Happy 15^th Anniversary PVD

Once upon a time long, long ago …….

No, this isn’t the beginning of a fairy tale, but it is about the beginning of our dance club.  Since Platte Valley Dancers recently celebrated its 15^th anniversary, the Board thought that it might be appropriate to share a few tidbits of trivia regarding the history of our club.

In January 1993, Mike and Irene Rabbe, originally from Omaha, offered beginning country western dance lessons at the Elks Club in Kearney.  Those of us that attended had such a good time that we signed up for the six-week intermediate session that followed.  By the conclusion of those lessons, many of the participants had become good friends, practiced together whenever possible, and even attended a dance workshop in Lincoln together.

After seeing our enthusiasm, Mike and Irene suggested that we form a dance club.  During the next few months, a group of 8-12 people met at the Elks Club to write a constitution and by-laws.  The club was patterned after Country Kickers dance club in Omaha. 

Platte River Valley Country Western Dance Association (PVD for short) was officially organized in June 1993.  Several students from the Reflections Dance Studio were also interested, and by the end of July we had a total of 32 members.  Officers and Board members were elected and committees were formed.  A logo was designed and members ordered t-shirts and jackets featuring the club colors of teal and black.  A calling committee was appointed to contact members and let them know about upcoming activities, and the first newsletter was sent out to all paid members beginning in July. 

Our first officers were:  President – Phil Roberson; Vice President – Tom Farber; Secretary – Irene Rabbe; and Treasurer – Ann Reno.

As with any organization, we established goals.

1. promote country western dancing in the region
2. get together socially with other individuals who share the love of country western dancing
3. to increase our awareness and skills in dancing
4. to have fun

The club had an open membership policy with the endorsement of a member in good standing.  Non-members were only allowed to attend two PVD functions before becoming members.  Originally, monthly membership meetings were held the second Wednesday of each month in the basement of the Platte Valley Bank.  The business part of the meeting was limited to approximately 30 minutes, and the rest of the meeting was devoted to sharing new dances or improving the current level of dancing skills.  We also tried to schedule two social events each month.

PVD became the main focus of our social activities.  Scheduled functions included dances at the Elks Club, a barbeque and dance at “Pollat’s Party Grounds”, picnics in Meier’s backyard, at Harmon Park and Johnson Lake, and a Christmas party at Little Mexico.  Our theme song was “On the Road Again” as we took road trips to dance workshops and competitions, and went dancing in Grand Island, North Platte, and Lexington.  Our members gained exposure by doing demos at the fairgrounds, at the Sr. Center, at Wel-Life retirement home, at Herberger’s, and for various conventions that came to town. We also held a hoedown at the YMCA for the purpose of raising money to purchase equipment for the YMCA.  

There were numerous opportunities to work on our dancing skills.  The Elks Club was available on weekends, the Phoenix Club had line dance lessons on Monday night, and Einstein’s had country western nights on Thursday and Saturday.   Back Lot also had country dancing on Saturday nights, and was a favorite gathering spot for our charter members.

By April 1994, our membership had grown to over 50.  Members got a reduced rate on admission to dances, so it was necessary to start using membership cards for identification when attending dances.

The country western craze continued, and by 1996 our membership had reached 123 members. 

Fifteen years have passed since our inception.  The popularity of country western music may have diminished and we have fewer available sites for our dances, but our primary goals remain the same -– to promote dancing, to get together socially with those that share our love of dancing, to improve our dancing skills, and most importantly to have fun.

Thanks for supporting PVD, and we hope to see you on the dance floor.

Submitted by Judy Farber