Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Square Dancing: A Prairie Grove Tradition
PRAIRIE GROVE — Becky Doss of Prairie Grove will be busy with square dancing during the 2019 Clothesline Fair.
Doss, who has been calling square dances for the Clothesline Fair for 12 years, is the caller for 14 square dance groups.
Of the 14, 13 are exhibition, younger groups. She has three 4-year-old groups, two 6-yearold groups, two 7- and 8-year-old groups, two 9- and 10 year-oldgroups, two 10-year-old groups and two 12-year-old groups.
Her 14th team is a competitive 15- and 16-year-old dance group, and this is the first time in 12 years Doss is calling for a competition group.
For 2019, 600 kids will be involved in square dancing at the Clothesline Fair, held at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park, according to Craig Battles, who heads up square dancing for the Prairie Grove Lions Club.
There are 60 exhibition groups that will perform starting at 2 p.m. Saturday and at 2 p.m. Monday. Another 15 competitive groups will
take the stage at 7 p.m. Saturday and 7 p.m. Monday.
In 2018, 56 younger groups danced and 16 competition groups performed in the evening.
Battles said he’s noticed a few different things about this year’s square dance groups. The number of younger groups has increased and he’s seen a lot of new families move into the area who want to be involved.
He’s also noticed new callers this year, names he does not recognize.
Square dancing in Prairie Grove is three generational, Battles said.
Doss can attest to that. Square dancing for Doss is a family tradition.
She danced for eight years. Her children danced. And now Doss is the caller for a group that includes her four-year-old granddaughter. Her mother didn’t dance but she sewed square dance clothes for the family.
Doss said she’s thought about retiring from calling in past years but with a granddaughter growing up in the tradition, she plans to stay.
“The reason I do it is because I have a love for this community and a love for the kids to watch them grow,” Doss said.
Doss admits that she enjoyed performing and the social aspect of square dancing. That’s why she participated for eight years while in school in Prairie Grove.
She thinks it has endured in the community because Prairie Grove is a small town and everyone loves the community.
Doss’ competitive square dance group is Route 44. It’s also the first time she’s been the caller for this group. Being involved in the competition part of the square dance program brings extra stress, she said.
The stress, Doss said, is making the group look good. But she admits she also wants the group to look good because it reflects on her. There’s an expectation, she said, because she danced for so many years and has called for many years.
One new family involved in square dancing this year is Jamie McDaniel and her four-year-old son, Dakota McDaniel. McDaniel moved to Prairie Grove in November 2018, to live closer to family.
She heard about the Clothesline square dance program after moving to Prairie Grove and began looking for a group for her son. She said she finally found one at the last minute through Face Book when a boy dropped out of a group.
Dakota joined Buckles and Belles, though he didn’t know any of the other dancers in the group.
“I’m excited about it,” McDaniel said, as she watched her son practice with Doss at the Latta Barn at the Battlefield State Park. “I watched the older ones and it’s intriguing.”
Her son seems to like it, she said. He especially likes being with the other children. The 4-year-old group has been practicing at least once a week this summer for about 30 minutes each time.
If this is your first time to watch square dancing at the Clothesline Fair, the dances are held at the amphitheater at Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park. Bring chairs for sitting and water if it’s hot. Concessions and food trucks also will be available.