Addison Sept. 18-21 and
the one in Denton Sept. 27. But the
season reaches its peak in October. Here’s
a few examples that have advertised in the TPN. The
Fredericksburg Oktoberfest Oct. 3-5 in the downtown Marketplatz, with great
music and dancing. The
Roberts Cove (LA) Germanfest Oct. 4-5, with music, dancing and all the rest for
two big days. Oktoberfest
by the Bay in Texas City Oct. 11, music by Texas Star. The Anhalt
Oktoberfest in historic Anhalt Hall Oct. 19. The Island Oktoberfest in
Galveston Oct. 24-25. And topping them all off is Wurstfest in New
Braunfels, the signature event of the Oktoberfest season in Texas, 10 full days
of classic fun. It’s October.
Enjoy the season!
Dance
Halls of Texas
“The dance halls of Texas were my natural
second home, where I tip my hat to the ladies, and the rose of
San Antoine. I grew up on music that we call western swing. It don’t
matter who’s in Austin, Bob Wills is still the King.” (Lyric
from “Bob Wills is Still the King,” by Waylon Jennings.)
This
great song is mostly about Bob Wills and western swing music, but it begins with
a tribute to the dance halls of Texas.
And it’s high time that the TPN does too! The
dance halls of Texas are more than a source of pleasure and entertainment for
generations of Texans.
They have been incubators of great music (including polka, country and of
course western swing).
They are a part of our history, figuring heavily in the lives and social
fabric of our German, Czech and Polish immigrants.
They are a part of our heritage, and a “natural resource” to be
studied, used, and preserved for future generations.
For some of us, they are indeed a “natural second home!”
The
definitive guide to Texas Dance Halls is the 2002 book, “Dance Halls &
Last Calls (A history of Texas Country Music)” by musician Geronimo Trevino
III,
published by the Republic of Texas Press.
Trevino documents ~115 historic Texas Halls, many still operating, with a
photo and brief write-up on each.
It’s a “must have” resource for anyone interested in the history of
Texas Dance Halls.
The
group “Preservation Texas” included dance halls on its 2008 list of of Most
Endangered Places. They summed up
the importance of early Texas dance halls thus (abridged):
"True Texas treasures, many of our classic dance halls were founded
by fraternal orders, singing societies, gun clubs and agricultural
organizations. Many had their roots
in the traditions of Czech and German immigrants ... They have been such an
important part of our heritage that it is easy to take them for granted.
As Texas was settled, a dance hall was one of the first public buildings
constructed in nearly every town and hamlet.
Texas dance halls have served and continue to function as meeting spaces
and the sites of social events. They
contribute to the development of … music. They preserve the cultural
traditions of many ethnic groups who immigrated to Texas and settled here.”
And
so we pay tribute to the dance halls of Texas, and the people who keep them
operating. For example, see the
article on the “Twin Sisters” dance hall in this issue (page 10.)
Additional
info on specific Texas dance halls can be found on the web site of John &
Marlys Rivard, at www.angelfire.com/folk/polka, on the “Polka in Texas Page” (scroll down).
This is a work in progress, currently covering over two dozen notable
halls.
Possibilities...
Remember
the enthusiasm and optimism that we had when we were young?
As we matured into our 20’s, fell in love, and began to understand who
we were, the world seemed to be full of exciting possibilities.
New
lives and new careers were possible.
New families were possible.
New homes in which to raise our families were possible.
New adventures were possible.
It was exciting.
We were in a world of possibilities.
Well folks, time has passed, and time tends to dampen the enthusiasm we had for
life. But it doesn’t have to be
so. Life is still full of
possibilities, there for taking by those daring to do so.
In particular, dancing still holds a world of possibilities.
Want
an example?
A gracefully aging friend of the TPN (who lost her life mate several
years ago) recently decided she would go to Washington D.C. by herself to take
part in the celebration of Texas music on the National Mall with the Mark Halata
& Texavia Band.
She just decided to do it on her own, against the counsel of many.
She decided to do it because it was possible!
Bravo!
Life is to be lived, especially as our days dwindle down.
Isn’t
it time to rekindle our enthusiasm and consider the dancing possibilities that
bless us in Texas? Polka
music is continuing in the Czech halls, community centers, and KC, VFW and
American Legion halls around the state. At
least six dance clubs are still continuing across the state.
The church picnics with polka music are continuing strong.
Festivals are ongoing, in spite of the higher cost of gas.
Polka possibilities abound! But
there’s more! Traditional country
music is here for the taking, including old familiar places such as Sweet Home,
Martinez Hall or Swiss Alp, to name a few. It’s
possible! Let’s
don’t forget Cajun music and dance. Many
polka fans have already discovered the joy of Cajun music.
It’s another possibility. Western
swing can open up a whole new world of great music and dance, with some great
bands available throughout the state, some in old familiar places and some in
exciting venues that deserve being discovered by you.
There’s a whole sub-culture out there folks, and it’s a possibility.
So
what’s the point?
Look around, lighten up, and go dancing!
Do something new or different
It’s a possibility!
So
Many Dances...So Little Time
Tempus
fugit. The Clock on the Steeple. Time
Changes Everything. Yes folks,
the hourglass is draining. Every
month the TPN loses about 15 subscribers to the inescapable flow of time.
The age of those who continue dancing is showing.
The mirror tells us daily what everyone already knows.
Time is running out. We’re
on the downhill side, and seem to be picking up speed.
The days dwindle down, to a precious few.
But
there are so many dances! Texas is
blessed with dances! The Czech
Heritage Halls (SPJST, KJT, Sokol) keep up the tradition.
The German tradition lives on around New Braunfels and Fredericksburg,
and in Hermann Sons Halls around the state.
The festivals carry on their traditions,
while the church picnics continue as a pillar of preservation for polka
music. Western swing and Cajun are
available, and country music is everywhere.
Dance clubs provide regularly-scheduled dances for their members, open to
the public. Dancing is everywhere.
We are truly blessed!
So
many dances....and so little time! So what’s a person to do? Go
dancing! Go dancing with enthusiasm,
and joy, and determination. Go
dancing as if it was your mission in life. Go
dancing as if it was your doctor’s prescription for a longer life, and your
pastor’s recommendation for a better life.
Go dancing as if your life was running out, and you have to savor every
moment and every event. Go dancing
as if time were running out…
The
Price of Polka
The price of polka is going up! No surprise to all who pull out of the gas station after filling the tank. Even though many polka fans have come to believe that dancing is an essential ingredient of life, it is still discretional. So the high price of gasoline is beginning to affect those who go dancing. Never mind that we are still paying a very low price in the USA, compared to the rest of the world. While gas is still a bargain by this test, it still costs more than we are accustomed to paying. And unless we get sane about our energy policies, it won’t change for the better any time soon (see adjacent editorial).
But
the price of polka is going to increase further.
Here’s why. The band members have to buy gas too!
While playing in a band will always mostly be a labor of love, the
musicians deserve some compensation for their time.
As their gas costs increase, musicians can do one of three things.
They can just absorb the increased cost, making it even more a labor of
love. Or they can increase what the
band charges to play. Or they can
quit playing. It’s not fair to ask
them to absorb the cost, and nobody wins if they quit playing.
So we’re left with the bands increasing their price.
When the bands increase their price, the halls can either absorb the
increased cost, raise their admission, or quit holding dances.
We don’t want it to be the latter, and most halls are not in a position
to absorb the increased cost. Most
will find it necessary to recover the increased cost by increasing the admission
price.
And so the price of polka will be going up. As always, the consumer (in this case dancers) will have to bear the increased cost, in the form of higher admission prices. But have you stopped to consider what a bargain dancing has been? In the past 18 years that we have been dancing, admission prices have gone from $5-6, all the way up to $7-8. (Plus church picnics are still free!) By any relative comparison to other recreations (movies, eating out, golf, attending professional sports event) dancing is dirt cheap! And what do you get for your dancing admission? Four or more hours of great exercise, good people, and plain old-fashioned fun, with beer that that only costs about $2.50. No doubt about it! Dancing is a bargain. Even if the price of polka is going up.
Dance
Hall Heroes
They
open the doors, turn on the lights and air conditioning, and make sure the hall
is set up right. They
make arrangements to ensure that the restrooms are maintained, the bar stocked
and staffed, and the kitchen crew mobilized as appropriate for the event.
They set out the “reserved” signs on tables, staff the admissions
table, and greet you as they take your tickets or put on your arm bands.
They make announcements during the dance as appropriate.
They handle your suggestions (complaints?) about too much or
too little (lighting, heating, cooling, fans, dance floor wax, band sound
level, and more). After
you go home, they clean up, restock the bar, empty the trash cans, and secure
the hall. Who
are they? They are
the volunteers who make dance halls work.
They are the Dance Hall Heroes!
These
heroes do all this week after week, sometimes year after year, with little
recognition or thanks. So
let’s take time right now to acknowledge their contributions, and show them
the appreciation they deserve. We all know some of these people, but many
others are relatively unknown, even to those of us who regularly frequent dance
halls. The temptation
to list by name some of the prominent and most deserving Heroes in this article
is offset by the concern that each and every one deserves credit, and that the
list is too long to try to name them all.
Sadly, they shall remain nameless, even in this tribute. That’s
where you come in, because there is something that each and every one of us can
do. We can all thank
these dance hall heroes when we encounter them in their natural habitat, the
dance halls of Texas. Therefore, by the power I have invested in myself as
writer of this column, I hereby proclaim March 2008 in Texas as:
Now
we need your help in spreading the gospel.
Spread the word that this is Dance Hall Hero Appreciation Month,
and thank all the volunteers that you encounter.
You might have to first tell them that March is Dance Hall Hero
Appreciation Month, or they may not know how to handle the unexpected
compliment! Which
suggests another idea. If
you are among these Dance Hall Heroes and want a little recognition, make copies
of this editorial (or print them from my web site), and place them in prominent
positions in your hall. Blow
your own horn!
Let’s have a little fun with this folks. Let’s show our appreciation.
It’s for a good cause–the preservation and promotion of dancing and
dance halls!
Big
Joe is Good for Texas Polka
The
Big Joe TV Polka Fest in Round Top (TX) Feb. 21-24 was a big success.
The crowds were excellent, and the excitement palpable throughout the
hall for all four days. 34
Texas bands had the opportunity to play their best before an appreciative
in-house audience, and for the national TV audience when the Big Joe Polkas Show
begins airing these new segments on RFD-TV later this year. Learning from
the lessons of the 2006 event, band set up and changeover was greatly improved
by the enlarged stage equipped with curtains, and the extra 10 minutes between
bands. The curtains
masked the set-up and take-down activity, and the bands had time to check out
their systems. Parking
immediately behind the hall was available for the currently performing bands.
These “band friendly” improvements were indeed welcome.
Although
some of the more popular Texas polka bands elected not to participate this time
around, even this had an up side, because it let new bands have their chance.
Also, Texans had the opportunity to hear and dance to two out-of-state
bands. So the second Texas taping for the Big Joe Polka Show was indeed a
success. More to the
point, it is good for Texas polka music and dance!
Here’s why.
First,
it excites the polka dancing public in Texas, bringing in large numbers
of polka fans that only occasionally attend regular dances.
But they come out for the Big Joe Polka Show, and they are enthusiastic!
Folks, I don’t need to tell you how important enthusiasm is to
preserving polka. It’s
the key ingredient, missing among our youth and being slowly sapped by age among
our faithful. The Big
Joe TV Polka Fest helps rekindle this enthusiasm, recharging our batteries, and
refreshing our interest in polka music and dance.
Second,
it brings in many polka fans from around the nation who are Big Joe Polka Show
TV fans. I encounter
these people while working through the hall handing out promotional copies of
the TPN. I am amazed
at their numbers, and many are there for all four days.
A trip through the parking lot confirms the large number of out-of-state
license plates. Every
one of these participants helps keep polka alive, and enhance the image of polka
in Texas.
Third,
the airing of the Texas polka Bands on to Big Joe’s national audience on
RFD-TV helps show the rest of the nation that Texas is one of the most robust
polka dancing scenes in the U.S.
Always proud of our state, we can proud that we are helping keep polka
alive!
Yes
folks, the Big Joe TV Polka Fest is good for Texas Polka.
So our thanks to all those who helped make it happen, to the bands and
musicians who participated, and to all the fans that turned out.
And thanks too to Big Joe.
Let’s
do it again in 2010!
Stages
of Life
“All the world's a stage,
and all the men and women merely players.” “As
You Like It” by William Shakespeare
All the world is indeed a stage just as “the Bard” affirmed! For those who love music and dance, dance halls become our own personal stage where we play out a portion of our lives, week after week, year after year. They become our “Stages of Life.”
Such
philosophical musings are prompted by the closing of another dance hall, the
Hermann Sons Hall in Houston, where we attended the final western swing dance on
Dec. 22. This capped a year when
several halls in Houston closed their doors; a trend we have observed in recent
years, that is likely to continue. As
death is certain for each of us, every dance hall will close; it’s just a
matter of when. Just as how we live our lives is more important than our
death, so too the measure of dance halls is how they fulfill their roles.
It’s time to celebrate these “Stages of Life!”
Dance
halls bring us joy! They are an
oasis in the desert of life, a refuge from the storms in our lives, a haven for
those in need, R&R for the dancing masses, and a “celebration station”
for major events in our lives. Think
about it! Imagine seeing a dance hall for the first time, as a visitor
from some other planet. At the
appointed time, the sleeping hall comes alive, opening its doors to the arriving
guests. The hall warms to the
arriving guests, as the happy buzz of greetings and conversation begins to fill
the hall. Smiles are everywhere,
confirmed by the laughter that begins to become a recurring, even dominant
sound. An air of excitement builds
as the tables begin to fill in, and the band makes final preparations.
Everywhere around the hall people are talking.
They exchange greetings and news, discuss current events, tell stories,
take gentle verbal jabs at each other, and go about the general business of
“playing out their lives” on the stage of their choice.
And the laughter…always the laughter! Then the music begins, and dancers take the floor, opening another scene of the “play” that is our lives. Friendships are formed. Sometimes marriages. And so it continues throughout the afternoon or evening as the dance halls fulfill their role as “stages of Life.” And the laughter…always the laughter. Yes folks, it’s time to celebrate dance halls! Help keep them alive while we can. Support them, work for them, and make them better. Mourn them when they pass. They are the stages of our lives!
TPMM
Memorials
The Texas Polka Music Museum (TPMM) fundraiser April 1 in La Grange was a big success. But the effort is ongoing, and substantial additional funding will be required before the TPMM can become a reality. One way to do help do this is with Memorials. While the death of a loved one is always a tragedy, a Memorial remembrance in the name of that person is a good way to celebrate that life. Memorial contributions to the TPMM are one such option, particularly if the person loved polka music and dance. Whether bandleader, musician, polka DJ, dancer or polka music fan, a Memorial gift to the TPMM can help preserve the music and culture that meant so much to that person in life. Why not discuss it among family members so that Memorial remembrances to benefit the TPMM become an option when the time comes? Flowers are nice, but a Memorial is forever.
Long
Shadows
Long shadows drape across the green pastures, and break blue across white board fences. The golden glow of the setting sun bathes the rolling hills in twilight gloaming. Cattle graze lazily while young calves lie still, contented in their new world. Indian paintbrush and bluebonnets grace the roadside, along with occasional patches of the modest primrose. Birds flit among the Texas cedars, doing the nervous little things birds do while preparing to roost. And all around it’s green as the magic of spring in Texas bursts forth along 159 between Industry and Bellville. But it’s the long shadows that are most vivid. Long shadows that remind us of twilight evenings long ago when we were young. Our own long shadows, then so full of promise and expectations and now filled with the accomplishments and sorrows of our life.
A good dance. Good friends. Health holding. A picture-post card drive home. Life’s long shadows that get us thinking. Thinking we should be thankful. If only there were someone to thank…
It’s been happening with increasing frequency recently, and it’s good! It will help keep polka dancing alive. It will make things more fun for the dancing public, and help keep the dance halls open. The bands like it, because they have more fun too!
What is it? It’s people like you celebrating their private party at a public polka dance! It’s “Your Party at Polka!” And it works! We have seen it most recently at the SPJST #88 Hall in Houston on several occasions, but it’s occurring elsewhere. Polka fans with a special event like a birthday or anniversary or family reunion hold their celebration at a scheduled public polka dance.
Here’s how it can work. The party planners select a public polka dance at a hall of their choice, with a date that works for their event. Next, they contact the hall in advance, discuss their intent to bring a group, and reserve the necessary tables. (It may even be possible to negotiate a special admission price for the large group.) After completing arrangements with the hall for how the admission price will be paid for the guests, it’s time to send out the invitations and invite the guests. It can work for a party of any size. One party recently had over 100 invited guests! But it works just as well for one or two tables of guests. Party food and snacks can be brought in, and special decorations done with the permission of the hall. Then it’s just a question of showing up and having a party!
Here are some of the advantages. First, low cost. Depending on the event, guests can pay their own way in at the door (i.e.; for a family reunion), or the sponsoring couple can pay all the admissions. Either way, it’s an inexpensive way to throw a party. Second, the work of preparation is minimized, and there is no clean up at all! Think about it ladies. You can throw a big party without cleaning your house before, and cleaning up after! Now that’s a real plus! Third, your guests can really have a good time, and the entertainment is built in! They can dance or not, converse, listen to the music, watch people, tell stories, give toasts, reminisce… All the trappings of a good party, with none of the hassle. And the bandleader or hall manager will almost certainly acknowledge your group or event over the PA, giving you special public recognition. Of course, the advantage to “polka” is more people at the dance, a better “party atmosphere,” and happier musicians (always happier when the crowd is large and merry). And the hall is happy with the larger crowd!
Want to plan your party well in advance and don’t know what public dance opportunities are available? Just contact the Texas Polka News. We’ll pull up our dance calendar and give you options for the halls of your choice in your time frame. We’re looking forward to helping you plan “Your Party at Polka!”
Dancing
Outside the Box
Sometime
in the 90’s a new phrase crept into our society’s jargon.
“Thinking outside the box” became the slogan for encouraging people
to think about and try new things, to not be hampered by the habits of the past,
to step off the cow path and see what else the pasture had to offer.
Yes, we learned that to lead a fuller life we are to “think outside the
box!”
How
about dancing outside the box? Same concept – same idea.
Instead of following the same old cow paths to the same old places and
the same bands, why not dance outside the box? Don’t get me wrong.
This is not to say anything bad about the old and familiar places where
we have enjoyed polka music and dance over the years.
They’re still good, and deserve our continued support.
I am reminded of the jingle that our daughter’s discovered in Brownies
years ago. “Make
new friends but keep the old; one is silver and the other gold!”
And so it is with our favorite dance halls and bands.
But don’t overlook trying new dance halls and new styles of music.
They’re silver, and could become gold!
For example, within the field of polka music try some new bands or new dance halls. Sure, you might have to actually study the Texas Dance Calendar, and plan your month in advance to check out the new places. But the planning phase can be part of the fun. After all, this is your avocation, right? So avocate a little! (O.K., I know avocate isn’t a real word, but you get the idea.) Once you get the hang of “dancing outside the box” you can venture even further by sampling other styles of music and dance.
Traditional
country music abounds in Texas, including the old familiar places such as SPJST
88 in Houston, or Sweet Home, or Martinez Hall, just to name a few.
Western swing can
open up a whole new world of great music and dance, with some great bands
available throughout the state, some in old familiar places and some in exciting
venues that deserve being discovered by you.
There’s a whole sub-culture out there folks, waiting for you.
Speaking of sub-cultures, let’s don’t forget Cajun music and dance.
Many polka fans have already discovered the joy of Cajun music.
We’d like to see more halls mix polka and Cajun as Sweet Home did
earlier this year. (Sweet
Home was thinking outside the box!)
Yes
folks, dancing is a great avocation.
It can even be better if you “dance outside the box!”
So live it up. In
case you hadn’t noticed, we aren’t getting any younger.
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