KILLARNEY, Man. – When people think of Holland, images of tulips and
windmills commonly leap to mind.
But visitors to Holland who tiptoe past the tulips might be surprised
at what they find.
Square dancing, part of North American culture for more than a century,
was transplanted to Holland decades ago and has become something of a
passion for people such as Piet Schippers, who was recently in Manitoba
visiting friends.
“It’s my whole life,” he said.
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He and his wife Alie attended their first square dance in Holland in
1986, at the invitation of friends.
Piet was soon smitten with the dance style. Alie shared his interest,
but not with the same passion.
“I like the music, I like the style, but I don’t like to go every
week,” she said, revealing that her husband is gripped by an interest
in the music, the apparel, the dance and the lore of cowboy culture.
It’s hard to describe Piet’s fascination, other than to note that he
owns a covered wagon and an assortment of other western paraphernalia
accumulated over the years.
He even has a sheriff’s badge, made for him by a friend. And he is a
sheriff, although not quite the kind most North Americans would think
of.
The square dance club that the Schippers joined in 1986 holds weekly
dances from September to June. They are fashioned after the ones in
North America.
There is a dress code and a code of conduct.
Men who are dancing must have long-sleeved shirts, and are not allowed
to roll them up, regardless of how hot it gets in the dance hall. Hats
of any kind, including cowboy hats, cannot be worn while dancing.
Cowboy boots are taboo on the dance floor, for both men and women.
Women have to wear dresses with petticoats. They also must wear
stockings, which can cause some discomfort on hot nights.
It’s all part of the etiquette established by the square dance club,
which calls itself the Tulip Twirlers.
“You’re wearing stockings, hot or not hot,” Alie said. “The young
people, they don’t like that.”
Alcoholic beverages are not allowed until after 10 p.m. After all, what
woman wants to dance with a man whose breath reeks of booze?
The rules are enforced by the sheriff, who is none other than Piet, the
man with the badge. He once brought the law to bear on Alie for having
an alcoholic drink a few minutes before 10 p.m.
He seems like an affable man, but the retired customs officer can also
be a no-nonsense kind of guy.
“If you like to make friends, go square dancing,” he said. “If you like
to lose them, become a sheriff.”
Piet is fond of his star and his role as sheriff, which he has filled
for 11 years, despite the hard-nosed requirements of the volunteer
position.
“When I stop dancing, they don’t get the silver star,” he asserted.
“It’s mine.”
Once a year, the Tulip Twirlers dance club holds a special square dance
that extends over two days. Invitations are sent to other square dance
clubs around the world.
The club even brings in callers from other countries. The cost of
bringing in a caller from North America illustrates the club’s
commitment to square dancing. The Tulip Twirlers pay the caller’s
$1,500 flight plus meals and accommodations.
A video shown by the Schippers’ Canadian hosts hints at why Piet has
such a strong interest in the dance, music and other traditions
stemming from the cowboys and pioneer settlers of rural North America.
The video shows square dancing in Holland, and the country’s canals and
flower gardens, but part of it is also about the tribute Holland paid
to Canadian war veterans two years ago to commemorate the 55th
anniversary of Holland’s liberation from German occupation.
Thousands of Canadians died in the fighting, forging a unique bond
between Canadians and the Dutch, and for people like the Schippers, it
aroused an interest in North American culture.
“It started when I was 12 years old, just after the end of the Second
World War,” Piet said. “I would listen often to the western and country
music.”
And he still does.
