Palmer Paws and Taws cuts one mean rug

PALMER — Lois Feaster says her favorite time square dancing is on a Thursday night with the Paws and Taws square dance club at the Salvation Army in Palmer.

Feaster began learning the moves when she was 12. Now she has almost 75 years experience square dancing. For her, it has become a family affair that provides exercise and, most importantly, good, clean fun.

“Back then it was simple,” Feaster said of when she was young. “There were only four moves. Now there are 63.”

Feaster met husband of 55 years, Charles, in Alaska. Charles had traveled here on an adventure trip and ended up at the military base in Delta.

“We’d go out and dance at the schoolhouse until 10:30, then we’d dance in the dirt in our regular clothes,” she said. “Eventually, somebody would start a bonfire and we’d be out there dancing in the dirt until 2 in the morning.”

Feaster has been a member of Paws and Taws since 1989. After two knee replacements and a hip replacement, she still dances at a spry 82 years young. She says it’s because she exercises so much that she can still move around the floor.

Now son Gary Feaster calls the dances for the club. He stands at the front of the floor controlling a small record player and a microphone.

“Ladies center, men sashay,” he calls out. “Move on up, spin that top! Boys, do the right left through and promenade on home.”

Gary Feaster has always used records to provide the music, but is now working on converting his square dancing music library to his computer.

Being a Feaster, Gary took to square dancing naturally. In 1989, Charles fell and broke bones in his leg, so he opted not to take square dance classes with his wife and son. Sitting in a dress she made with her own hands that matches her husband’s shirt, Lois smiles at Thursday’s Paws and Taws event, thinking of dancing with her son.

“He’s still my favorite partner to dance with,” she said.

Paws and Taws club is 31 members strong and meets Thursday nights from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Salvation Army in Palmer. The club will teach lessons in September. Though every member at Thursday’s dance remembers the rotary telephone or at least used one at one time, the club is looking for new members. Thirteen new dancers graduated classes last year.

Square dancing also is a competitive activity on the state and national levels, but is waning with the lack of fresh interest.

“We went to nationals in Portland, Ore., a few years ago and there were 20,000 people,” Lois Feaster said. “Last year in Washington there were only 6,000.”

Gary Feaster calls a mainstream tip, which is the simplest version of a square dance. Higher-level dances can be found in Anchorage, which many of the members of Paws and Taws commute to every week.

Bill and Kathy Utek, who sold Homestead RV Campground this year, previously had a partnership with the Paws and Taws, allowing the club to dance in their pavilion, which in turn attracted campers.

“If you can walk, you can square dance,” said Phyllis Shafer. “There was an aura about that place.”

Square dancing is fun, simple and clean. Almost everyone wears some form of dancing shoes, but some wear simple sneakers or hiking shoes. Most women wear frilly skirts that they flip while dancing. National federation rules state that no one can dance if they smell of liquor, and no smoking is allowed at square dances, promoting a clean, healthy environment.

Square dancing has even helped extend the Feaster family. In 1990, when Charles was healthy enough to take lessons, Gary brought his wife to take lessons as well. Now 22 years later, Gary and his wife take a trip Outside each year on their anniversary and find somewhere to square dance.

Contact Tim Rockey at 352-2252 or tim.rockey@gmail.com. Follow @trockeynews on Twitter.

Paws and Taws will offer free Square Dancing lessons from 7 to 8:30 p.m., Sept. 14, 21 and 28. Continued lessons cost $5 per person, per dance. Dances are at the Salvation Army Building, 209 W. Evergreen St, in Palmer. Club dance for experienced members is from 8:30 to 10 p.m. Couples, singles and families welcome. For more information, contact 745- 4565 or 232-5682.