Oh, the Boot and Saddle. Not only does it still have one of the finest signs a bar on Broad Street can boast, it has the greatest collection of crap on the walls I’ve seen at any bar, anywhere: jackalopes, wagon wheels, guns, sepia-toned photographs. It was the Western bar to go to in South Philadelphia until it closed down in 1995. No one has scooped it up yet, but the sign remains and lord knows people still love to two-step and wear boots and Wranglers out on the town. And we’ve compiled a list of where they do it. Many of these Western outings are in Philadelphia’s Gayborhood, but some are just for dance aficionados. Now you have a whole range in which to make your home. A wide, open range one could say.
Woody’s
Every Saturday night Woody’s hosts country western line dancing from 7pm to 11pm. It can be serious, but not competitive. Dress nicely, tuck in your shirt and please have excellent posture. You can have fun, but do not make fun. Country line dancing, or any line dancing, can be as rigorous and twist-filled as polka, but it is a group thing, not a couple’s thing. You must feel it. Give into it. Something happens, like osmosis among line dancers, and somehow it works. Woody’s, 202 S. 13th St., Philadelphia, 215.545.1893, www.woodysbar.com
Lassos and Lariats
Pure nightclub hosts the 13th annual Lassos and Lariats country dance benefit on April 21. Leigh Richards from WXTU will host the event and the DC Cowboys (a handsome and a talented Western dance troupe) will be in attendance, so there’s always someone to dance with. Philly legend and the self-proclaimed Miss Woody’s Two-Step For Life Shana Matthews will also be there to keep you on your toes. She can dance circles around you, but since this is a fund-raiser, I trust she will be kind. All proceeds go to the Attic Youth Center and Siloam. Tickets are between $25 and $35. Pure, 1221 Saint James St., Philadelphia, 215.735.5772, www.lassosandlariats.com
Tuesday Square Dance
Got a Tuesday night music club you pal around with? Why not take the bunch and go square dancing? Square dancing is like dancing with GPS; someone (the caller) tells you what to do a moment before you do it. Even if you mess up, it’s still fun. The Tuesday Night Square Dance occurs on the second Tuesday of each month at St. Mary’s Parish Hall on the University of Pennsylvania Campus in West Philadelphia. Admission is $5 and $3.50 for students with ID. The dance runs from 7:30 to 10:15pm. St. Mary’s Parish Hall, 3916 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, 215.536.5110.
Independence Squares
Founded in 1988, this group of square dancers is probably Philadelphia’s longest-running square dance association. Ah, tradition; we’re rich with it here in Philly. Independence Squares admits to being chiefly gay and lesbian “with a smattering of straight folk.” Mostly they meet at the Lutheran Church of Holy Communion (peep the Tiffany Glass behind the sanctuary) and William Way. This April 28, the Independence Squares have a dance at the Lutheran Church. Independence Squares, 2111 Sansom St., Philadelphia, www.independencesquares.org
City Slickers/Country Kickers
Every Tuesday night at the Masonic Temple in Prospect Park (right off Route 420), DJ Lars Anderson and Lori create a fine atmosphere for country dancing. It’s just $7 and extremely wholesome as there is no booze, but lemonade, hot chocolate and coffee are offered. 7pm to 10:30pm, Masonic Temple, Lincoln Ave., Prospect Park, 610.583.3549, www.cityslickerscountrykickers.com
AroundPhilly Staff
