Blue-Grey Dance History - Dixie Dancers Square Dance Club

When the new square dance club, the Dixie Dancers, was organized in Lake City in late 1978, it didn't take long for the dancers to start enjoying the Olustee Festival and making it a part of local square dancing history. Before the first square dance class had graduated, in April of 1980, they were all dancing in the street in February at the 1980 Festival.

That year, Lake City's Eastside Elementary School was organizing a demonstration of folk dancing as part of the downtown festival entertainment. Ramsey Hammers, the first president of the Dixie Dancers, was contacted. The Dixie Dancers club was invited to be a part of the demonstration dancing in honor of square dancing's folk history. The club's caller, R.J. Hogan, called for the dance.

After the demonstration dance in the park that afternoon, the square dancers decided to go home, prepare some food and take it to the VFW Hall to eat and dance some more.

After that festival week end, the dancers were hashing over all the dancing they did and the fun they had and decided to make it the first of an annual event. They decided to call it the Blue-Grey Ball. But there was conflict with another organization in town that had a dance called the Blue-Grey Ball. So they changed the name to the Blue-Grey Square Dance.

By the 1981 festival, the Dixie Dancers were a little more organized. Ramsey had fliers printed and they did some advertising. They visited other area clubs promoting the special dance. The club members decorated Teen Town for the occasion. Dick Barker shared the calling with R.J.

Club members Sadie Hammers and Marcine Robison made the first Blue-Grey dance costumes. They dressed up themselves and their husbands, Ramsey and Bobby, for the official 2nd Annual Blue-Grey Dance that Saturday night.

That afternoon, they had also danced in the street again, in the park in front of the court house.

It was a satisfying but tiring weekend.

By 1982, the dance had outgrown Teen Town. The National Guard Armory was rented and a nationally known caller, Ron Ray, was hired to share the calling with R.J.

The Blue-Grey Dance is now one of the most favorite square dances in the state of Florida.