Kountry Kut-Ups

In the early fall of 1980, Bea Kaler, a divorced women was wishing she could find some places to go dancing other than tavern's and the like when she heard "Sky Spy" on radio station 61 country talking about square dance clubs. He mentioned going to several and about the no alcohol rule and how it was good clean fun for the whole family.

Bea wrote to "Sky Spy" asking him how to go about starting a square dance club in her small town of Drexel, Missouri.

He refered her letter on and in December of 1980 she was contacted by Don Malcom, a caller known as the "Missouri Maverick". Bea and Don put together the advertising and background work needed and by January 1981, they were holding their first class. This class danced together for one whole year and a graduation was held in January 1982. In the summer of 1982, information was received as to how to join the "Heart of America Federation " in Kansas City and then to be able to dance with other clubs, so at the beginning of the 82-83 year they became a part of the federation and were known as the "Drexel Mavericks". In June of 1984 the club disbanded and shortly after reorganized and became the "Kountry Kut-Ups" They started the 84-85 season with guest callers, however, Bill Roles from DeSoto, Kansas agreed to teach lessons for them and by the time lessons were finished (with much begging and pleading) Bill along with his lovely wife Jan had agreed to become their club caller.

Charles and Sandy Mount were among the first group of Kountry Kut-Ups. Sadly to say they are the only original members still dancing with the Kut-Ups.

As the club caller, Bill and Jan led the Kut-Ups through 9 years of visitations, festival's, trip's, parades, and just plain fellowship.

Around 1989 when Country Western and line dancing was really becoming popular, Bill asked Sandy Mount if she would become the line dance instructor and cuer for the Kut-Ups and today she is still active in that position.

The evening of October 10,1992 was a sad day for the Kut-Ups when Bill and Jan announced that because of schedule conflicts it was necessary that they resign as the club caller for the Kut-ups. He agreed to continue calling for them until the end of the season, unless they preferred to find a caller to start sooner. On October, 25 of that year the Kut-Ups held a general membership meeting to discuss what action to take and when. There was some discussion leaning towards just disbanding altogether or maybe going to one night a month. It was decided to have everyone think about it and be prepared to vote at the next meeting. At the next meeting they voted to continue and to find a new caller. Charles and Sandy Mount remembered just a short time before they had been at a dance visiting a club and had met and danced several tips with Ron and Carol Swartz and in the course of the evening found out that Ron had just become an associate caller and was interested in becoming a club caller. Charles and Sandy had remembered having a lot of fun and fellowship with Ron and Carol that evening and had even gotten a card from them that night thinking they might need a caller for a dance sometime in case our regular caller couldn't make it and they presented that information to the membership and it was voted on to call Ron and contract him to call a dance for them on June 12,1993 and shortly thereafter Ron, along with his lovely wife Carol was hired as the new caller for the Kut-Ups. They certainly have become a very welcome addition to the Kountry Kut-Ups.

For 12 years the Kut-Ups have had a very successful annual festival with several guest callers along with their club callers and have had around 160-229 dancers in attendance.

Dancing in Drexel was done in the city community building which was once used as a skating rink with a very nice "old wood floor" that many dancers repeatedly commented was so great to dance on, however, this building reached the end of it's usefulness and the city erected a new one. The Kut-Ups still rent this building. Though it has better and more modern conveniences, many still miss the "old country feeling" of the old building.

Though the callers have changed and many members have come and gone, and Bea Kaler is no longer able to dance (she is an honorary member and still very interested in the club) and because she had this idea 15 years ago, square dancing is still enjoyed in Drexel, Missouri.

The Kountry Kut-Ups want to thank Bea and all the clubs and individuals that helped make the all together 15 years possible and last but not least for the wonderful memories. God Bless You All.

Club No Longer Dancing