Beruffled and Bolo-Tied, Do-Si-Do Set Has Fun : Granada Hills Facility Is Magnet for Many Square Dancing Fans

They meet at Elaine’s of California seven nights a week. Dressed in sissypants, ruffles and bolo ties, they curlicue, pass thru, spin the top, and “Dixie style to an ocean wave.” They are square dancers, and Elaine’s is a mecca for Southern Californians who like to do-si-do.

“You can come without a penny in your pocket and find yourself dancing with a judge or a millionaire,” said Elaine Young, proprietor, designer and seamstress at the Granada Hills facility, which includes a 5,000 square-foot hardwood dance floor, carpeted lounge and boutique of square dance couture, culture and paraphernalia. “Everybody gets along because they’re on common ground. Square dancing is a great equalizer.”

According to the California Square Dancer Blue Book, a bimonthly magazine published in El Monte, beginners are often surprised to discover just how popular the activity is. Every day, 100 to 300 people go to Elaine’s to shop or dance--or both. Tens of thousands of square dancers belong to hundreds of clubs in Southern California. And in June, a crowd estimated at more than 40,000 people will converge in Anaheim for the 37th Annual National Square Dance Convention.

Nearly every city and community in the Los Angeles area has its own square dance club, and many of the clubs in Granada Hills use Elaine’s as their home base, including the Lads ‘n’ Lassies, Shuffles & Ruffles, Moonlighters, Stem Winders, Gamblers, Johnny Appleseeds, Starlighters, and B. Sharps of America.

“It goes without saying that we’re spoiled rotten because I don’t think there’s a better hall in town,” said a member of the Lads ‘n’ Lassies, a club that dances at Elaine’s the first and third Saturdays of the month. “You have to dance at some high schools and parks to really appreciate it.”

More clubs spring up every year, according to the Blue Book. Most have fanciful names similar to the Granada Hills clubs, such as the Hix & Chix (Anaheim), the Kadiddle Hoppers (La Crescenta), the Kapering Kouples (Pasadena), Twisters & Blisters (Northridge), the Square Esta Hotschatz (North Hollywood); and the Who Goofed? Squares (Redlands). There are also square dance clubs for singles, many of which call themselves the B ‘n’ B’s (Bachelors and Bachelorettes).

“It takes effort to execute the calls, mentally and physically,” said Young. “Young people no longer think of square dancing as square.”

Tucked away in a shopping mall between a hardware store and a veterinary clinic, Elaine’s looks, at first glance, just like another dress shop. But the mannequins in the window are clad in the brightly colored, ruffled dresses characteristic of square dancing. Beneath the skirts, the mannequins sport ruffled leggings that look like old-fashioned bloomers; these modest garments are called “sissypants” or “pettipants.” Their sturdy shoes are built for comfort and long wear.

Inside on a recent day, Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode to Billy Joe” played softly. Dozens of rainbow-colored petticoats hung from the ceiling like chiffon pinatas. Dresses (sizes 6 to 22) in a cotton-polyester blend took up much of the space. Many were designed by Young, who also sells patterns for women who would rather sew their own outfits. The men’s clothing section looked as if it could be Porter Wagoner’s closet, with its racks of Western shirts both fancy and plain.

There were also some items unique to a square dancer’s wardrobe, such as the hand towel with a silhouette imprint of twirling dancers. A man wears this towel in a special holder that hangs from his belts and uses it to dab his face after a particularly vigorous “tip” (set of dances). Bolo ties, collar tips, tie slides, neckerchiefs, belt buckles, bumper stickers and even a recipe book compiled by dancers were all for sale.

Behind the store, in the large auditorium, a group of beginners was being guided through a round dance by caller Opal Cohen. (The price of one class ranges from $3 to $5.)

“My inside foot is closed, see?” said Cohen. “Now, twinkle. Twinkle. It helps if your window is open. Let’s all take three steps together before we twinkle. One, two, three, now twinkle.”

After a few minutes of heavy twinkling, the dancers were happy to repair to the large lounge that connects the shop with the dance hall. Gathered around the coffee urn, they discussed their mistakes and successes, laughing. The coffee was nice, but the real refresher was the blasts of cool air from the overhead vents.

“Twenty-five tons of refrigerated air conditioning,” said Jack Young, who joined wife Elaine in the lounge.

Jack Young designed the interior of the store and supervised the construction of the entire complex from its days as an empty storefront. He first started square dancing with Elaine in 1973. He enjoyed it so much that the Youngs began taking classes at two clubs. Elaine, a seamstress and clothing designer, soon began helping other women design their dresses, and in 1975 the couple opened a small square dance clothing shop in Granada Hills.

But the Youngs knew they wanted to add a dance facility so they moved to their current, larger location in 1977. Six months later, Elaine’s had grown to the point where Jack Young gave up his career in the aerospace industry to devote his time to the center.

In addition to square dancing, Elaine’s offers classes in other types of dancing, aerobics and Jazzercise. “Clogging,” for example, is a fast-paced folk dance performed in tap shoes; “contra dancing,” which has nothing to do with Nicaragua, is a type of line dance, like the Virginia reel.

When talking to square dancers, several words and phrases recur: Wholesome. Healthy. Family activity. “Many square dancers are churchgoers,” said Elaine Young, “and they’re pleased to be able to meet new friends without going to bars or nightclubs.”

Many square dancers nationwide subscribe to a written code of ethics, according to Blue Book magazine. No liquor, for instance, is allowed at a dance, and neither are dancers allowed to drink before coming to a dance.

The Youngs have almost a missionary zeal about the activity. “If everybody knew about all the advantages of square dancing, we’d have to turn parking lots into square dance centers,” said Elaine Young. “People are changing, and they want to be in a more healthy atmosphere when they go out. It’s the most inexpensive activity you can think of, and you can bring the children.”

And there are fitness benefits, the Youngs said. According to the American Health Foundation, one hour of vigorous square dancing burns 560 calories--more than tennis, bicycling, or kayaking.

“I call it ‘fun set to music,’ ” said Elaine Young. “It’s one big continuous party here all the time.”