Fall Preservation Grants Awards Will Be Announced Soon!
This year, TDHP reviewed 10 grant requests totaling $84,000 from historic halls across Texas. We’ve set aside $50,000 to help with roof repairs, dance floor restorations, and building assessments that keep these special spaces safe and sound.
Even small grants can spark big results—helping halls raise funds, complete repairs, and continue hosting community dances for generations to come.
Stay tuned for the list of recipients coming soon! |
Bellville Turnverein Earns a Spot on the National Register!
Big congratulations to the Bellville Turnverein Pavilion in Austin County, now officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places!
Built in 1897 by master builder Joachim Hintz, the Turnverein is recognized as Texas’s first “round” dance hall—a design that inspired others across the state. TDHP Executive Director Jean Spivey and co-founder Steph McDougal joined the recent celebration hosted by the Austin County Historical Commission.
After Hurricane Harvey damage in 2017, local volunteers led a six-year, $1.4 million restoration that brought the hall back to life. The project has earned honors from both Preservation Texas and the Texas Historical Commission for excellence in historic architecture.
Photos Below by Gary E. McKee |
Anhalt Dance Hall Marks 150 Years of Texas Tradition
Anhalt Dance Hall celebrated its 150th anniversary in grand style on October 19 with a day music, dancing and family fun. The free community event drew a full house of fifth-, sixth-, and even seventh-generation Texans, all honoring their ancestors’ legacy of keeping the dance hall tradition alive.
Guests enjoyed German food and the classic sounds of the Jodie Mikula Orchestra. Helen and Edgar Scholaut led the Grand March, followed by a special anniversary program.
TDHP board treasurer Laura Pishion and her husband Kevin, executive director Jean Spivey, volunteer Hayley Fassnidge, and past president Steve Ray (of the Texas Music Office) joined the celebration to honor one of Texas’s oldest and most beloved halls.
Photo below by: Gary E. McKee |
See You at Two Step Farm Fest – Sat, Nov. 8!
Dust off your boots and join us at Two Step Farm Fest, a full day of music, food, and Texas fun—plus model homes, tastings, and dance demos!
When: Saturday, November 8, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Two Step Farm
Who Benefits: Texas Dance Hall Preservation and The Texas Music Project
Come for the BBQ, stay for the live tunes, and help support the places—and the people—that keep Texas two-steppin’!
More Info |
Coupland Dance Hall Rides Again!
The legendary Coupland Dance Hall, built in 1904 and beloved for its rustic charm and original wooden dance floor, has found new life!
After longtime owner Abbey Road announced the hall’s closing, local promoters Lightstream Presents—known for their work at The Haute Spot in Cedar Park—stepped in to carry on Coupland’s legacy.
The hall will reopen Friday, November 7 with Aaron Watson, kicking off a new era of live music and community gatherings. Coupland has hosted everyone from Stevie Ray Vaughan to Asleep at the Wheel, and we’re thrilled to see the dancing continue.
|
Come See Us at the Festival of Texas Fiddling -- Dec. 5-7!
TDHP supports the Festival of Texas Fiddling at historic Twin Sisters Dance Hall, celebrating Texas’s diverse fiddle traditions and the dance hall culture that keeps them alive. Get tickets here. |
|
|
|
.png)
(1).JPG)
%20(1).jpg)
