According to one of the founding members, the Club was formed because people felt more folks would dance if they had another night to dance other than Tuesday night (Swinging Single's night).  Our first callers were Jack and Gerene Murray, and we danced at the Heights Cumberland Presbyterian Church on Academy & Moon in Albuquerque.  We had many fundraisers including box suppers, yard sales, cake sales, cake walks, & white elephant sales!

Every holiday we celebrated by wearing costumes, and decorating the hall.  We had picnics, birthday celebrations, horseback riding and wagon rides, costume parties "at the drop of a pin," and progressive dinners.  We visited out-of-town clubs, had Christmas dinners at member homes, had lots of potlucks, mock weddings, backyard potlucks, worked on fun badges, and one night we all wore 'formal dress' ... even the caller wore his military dress uniform.  What a wonderful exciting dance that was!

 

Badges had "The Duke of ABQ Coat of Arms" in the original colors.  The banner the club still uses was made by one of the original members.  The club colors were beige & brown, taken directly from that "coat of arms."

 

When we moved to Women's Progresive Hall, more men started to attend.  The men provided the ladies with dance partners, and we all greatly appreciated them.  One of the dancers even became our President.  What fun we all had...one big happy family.

 

It was a struggle getting our club moving, but once it took off, we all had very good times and lots of wonderful memories!