Texanthropy Spotlight: The Texas Dancehall Tour
If you love Texas history and music as much as I do, then you will definitely want to check out the Texas Dance Hall Tour.
Texas music legend Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel has created what he calls a “land cruise” – a six-day tour making stops at five historic dance halls in the Texas Hill Country and East Texas, including Luckenbach Dance Hall and Sengelmann Hall. This tour will introduce visitors to the true charm of Texas and raise awareness of the growing need to help preserve our historic dance halls.
Sengelmann Hall in Schulenburg
The 2017 Texas Dance Hall Tour is March 20th to 26th, and proceeds from the tour benefit the Texas Dance Hall Preservation, an incredible organization that is committed to saving historic Texas dance halls and the authentic music and culture that is still found in them.
Texas dance halls have been the heart and soul of communities throughout our history. In fact, at the turn of the 20th century, more than 1,000 dance halls flourished throughout the state as bastions of Texas culture and pride. Sadly, there are only about 400 dance halls remaining, and they need our help to continue to succeed so that they can be enjoyed for generations to come.
Twin Sisters Dance Hall in Blanco
Anyone who participates in the Texas Dance Hall Tour can expect a unique and unforgettable experience, complete with dance lessons – including, of course, the “Texas Two-Step” – as well as Texas-style dinners and various regional daytime activities, including trips to a Texas whiskey distillery, a winery, and a buggy barn that features more than 140 buggies dating back to the 1860s. In addition to Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel, other well-known country music artists participating in the tour include Lee Ann Womack and Dale Watson.
Time to do some boot scootin’ for a good cause.