At Kansas City's new gender-neutral square dance, every pard'ner is welcome

You won't hear gendered terms like "ladies" and "gents" at a new square dance in the West Bottoms. Organizers of this do-si-do scene put an inclusive spin on the traditional American art form.
On a sweltering Saturday night last month at The Emerald performance space in the West Bottoms, a string band tuned up for an old-fashioned square dance.

It’s common for shindigs like this one to include references to gender. Traditional callers often use terms like "ladies" and "gents" to call out the steps. But here, violinist Rachel Krause has kicked off a new type of community dance. Oddball Hoedown brings all folks into the fold, no matter their gender.

“It is a queer-centered space," Krause said. "But all oddballs and weirdos alike are welcome, and those who have this shared placement of value upon, like, inclusivity and celebration and respect.”

It's a feeling Krause has wanted to share with people who've felt left out of conventional folk dancing — something special about how fiddle music gets people out on the dance floor, they said.