Learn to Square Dance
With the Libby Spinning Squares
September 21, 2011
The Libby Spinning Squares Square Dance Club invites you to join them for lessons beginning September 25. Marvin Speck is the instructor and lessons will be held Sundays from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Kootenai Valley Christian School gym. Families, singles and couples are welcome. It's great exercise and more fun than jogging! New students will be accepted for three weeks: September 25, October 2, and October 9. The first lesson is free, and lessons are $3/person/lesson after the first lesson. Come, have fun, make new friends, and learn a new skill. For more information, call Verna Johnson at 406-293-4039 or Marvin Speck at 406-295-4074.
Photos by Maggie Craig, LibbyMT.com unless otherwise noted
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The following is a history of the Libby Spinning Squares written by Marie Cripe in 2007. Many thanks go to Marie for her account of this club which has been a part of Libby's culture for a very long time!
Libby Spinning Squares square dance club has been around for about 60 years since sometime in the early 1940s. The club has had as high as 15 squares of dancers (about 120 individuals).
It started as a record club. Being taught by records, dancers became very proficient – you had to be "on your toes" because records won’t stop and wait for you to catch up.
According to the late Clarence and Audrey Daggett, prominent residents in Libby and early day square dancers, the club danced upstairs in the old Odd Fellows Hall on the corner of Mineral Avenue and Fourth Street in the same location as the new Hall built in 1972.
During the 1960s, the club began to change with the times, contracting callers to come in and call dances.
Canadian Jim Scanlon, one of the first, called for the club as well as Joe Secore from Spokane and Les Gore from Kalispell and many others around the area.
Square dancing has been very popular with clubs all over the United States, Canada and foreign countries as well. Scotland, England, Germany, China and Japan, Australia and Hawaii – nearly every country in the world and every state in the Union.
Many callers have come in to call for the Spinning Squares twice a month from as far away as Lewiston, Idaho, western Washington and Canada.
Several national callers have called the Logger Festival in Libby, coming from as far away as Texas, Arizona, California, Colorado and Minnesota; the most notable being Angus McKensey from Scotland, who called the 2003 Festival.
The Logger Festival has been held on the first weekend in June at Libby for most of the last 45 years, entertaining as many as 30 and 35 squares (280 dancers). People have had to dance outside as there was no more room in the Hall. The Festival has been held in the gymnasium at the Kootenai Valley Christian School for many years.
Square dance teachers over the years include Bill Melcher, Louie O’Brien, Bob Adsitt, Mark Yankee and callers Lee Dexter and John Bramlett from Troy.
For many years the club met the Flathead clubs over the 4th of July at Boisverts on McGregor Lake for a summer campout and dancing. For the last 15 years or so they have met with the Flatheaders at Logan Park on Thompson Lake for the summer get-together on Father’s Day weekend in June.
Marvin Speck from Troy conducts lessons and calls for the club at present. If you are interested in square dancing, call Marvin at 406-295-4074 or you may call Verna Johnson in Libby at 406-293-4039 for information.
Lessons start the last Sunday in September and the first lesson is free.
Marie Cripe
June 2007
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