After local square dance team Smithville Select captured first place in the Youth Square Dancing category at last year’s Smithville Jamboree, four local teams, including Smithville Select, will make an appearance in the same 2023 category on Friday. These old-time dance groups are led by Mary Ann Puckett, and these DeKalb County dancers range in age from six years old to 18 years old.
Puckett says, “These kids have been working really hard for three months to get their routines together, and I can’t wait to watch them do their thing on the Jamboree stage and take part in this wonderful tradition and special treasure we have here with this festival.”
She says her deep love of the Smithville Jamboree is what has led her to teach young people old-time dance. Puckett is proud to say this year will be her 47th year to attend the festival. She only missed one back when she was a teenager and vowed to never miss another one. “Giving local kids the opportunity to get on that big ol’ stage when it comes to town brings me so much joy. I love being able to share with them something I’ve loved for so long,” notes Puckett.
The four square dance teams are Smithville Select, DeKalb Dancin’ Delights, Center Hill Hoedown and Caney Fork Circle Eights. Team members are as follows: On Select, Tess Barton, Carleigh Beckham, Izayah Dowell, Sylvia Evans, Katherine Gassaway, Kathryn Hale, Darrah Ramsey (caller) and Lillie Grace Young. On Delights: Camille Barton, Charli Cripps, Alyssa Hendrix, Aubree Johnson, Kaylee Kent (caller), Kaylee Moseley, Kenadee Prichard, and Carly Thomas. On Hoedown, Ripley Barnes, Adalyn Cook, Anna Cripps, Caroline Driver, Lillie Cate Driver, Emmie Edwards, Harmony Edwards and Katie Jo Prichard. On Circle Eights, Kylynn Dowell, Calvary Johnson, Ebin Kurtz, Gaby Prater, Auna Lee Starnes, Chrissie Wilson, Evie Wilson and Katie Wilson.
The dance teams started off their exciting week performing for Webb House and NHC residents on Monday morning. They will also be performing exhibitions this Thursday evening at the Evins Park amphitheater. The Community Chorus begins at 6 p.m., and the local dance teams will perform immediately following the Chorus. To catch them in action on the Jamboree stage, be downtown Friday afternoon for the preliminaries of Event #13 Youth Square Dancing. Tune in to WJLE FM 101.7 or AM 1480 to keep track of which Jamboree event is coming up next! You can also watch the teams compete on Friday on DTC3 TV or webstream it at www.DTC3.tv.
