Montana Mavericks start season

It was a little like a precision drill team, but with music, and no rifles, flags or pompoms. It was opening night for the Montana Mavericks Square Dance Club of Plains, which started their season at the Plains Paradise Senior Citizens Center Saturday evening.

It was also the first time for the club to hold an event at the senior center. For the last 15 years, they met in the basement of the First Security Bank in Plains, but that ended in May when the bank needed the space. Darlene Jolly, the Montana Mavericks club president, said the senior center is about the same size, and although they have to pay rent for its use, the floors are wood, instead of cement, there are no posts in the middle of the room, and no stairs to go down, which is a big plus, since most of the club members are senior citizens.

Twenty-four people, about half from other square dance clubs, took part in the opening night dance with veterans square dance caller Marvin Speck of Troy and round dance cuer Lorrie Lane of Kalispell. Both have worked with the Plains club many times.

Square dancing is comprised of four couples in a square that dance as one unit with the caller telling them exactly what to do. Speck, a caller for more than 30 years, mixed his commands into the selected songs, changing parts of the song's verbiage, but keeping the same melody. "He can really carry a tune; we're lucky to have him," said Jolly, who is recovering from a sore back and couldn't participate last week, but has been a square dancer for over 40 years.

Speck used a variety of country music, rock 'n roll, pop and western songs from the 1950s to the 1980s. Most had a faster beat than the music Lane picked for round dancing, where dancers paired up for the fox trot, waltz, rumba, and the cha-cha and danced in a circle. "If it's got a good beat, I can call it," said Speck. Most of the pieces in both dance forms were two to four minutes long.

Jolly said that a person doesn't have to have rhythm to square dance because the caller tells them what to do, but the club doesn't allow people at their dances if they don't have some experience because the square relies on all participants to move when told. Dancers Saturday had between two to 41 years experience.

"If someone messes up, it breaks the whole square down," said Jolly, who added that the club offers classes starting on the first Friday in November at 8 p.m. at the senior center. Lessons go for two hours and are only $6 a person per night. Lessons will go through April or May. Anyone interested can call Jolly at 826-8951.

Starting in October, the Montana Mavericks will meet at the senior center for their dances on the first Saturday of the month from 7-9:30 p.m. until May. The club is hosting a special dance to mark its 15th anniversary at the "Red Barn" on Mission Drive in St. Ignatius this Sunday at 2 p.m.

The cost to join the Montana Mavericks is $12 a year. The club has just over 30 members from Plains, Paradise, Thompson Falls, Hot Springs, Trout Creek, and St. Regis, but on Saturday there were several people from Kalispell and Missoula. The genders Saturday were nearly even, but normally there are more women than men, said Jolly. She noted that at some dances, some of the women have had to do the men's part to make up a square.

The age range at last week's dance went from 45 to 82, said Jolly, who would like to get some younger people to join the club. Men and women were dressed in colorful clothes and most of the women had puffy dresses especially made for twirling. A lot of the couples like to have matching outfits, but Jolly said people can just come in regular clothes.

Square dancing is good exercise, according to Plains resident Michael Murray, who had a matching custom made outfit with his wife Sharon.

"Dancing keeps you young. You'll see some old people come in with canes, moving real slow, but boy when that music starts they're up there dancing and smiling," said Murray, a square dancer for 11 years.

Don Burrell of Thompson Falls and the club vice president agreed that square dancing is a great aerobic activity. Burrell's daughter, Kelly Durgeloh of Charlo, was a guest at last week's dance. Durgeloh said she learned to square dance from her parents while growing up in Dixon.

Speck and Lane alternated their time at the microphone and although some of the dancers took a break every other piece, many kept on going to nearly every song.

"Square dancing is the most fun you can have with your boots on," said Speck.