The tradition of square dancing is still very much alive in Morehead, thanks to community members and the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music. Though the dance form has roots stretching back to Europe long before the colonization of the Americas, its spirit remains the same: four couples, a shared rhythm, and a caller guiding the floor.

Nathan Kiser, multi‑instrumentalist and professor at the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music, says the caller is the glue that holds the dance together.

“A caller is really important because that’s the person teaching everyone and keeping them from running into each other,” Kiser said. “A good caller has to know the dance, explain it clearly, and watch the room so if someone gets lost, they can fix it quickly. Good callers are hard to come by—there aren’t many people who know how to do this anymore.”

Kiser doesn’t believe the tradition is fading, but he notes that its future depends on experienced dancers willing to teach and newcomers willing to try.

Dance caller Hazel Jodock agrees—and says square dancing is far more diverse than many realize.

“There are lots of different varieties of square dances,” Jodock said. “Some are more specific to the Southwest—those are western squares. Then you’ve got traditional Appalachian square dancing, which is pretty different. The ones we’re doing tonight mostly come from the British Isles—England and Scotland. But really, any dance done in a square set is a square dance.”

For Jodock, the value of the tradition goes beyond the steps.

“These dances are strong methods of building community,” she said. “In a time when so much is pulling people apart, anything that brings us together is a win.”

For some attendees, the experience is brand new. Alister McConaughey, a sophomore space science engineering major at MSU, tried square dancing for the first time and said it offered something different from other social events.

“You actually participate with people a lot more than other dances, and I really appreciate that,” he said.

Kiser sees that mix of people—students, locals, musicians, first‑timers—as part of the magic.

“People come from all over. Some jump in and play, some dance, and sometimes we have to coax people out when they’re hesitant,” he said. “But they usually end up enjoying it.”

For Allison Walker, a junior at the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music, the dances have been a staple of her life in Morehead for five years. Her favorite part is the constant rotation of partners.

“When square dances first started, they were a courting tradition—a way for people to meet,” Walker said. “It’s still an important part of our community. When you lose that, you lose that one‑on‑one contact.”

Square dances may not be as common as they once were, but here in the hills, the future of the tradition still looks bright.