A drive to dance

Square dancing and RVing go hand-in-hand.

More than 1,200 dancers will be swinging their partners around five halls at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center grounds next weekend during the 55th Washington State Square and Folk Dance Festival.

About 25 percent of those folks will be walking home after the last dance – to their recreational vehicles parked nearby on the fairgrounds.

“A lot of dancers bring their RVs to festivals because they can park right at the dance site,” says Jerry Walker, general chairman of the two-day event starting Friday at 9 a.m.

Walker and his wife, Molly, of Endicott, Wash., have been square dancing for more than 30 years and RVing for 20.

“We love both activities,” says Molly Walker. “The people are just great.”

In both square dancing and RVing there is a sense of community, where old-timers extend a hand to help newcomers feel welcome and dancers frequently take trips together.

Sharon and Jim Cline of Otis Orchards and Del and Eunice Erickson of Spokane were among eight couples who took their RVs to Lolo, Mont., recently to the Mountain Mixer Summer Dance.

“They have a special campground in Lolo that caters to dancers bringing their RVs,” says Del Erickson, who pulls a 27-foot Jayco fifth-wheel trailer with his ¾-ton Ford truck.

“We went over and danced for the weekend,” he says, “and had a great time spreading the word about our upcoming ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ festival.”

The Ericksons are coordinating the RV parking at the Washington state event and will be at the fairgrounds early Wednesday marking off camping sites.

“People from all over the Pacific Northwest will start arriving with their RVs around noon on Thursday,” says Erickson. “We want to be ready for them.”

Also arriving early will be Nina and Bill Leisi of Cheney in their Georgetown motor home. The Leisis are part of the planning committee.

“We’ve been working on this for more than six years,” says Nina Leisi, a well-known round dance cuer in the region.

“For the square dance caller,” says Leisi, “Tony Oxendine, the most sought-after caller in the nation, is coming in from Sumtner, S.C.”

The featured round dance cuers are Christina Corelli-Goode and Kirby Goode of Eugene, Ore., and the featured clogging cuer is Dave Roe of Surprise, Ariz.

“A lot of callers and cuers have RVs,” says Corelli-Goode in an e-mail. “My husband is also a square dance caller and sometimes we have quite a bit of equipment in our trailer. It’s much easier than toting suitcases, coolers and hang-up clothes in and out of motel rooms.”

While the Goodes are not bringing their 26-foot Comfort fifth-wheel trailer to Spokane, they have towed it to numerous square and round dance festivals, jamboree weekends and special dances throughout Oregon, Washington and British Columbia.

“You can entertain in your RV or outside it if in a park setting. You bring the foods you like and can bring your pets along as well,” says Corelli-Goode. “It’s fun to camp together and hang out.”

For more information

• The next informal gathering of Inland Northwest square dancing RVers is Sept. 17 at 10 a.m. in the backroom of the Old Country Buffet, 5504 N. Division St. “There are no dues, no officers and no member roster,” says Nina Leisi. “Everyone just shows up to eat and spend time with each other.”

• The “Un-Official Web site of the Spokane Area Council of Square Dancers,” coordinated by square dance callers Vern and Kathy Boggs, is: vern.boggs.net/sqdance/sqdance.htm.

• Square dancers and nondancers alike are welcome to “camp among the pines on Lolo Creek” at the Square Dance Center and Campground near Lolo, Mont., about 30 miles southwest of Missoula. Call (406) 273-0141; e-mail: sqrdance@bresnan.net; Web site: home.bresnan.net/~sqrdance/.

Idaho Samboree today

Longtime Good Sam member Polly Brendle of Burlington, Wash., was in Spokane earlier this week to visit her brother, Neal Gmeiner, “between Samborees.”

Polly and her husband, Pat, were on their way to the Idaho State Samboree in Coeur d’Alene this weekend after attending the Washington State Samboree last weekend in Moses Lake.

“It was a wonderful gathering at Moses Lake,” said Brendle, “and we are looking forward to seeing more old friends in Coeur d’Alene.”

RVers can still stop by the Idaho Samboree today for its last full day of events and entertainment.

“People can just follow the signs to the Kootenai Country Fairgrounds and stop by Building 1,” says Dick Easterday, state co-assistant director and Samboree coordinator. “There is a special $10 day pass.”