HOME ON THE RANGE

In the fall of 1997 a group of dedicated dancers and musicians from the northern Minnesota communities of Ely, Cook, Chisholm, and Tower held a potluck dinner meeting in a living room near Bear Head Lake. There was a serious problem on the Iron Range. Nobody in the area was sponsoring traditional folk dancing on a regular basis. Musicians were available. Dancers were available. What was needed was a volunteer organization to rent the halls and schedule the dances. A vote was taken. Officers were elected. The Home On The Range Community Dance Association was born.

The first Home On The Range community dance was held on January 24, 1998, at the Tower Civic Center. The response was overwhelming. An enthusiastic mix of dancers of all ages came from everywhere on the Iron Range to fill the dance floor. The remaining dances on the first Winter/Spring schedule were equally successful.

The following year, during the dance season of 1998/1999, Home On The Range expanded its territory to include the communities of Hibbing, Grand Rapids, International Falls, Virginia, and Aurora. Community dances are now scheduled every month from September to May. Some dances are held in church basements. Some dances are held in town halls. Some dances are held in private homes and barns. The Irish Dance in Virginia is always scheduled on the Saturday closest to Saint Patrick's Day.