But first, the square dance is a tradition known all across America.

And in a tiny town in Eastern Kentucky, a community center claims the title of the longest running community-sponsored square dance in the state.

It's called the Carcassonne Square Dance, and it brings together people near and far for a night of food, fellowship, and do-si-dos.

And in one of the most intimidating things that I've done in a long time, I grabbed a partner and tried my hand at this American tradition.

[music playing] Mike, thanks so much for having us here today.

This has been a lot of fun already.

It's wonderful having you all here.

So, the history of this building, tell us about what this used to be and how it became a community center.

Well, as early as 1920, there were no high schools in this area.

If a kid wanted to go on past eighth grade, they had to move off or they had to walk to a neighboring high school, which could be as far as 10 miles away, or either that or go live with family.

So, my grandfather said, my grandmother said, we need a high school in the area.

And he was fortunate enough to get a job building a road to the top of the mountain, which has a story of its own.

But he took the money from that, bought a sawmill, and cut down his own trees.

The community came in and helped.

He sawed the lumber, and they built the first building here in 1923.

So, let's look at the square dance.

This is billed as the longest-running square dance in Kentucky.

How did that really start off?

And why do you think it's gone on for so long?

We need two more adjectives in there.

Which are?

Longest running, continuous, community-sponsored square dance in the state of Kentucky.

And possibly even in the USA.

We've been saying that for some time now.

And nobody's told you otherwise.

Nobody's told us otherwise, so we're gonna keep saying that until somebody proves us wrong.

Square dances were held if you had a working, if you had a barn raising, if you built a house, or if just everybody got together and helped to hoe your corn.

Then at the end of that, the ladies would fix a meal, and the gentlemen would come in and wash up, and they would scoot all the furniture to one side of the biggest room and sometimes even out into the yard.

And they would square dance, and local musicians would play.

So then, the dances just kind of caught on and never really stopped here, is that right?

Never did.

They started, I think, in about 1966.

The building was incorporated as the Carcassonne Community Center Incorporated in 1969.

And the only change that we moved in recent council meetings is we've become a 501(c)(3) public charity.

But even though the dances in this building started in the 60s, again, as you said, the history goes way back.

The history goes way back.

You know, if you have friends in for working of any kind, you have to provide some entertainment for them.

And dancing is the name of the game here, which is why I can admit I was scared to death the first time I walked into the building.

My square-dancing career had ended in Mrs. Basham's fifth-grade class back at Carrick Elementary School.

But the great folks at Carcassonne immediately showed me some basic steps so I'd be up to speed.

You're standing there with your partner.

You're holding hands with your partner.

And I'll call for a do-si-do, and the gent stands still, and the lady walks all the way around in front, and then back to where she started.

So, that's a do-si-do.

The way it'll work is we would have just been coming out of a figure.

We would've got done dancing a figure, been circling left, and then the call's gonna be do-si-do.

You swing mine, and I'll swing yours.

And then we come back around through.

Oh, we're swinging.

Wait a minute.

[laughs] Hang on, hang on.

I was still thinking she was doing all the work through there.

And so it was time to start.

Here's where I quickly realized the Carcassonne crew were quite possibly some of the nicest people I'd ever met.

They were so welcoming and showing me the ropes and just making sure everyone had a good time.

So, I twirled, spun, and I even do-si-doed a little bit.

My dance partner for part of the night was 78-year-old Rose Ballard from Harrison, Ohio.

Once a month, she drives the nearly eight hours round trip to Carcassonne to be part of the excitement.

Why do you travel all the way from Ohio for this?

I love the music here.

I love the people.

I love this building.

If you walk in and look at the old stoves, it takes me back to a time in childhood that don't exist anymore.

You and I had fun dancing in there, didn't we?

Oh my god, you want to go do it again?

Let's do it again.

I think you're ready to go again.

But you loved that music, and you loved to dance, don't you?

Yes.

That is just a funny place, and you're not going to forget it.

Why is it good for Carcassonne?

Why is it that this is good for the community here?

Well, you said community, and we believe that you can't build community without unity.

And it holds us together.

Anybody who moves away from here, they have that tie that brings them back.

If they come back in and the Carcassonne Square Dance is happening that night, they try their best to make it to it.

But we enjoy teaching and sharing our history.

It's who we are, and it's who we've been.

[music playing]