Some people are still square dancing in a round world.

The art of square dancing has slowly disappeared from the American landscape. While some people still practice this very American dance, many avid participants have faded from the dance floor.

Dancing has always been a part of Gering’s history.

In 1899, Gering Courier founder and publisher A.B. Wood wrote about dancing in this community as it was founded.

“Dancing was the one great pastime of the pioneer settlers, every new floor laid being the recipient of a christening hop. Even the little room built for the Courier was dedicated by a dance just a night or two before I got here. It was the building where Louis Luft’s harness shop is now and as it was only 14x20 feet, it can be plainly seen that in the ‘80s it was a case of ‘everybody dance’ plain enough,” Wood wrote.

Though square dancing is fading, still there is hope that it will live on as a few younger people are learning the craft at local Twin City Twirlers square dances. The group has square dances at least monthly at the Gering I.O.O.F Hall.

They meet weekly in the summer.

Dancer Barbara Anderson of Scottsbluff, said she square dances “because it’s fun and it’s great exercise. If you have to exercise, you might as well have fun with it.”

Though she appeared as a seasoned professional on the dance floor, Anderson has only been square dancing for two years.

“I missed out on a lot of years on the dance floor. We’re all a family. I think young kids ought to do it. If they would just try it – they would have a blast,” Anderson said.

Conrad Kinnaman, from Bayard, said he and his wife Louise love to go square dancing. The couple has been square dancing for more than 20 years.
“It is a place where you can meet people of a common interest, very good conversations and it is very good exercise. I have a lot of friends in this room,” Kinnaman said.

Wes Mohler, caller and manager of the Twin Cities Twirlers said the club is an offshoot of a club that folded in January, the Bluff Strutters.

“I have been doing a little bit of calling but I have never really established a club before,” Mohler said though he has been the caller for the Torrington, Wyo. club. “That is an officer-run club but the Twin City Twirlers is strictly my thing. This is a caller-run club.”

As a caller who is also running the club, Mohler gets extra duties like sweeping the floor, hanging decorations as well as promoting the events.
“I’m the CEO and janitor,” he joked.

Years ago square dancers filled the floor at the I.O.O.F. Hall and it was rather crowded. Mohler said they used to get nine squares going at once on the floor. There are eight people in a square.

Now he said it is a successful event if four squares are able to be assembled on the dance floor.

One of the youngest squared dancers attending Twin City Twirlers events is Brigette Gildemaster, a home-schooled 16-year-old high school junior.

“I love it. We saw them at Oregon Trails Days dancing. We asked for information and they sent it to me in the mail. My sister and I showed up and that was it. I’m here at almost every dance that there is,” Gildemaster said.

That was 18 months ago and she’s still dancing.

“This is their second year and they are helping – they brought some of their friends,” Mohler said.

The next Twin City Twirlers dance is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 21, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Gering I.O.O.F Hall.

If you are interested in the Twin City Twirlers or have questions call Wes Mohler at (308) 436-3859.

Photo by Jim Headley/Gering Citizen: Scotts Bluff County Sheriff’s Deputy Bill Hessler and Barbara Anderson square dance at the I.O.O.F. Hall in Gering.

Photo by Jim Headley/Gering Citizen: Square dancers Sara and Jerry Arnold and George and Nadyine Schaaf take the floor at a Twin City Twirlers dance.