Wanna Dance?

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

By Brigid Mander

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-I fumbled under the bar for a hook to hang my jacket on last Tuesday night at the Wort’s Silver Dollar Bar.

“Do you dance?” I heard.

“Not exactly,” I sheepishly explained to the black shirt, black hat-clad cowboy who was asking.  It wasn’t the first time I’ve been out dancing Western dances that I really don’t know, and it also wasn’t the first time I’d wished I’d find the time to take some lessons.

Despite the heavy tourism marketing emphasis on the Old West and Western things, there is, unfortunately, plenty of decidedly non-Western lifestyle and mentality in Jackson Hole.  But one place you can still find it, with great energy, is out at the bars on any night featuring a band with dancing music. Before you even hear the music, the cowboy hats lined up along the bar and out on the dance floor are a dead giveaway that tonight, there will be dancing. 

And it is not an act for tourists - it is just a night out for a lot of local dance enthusiasts, who are not, by the way, all cowboys either.

The famed Cowboy Bar is a Mecca for dancers, sometimes, downright intimidating for beginners to get out on the floor.  The couples have seamless interactions on the floor, as if they have been dancing together for years, but if nothing else, they are inspiring and amazing to observe. In addition to the Cowboy, the Stagecoach on Sunday nights and the Wort’s Silver Dollar most nights have strong Western dancing traditions.

Although as far as Jackson Hole culture is concerned, the dances are relatively old but the dance scene is refreshing in its simplicity.  There is little attitude to speak of, and people aren’t trying to hit on their dance partners-they just want to have fun on the dance floor. 

In addition to the several regular nights at different bars around Jackson, certain fundraisers focus on the local dance traditions, such as the annual Jackson Hole Fireman’s Ball, a fundraiser for the volunteer firefighter departments and EMTs.  The Fireman’s Ball is all about dance music, and it is a showcase for impressive swing dance moves by the supporters of the fire department. Tickets are on the cheap side at $20, and so there isn’t really an obstacle for people who want to go dance, especially for a cause.

When the Fireman’s Ball was first held 69 years ago, Western swing and big band swing dancing were at the height of their popularity all across the country.  Western swing, which is usually a four-count dance as opposed to six or eight counts like big band swing, originated in the Southwest at small town dance halls in the 1920’s and 30’s. Western string bands comprised of “talented country boys” would entertain the crowds without formal music education. They just made use of whatever toe-tapping melodies came together, according to country music Web site and historical chronicler roughstock.com.

Western swing bands also differ notably from the big horn bands in that they follow the fiddle’s lead and have frequent improvisation by the musicians.  Much of the music in Western swing consists of lyrics that originated in cowboy poetry, and were put to music that came over with immigrants from the old world, often Irish tunes, similar to much of the bluegrass tradition.

Although Western Swing experienced a revival in the 1970’s under Willie Nelson, George Strait, and Waylon Jennings, it isn’t likely to re-visit its pre-WWII  popularity. Nonetheless, it is still going strong in dance-loving enclaves in the Rocky Mountain West. 

The ever-present and eclectic bluegrass, folk, country that local musicians bring to the local gathering spots and events gives Western swing a surprisingly strong presence here in Jackson Hole. 

Des Moines, Iowa native Katie Mahoney moved to Jackson via Boulder, Colorado, and like most transplants she didn’t give Western culture too much thought. 
“That was before I even knew cowboys were still real, and not just a Jackson tourism gimmick,” she admits, laughing.  But through a mutual friend, within a week of her move Mahoney had met a horse-breaking cowboy who loved to dance.

Complete with the whole look of boots, hat, and often black attire, the cowboy wanted to go out and dance with a partner each week, and was willing to help her along, especially since she knew basic swing steps from some high school lessons.   So Mahoney went out and danced at 43 North every Wednesday night, all through the winter.  It was a perfectly platonic relationship, and Mahoney’s boyfriend had no problem with the Wednesday night dances.

As far as the Western swing goes, with all the dancing opportunities, it would be great if more, younger, guys took the initiative and learned the steps, she said.  “I’ve taught my boyfriend the basic rhythm.  He grew up listening to punk music, but he’s gotten better-he’s fun to dance with now.”

Of course, it only helps your social game to learn the simple steps to dancing properly.  A local schoolteacher who likes to go out and dance relates a recent tale of a guy who asked her to dance, but in spite of the toe-tapping beat, just wanted to dance as though they were at a Phish show.  Needless to say, while she appreciated him at least getting out on the dance floor, things would have gone a lot better if he knew how to dance to the music the band was playing. 

In addition to the bands, the cowboys, and women who love to dance, Dancers’ Workshop plays a prominent role in teaching the dances to new people, with lessons at the Center for the Arts as well as offering free lessons Thursday nights at the Cowboy Bar during the summer and winter. 

Clair Carlson, a renowned local dancer, has been teaching Western swing, including free classes, for decades in the valley, as well as having been a competitor and judge all around the U.S., Canada, and even in Europe on the Country Western Dance International circuit. 

“He is the poster child of Western swing in Jackson Hole,” said Kathy McCann, a local musician. 

Although Carlson, who grew up in Ogden, Utah, didn’t do much dancing before he moved to Jackson in the late 1960’s, he remembers that dancing just seemed like the thing to do.  “I figured the girls liked it, so I took some classes,” Carlson said.  He clearly had a natural affinity for it, but he noted that dancing in Jackson is definitely not a competition; it is just a way to have a good time out at night. 

Girls are more likely to come in and take a class, he noted in a pragmatic way, since guys, probably prefer to be doing some ‘macho’ thing like four-wheeling around in mud or hunting elk,  Carlson laughed. It’s obvious he sees nothing un-macho about dancing.  He likes to point out that, since guys like girls, learning to dance creates a whole new ballgame for socializing.  And Carlson is, of course, right, because there isn’t a girl in town who wouldn’t be charmed by a guy who knows his way around a dance floor.

Acquiring just a little bit of cowboy culture and skill doesn’t take long, according to Carlson:  “Your average Joe can come in off the street [for the free Thursday night lessons at the Cowboy] for an hour, and feel good about life.” 

McCann, who plays the fiddle and guitar for several local bands, agrees wholeheartedly that the dancers in Jackson promote a strong, feel good community. 

“The dancing scene is really cool here.  People just like to dance,” she said.  As well as playing dancing music, McCann is a board member for the Cowboy Jubilee, a nonprofit that was formed in 2002 and focuses on the culture of the Old West and today’s working ranchers, in poetry, music and dancing. 

Part of the mission of the Cowboy Jubilee, McCann said, is to show locals and tourists alike that these things are still near the mainstream here, and it is part of the lifestyle.

“We just feel like it’s a culture that needs to be out there, and that is an important part of our heritage and economy,” she said. 

As far as promoting Western swing, it doesn’t seem to be too hard of a job, since dancing is, well, fun. 

“It takes boldness to get out there, but it is a real friendly bunch, real open to teaching and sharing,” McCann said with obvious pride in the community.  And it’s definitely not fading away in this community:  “You can go out anywhere and see lots of young people dancing the Western swing.”

Along with the Cowboy Bar and the Wort, the Stagecoach in Wilson is another famed dance locale, where the cowboys and cowgirls go to “church” on Sundays.  For novice dancers like Mahoney, the Coach offers the most easygoing, fun place to dance.  Her first impression of the Sunday night scene, she remembered was of backcountry skiing leftovers, who were kicked out of their table to clear the dance floor, and women coming in out of the snow and changing from work cowboy boots to fancy dancing cowboy boots.

The Coach is an icon for dancers, and the famous Stagecoach Band is a musical traditional revered by both skiers and dancers alike.  This is namely because Bill Briggs, the ski mountaineer who laid the first ski tracks down from the summit of the Grand Teton, has been playing in the band on and off for many years, but respect for Briggs gets people interested in his musical gig as well.

“Everyone has danced at the Coach at some point,” McCann said. 

Normally a hang-out for the ski crowd, who often stand around to chat, drink PBRs, whisky, re-hash the day’s lines on the mountain and play billiards, it is all Western dance on Sundays.  And it rubs off on at least some of the skiers.

Mike Windsor, who grew up in upstate New York and learned to swing dance when he moved to Jackson, said that while he and his wife always enjoyed dancing, they noticed things were a little different when they arrived. 

“You come out here and a lot more people are doing it,” he said. “There are a lot of people who actually dance in this town, and who are not afraid of getting up and having a good time.”

After a class at Dancers’ Workshop, they really got into it, and now have a crew of friends who are great dancers, Windsor said. All it takes is learning the basics and a little practice. Windsor and his wife will dance wherever the music is good, and the 35-year-old noted that for a town the size of Jackson, the dance scene is amazing. 
“You’ve just got to get out there and not worry about making a fool of yourself. No one’s really looking anyway.” JHW

Photo by Derek Diluzio
From local bars to the Fireman’s Ball, Western Swing has always had a floor in Jackson.

PERMALINK:
Wanna Dance? | Planet JH News Article: Cover Stories

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