Farthest North Square &
Round Dance Center
In 1981 the Farthest North Square and Round Dance Center located at
Alaskaland and commonly known as the Alaskaland Dance Center was completed.
Several area Square Dance Clubs share the Dance Center. The Golden Heart
Round Dancers also dance there every Thursday evening at 7:30 PM.
The Farthest North Federation of Dance Clubs is composed of square,
round, ballroom, country western, and contra dance clubs in the Fairbanks
region. They seem to have been replaced by the NLCD (Northern Lights Council
of Dancers) which consists of a variety of dance clubs and Taoist Tai Chi
Club in the Fairbanks region.
Members in these clubs have joined together to encourage new dancers and
new clubs, to coordinate special events to the benefit of all member clubs
and to represent dancing in the area as a wholesome and enjoyable
recreation.
The Federation was composed of the following clubs:
Those who dance at the Farthest North Square Dance Hall in Pioneer Park welcome dancers from
other states and countries.
We will add information on the clubs as we find it. Right now, we
only have information on The Santa's Swingers Square Dance Club, which we are
including here as it gives insight into the beginnings of square dance clubs in Fairbanks.
The following is quoted from their earlier web site.
"The Club was founded in North Pole in 1967 by Dick and Carol
Manning, a Fairbanks caller and his wife. Also instrumental in the club's formation were
Hector and Jeannette Therriault, local square dancers. Hector was Master of the North Pole
Grange at the time and he and Jeannette felt that square dancing would be a wholesome
activity for the North Pole community and especially for the young people in the area.
"Santa's Swingers Square Dance Club moved from North Pole into
Fairbanks in 1975 where they danced at Walt's Hoe-down Center, which had been built by
square dancers on property owned by Walt Schuette, a well known promoter of Square, Round
and Folk dancing in the area. The building is still located at the site on South Cushman
and is used for dance instruction.
"In 1981 the square dance community completed building the Farthest
North Square and Round Dance Center located at Alaskaland and commonly known as the
Alaskaland Dance Center until Alaskaland was renamed Pioneer Park.. The Santa's Swingers dance there every second and fourth Saturday
throughout the year."
The club also holds classes for beginners, and workshops in plus dancing as
well as an annual dance weekend , "the Spring Fling".
For more information, call the Federation Representative: Isabelle Mudd
(907) 479-4522.
We are also including a page describing the Santa's Swinger's
Square Dance lessons, and Round Dancing
by the Golden Heart Round Dancers, for those
who either live here year 'round, or will be staying in Fairbanks for a longer visit and
want more information.
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