A Tulsa-based organization founded in 1945 still meets weekly for square dancing.

The Northeast Oklahoma Square Dance Association offers lessons for $5 every Friday evening starting at 7 p.m. at the Memorial Community Center, 8310 E 15th St.

Anita Merrell and her husband have been coming here for 14 years. The couple color-coordinates their outfits specifically for the evening.

“I try to keep him in check,” Merrell said. “It’s something we do together and we enjoy it.”

Bill Powell learned square dancing in 1965 and returned to dancing with his wife in 2011.

“We see all these people learning. They always have a big smile on their faces and that makes us happy and we like it so much,” he said.

A new square dance dancer is Kennedy Garza. She started a few months ago and has completed 12 lessons.

“I’ve tried other types of dancing, a little bit of swing, but I’ve never done square dancing,” she continued. “It’s the fun kind you see in all the movies, so I just decided to give it a try.”

At 19, Garza is the youngest dancer in her square.

“Mostly it’s older people like ourselves,” Powell added. “It’s great to see young people here. We’re incredibly lucky to have young people here.”

“It’s really great to see more and more younger kids or even younger adults getting involved because this is the future of our hobby,” Merrell said.

This interest grows with each weekly lesson.

“The first time we had some young people, but then some came back,” Merrell said. “Then they bring friends, so that’s exciting.”

Dancing is the door opener, but the friendships are what keep everyone coming back.

“They greet you by name, they see you, they miss you when you’re not here,” Garza said.

“It doesn’t matter if you have a partner or not. You can come here and have a good time. The camaraderie and the friendships you make are like family,” Merrell added.

So they always look forward to the next lesson.

“People who didn’t know each other a few weeks ago can’t wait for Friday night to come,” Powell said.

Friday night square dancing is open to everyone. For those who would rather start from scratch, the next series of beginners classes begins on January 10, 2025.

To learn more about the Northeast Oklahoma Square Dance Association, click here or call 918-671-0661.