Modern Square Dance Club

Square dancing is more than just steps—it is a team effort where eight people move as one to fast-paced music. We blend classic moves with contemporary songs, creating an upbeat environment where fitness meets fun. Every class and dance night is an opportunity to learn something new and connect with friendly dancers.

No partner or prior experience is required to get started! Our dedicated callers reduce every movement into easy, manageable steps. From basic square dance calls to advanced choreography, we offer a supportive atmosphere where everyone can learn at their own pace and experience the joy of dancing together.

Behind Boots and Bows is a passionate team of callers, instructors, and volunteers dedicated to sharing the excitement of square dance. We work together to ensure every event is safe, energetic, and memorable.

Head Caller

Club President

Webmaster

Club Officers

President: Barbara Graham
Vice President: Doug Purinton
Secretary: Laural Purinton
Treasurer: Connie Carroll / Barbara Pasterino
A-Square-D Delegate: Marty Heger
Newsletter: John & Barbara Taylor / Anne Foy
Publicity: Alesia Giampaoli / Doug Purinton
Where's the Dance updates: Phil Alfandary
Communications: Doug Puriton
Contracts: Doug Purinton / Anne Foy
Facilities: John McCabe / Rob Martin
Supplies: Vera Hutton & Larry Olson
Refreshments Coordinator: Bonnie Swanson
Special Services: Craig Foy
Class Coordinator: Doug Purinton
Class Cashier: Connie Carroll
Class Setup: Connie Carroll / John McCabe / Rob Martin
Sunshine: Linda Braden
Webmaster: Bob Giampaoli

Boots and Bows - The Last 10 Years

We continued holding our regular classes, holiday dinner dance parties, and club dances (with full buffet dinners on the anniversary dances) through the end of 2019. Noteworthy events included our 61st Anniversary Masquerade Ball dance where our scheduled caller, the great Ken Bower, who was somewhat hoarse, was joined by Buddy Weaver giving us a ton of dancing fun. Zena Beaulieu moved to Las Vegas in mid-2017 and Judy Keller and Jim Smith started as our regular cuers.

In June of 2019 thirteen Boots and Bows, along with 19 other LA area dancers, attended the national square dance convention in Alanta and 3 days of pre-convention tours arranged by the A-Square-D Hi flyers. Every Veterans Day weekend several Boots and Bows and many other LA area dancers spent 2 or 3 days in Indio dancing to 6 or 7 outstanding callers from across the country This event drew more than a thousand dancers from all over the southwestern United States but, unfortunately, never resumed after 2019. We continued our tradition of bus trip outings by Visiting the Mission Inn in Riverside for afternoon tours of the historic hotel, dinner, and an evening strolling around to enjoy the festive lights display.

Then Covid hit us and the February dance was our last dance in 2020. We did not resume dancing until July 2021, where we all wore masks. But Covid flared up again and we didn’t dance again until October and November. We skipped our January 2022 dance due to another Covid flare up and finally got back to regular dancing at our 64th Anniversary dance in February 2022. Some dancers never came back after Covid but we still managed 3 squares.

Rosemary Walters, who was still actively dancing at age 97 prior to Covid, passed away 1 month shy of her 100th birthday. We held a memorial service to honor her longevity as a square dancer in March 2022. We also welcomed several dancers from the Honeycombers as Boots and Bows club members. The Honeycomers did not resume dancing after the pandemic leaving the Boots and Bows as the only remaining club in the South Bay.

We resumed new dancer classes at Riviera United Methodist Church in June 2022 and focused on the SSD level which is similar to the new Mainstream. In 2023 we started welcoming SSD gradates into club membership and dancing a combination of SSD and Plus tips at our club dances. We resumed our full buffet holiday dinner dances in 2023 but now only serve continuous light snacks at our anniversary dances We also resumed occasional bus trip outings to places of interest in the LA area and our summer picnic gatherings.

We look forward to welcoming new dancers into the square dance family and continuing as a vibrant square dance club for many years to come. Hope you will join us!

2011 Club Dancers

1996 40th Anniversary Dance

1957 1st Anniversary Dance

2026 70th Anniversary Dance

2019 National Convention in Atlanta

2017 61st Anniversary Masquerade Ball

Boots and Bows Today

After 70+ years, Boots and Bows is still a vibrant club offering regular festive themed dances. Our dances feature a variety of experienced, accomplished square dance callers and round dance cuers. In addition to our regularly scheduled dances, we go to dances at other square dance clubs in the area including the Ribbons and Souls in Culver City, the Guys and Dolls in Los Angeles, and the Shoreline Squares in Long Beach. We offer classes and workshops to learn square dancing throughout the year with Dale Hoppers as our instructor. Judy and Jim Smith cue our round dancing.

History of the Boots and Bows

Boots and Bows - The First 20 Years

The Boots and Bows Square Dance Club evolved from an adult education class sponsored by the William Anderson School P.T.A. of Lawndale. Five squares of dancers graduated on March 17, 1956, to become charter members of the newly formed club known as the Boots and Bows of Lawndale. Ten squares were in attendance to see the club presented with their Associated Square Dancers (ASD) Charter #340 by Blackie Blackman the Fourth District Director of ASD.

Several squares of the beginner’s class attended the annual March of Dimes Dance after only ten weeks of instruction and had a ball joining other dancers. After graduation the club started visiting many local clubs and enjoying its own dances. Several club members attended the National Convention held in San Diego in June of 1956 - an event which further bound their close friendships.

The Boots and Bows started a new class in early 1957 and seven squares of beginners enjoyed instruction from Gerald Reeser and Pappy Benedict. Co-Presidents, Les and Betty Porges, attended every class and, along with other club members, they acted as angels to help the new dancers.

Twenty squares enjoyed a lively evening of dancing to the calling of Bob Van Antwerp at our first Anniversary Dance held on March 30, 1957, at the Will Rogers wing of the William Anderson School. Three squares of our beginners dropped in about 10:30 to see what type of dancing they would eventually be doing. Twelve squares made the after party at the Gardena Barn and danced from midnight to three.

Six squares of beginners received their diplomas on June 6, 1957, to become welcome members of Boots and Bows. Soon after graduation we enjoyed a Pot Luck at North American Recreation Field with 150 people in attendance.

In 1958, the Boots and Bows secured the well known and loved Vera Baerg as a club caller for the first dance each month and then brought in guest callers for the second monthly dance. In addition, there were frequent visitations to other club’s dances. The popularity of the club flourished and the next 4 Anniversary dances were held at Sportsman’s Park (now Jessie Owens Park). Vera plus 2 or 3 additional big-name callers drew 90 - 100 squares of dancers to these dances. Most of the Anniversary dances after that returned to Will Rogers with more modest attendances between 20 - 35 squares. Vera continued as club caller until her retirement after the 20th Anniversary dance in 1976.

Boots and Bows - The Second 20 Years

The Boots and Bows continued holding 2 club dances a month during their second 20 years. Dance venues changed several times moving first to the Alondra Park Methodist Church, then to the Gardena Barn, Kelly’s Dance Center, Victor School on Spencer Street, and finally the Sam Levy School. Club dances were moved to Fridays when they moved to Kelly’s Dance Center. Phil Farmer started as club caller for the first dance each month in 1979 and continued in that role for the next 10 years when the club started having guest callers for both dances each month. Phil called the majority of the club’s Anniversary dances between 1977 and 1996 with attendances ranging between 14 - 30 squares.

Over the years we held several mystery bus trip visitations to other club dances where no one except the organizer knew where they were going. In addition, the Boots and Bows held several outings to the Silver Pines lodge in Idyllwild and many camping square dance trips until 1992 when Camping Squares square dance club was formed. Club members also actively supported A-Square D events including the Sweetheart Ball, the President’s Ball and especially the Jamboree in Oxnard held on Labor Day weekends where they hosted and participated in the fashion show.

In 1984 Margaret Wilson was hired to teach round dancing and shortly thereafter round dancing was included at club dances. In 1988 the late Bob Malthouse started as club cuer for the first dance each month.

Ten couples attended the National Convention in Salt Lake City in June 1991. Glen and Rosemary Walters became club historians in October 1991 and started taking photos of club events. in 1994 the Boots and Bows received an award for having the best attended dances in the 8th district of ASD. That October Lisa Flackstein was elected as out first female club President.

Ruth Green became historian in 1996 and started using an entire history scrapbook to collect each year’s club events and much more history detail became available. Events mentioned included the Torrance Sister City Dance and the annual summer picnic. The club was still going strong in 1996 when the 40th Anniversary dance was held at the Sam Levy School with Phil Farmer calling and Jerry Miller cueing.

Boots and Bows - The Third 20 Years

The Boots and Bows continued holding their 1st and 3rd Friday dances from 1997 through 2006 but moved from the Sam Levy School to the Torrance Masonic Center in October 1998. Noteworthy events in 1997 & 1998 were the Torrance Sister City Dance, the bus trip to Oxnard to celebrate the A-Square-D 50th Anniversary Jamboree, mystery bus trips with the Activ8ers and Kings Squares, and the Holiday Party at Chevron Park in El Segundo. The Torrance Sister City Dance has become an annual recurring event that we look forward to every August.

The Boots and Bows and Activ8ers started a joint class at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in May 1999 with Jim Wright as our caller teacher. 2001 was a busy year for the Boots and Bows. Many club members attended and worked at the 50th National Convention in Anaheim and were inspired to attend subsequent conventions in other cities. In addition to our continuing support for the ASD Sweetheart Ball and Oxnard Jamboree, we, along with other square dance clubs, danced on the stadium terrace during an Angel game to promote square dancing. In November 2001 several square dancers from the Boots and Bows and other clubs journeyed to Branson, MO, on the first of three excursions arranged by Barbara Herold.

In September 2001 the Boots and Bows kicked off their own new dancer program at the First Christian Church in Torrance with Dave Donaldson as our caller/teacher. Dave taught our classes until 2015 when Glen Nichols took over. By that time our classes were being held at the Torrance Woman’s Club. Dave also called our square dance demonstration at the Torrance Memorial Festival of Trees which became an annual holiday event. In September 2016 our class venue relocated to the First Methodist church of Torrance and Dale Hoppers took over as our caller/teacher.

Notable callers for our Friday night Anniversary Dances between 1997 and 2006 were Mike Seastrom, Deborah Carol Jones, Buddy Weaver, Dave Rensberger and John Reitmajer. In 2007 we switched to a single club dance on the second Saturday of each month and continued to dance at the Torrance Masonic Center through April 2010. We then held our club dances at the PV Baptist Church until March 2013 when we switched to the 3rd Saturday and moved to the Riviera United Methodist Church which had been vacated by the Activ8ers. Jerry and Darlene Miller retired in 2013 and Zena Beaulieu became our club cuer. In 2013 the Boots and Bows had an outing at the Old Town Music hall in El Segundo and a bus trip to Julian at apple picking time. Buddy Weaver called our 2014 and 2015 Anniversary dances and Mike Seastrom called our 60th Anniversary Oscar Night dance in February 2016. Many dancers donned outfits with a Hollywood movie flair and everyone enjoyed good food and great calling.

Boots and Bows is officially sanctioned by:

Associated Square Dancers of Los Angeles, CA
a 501(c)(7) non-profit
California Entity #0245316
EIN 95-3151696

Dance Schedule

Boots and Bows

375 Palos Verdes Blvd
Redondo Beach, CA

Contact

Thursday Classes: 7:00 - 9:30 PM
3rd Saturday Dances: 7:00 - 10:00 PM