When's the last time your big Friday night plans involved two-stepping at the VFW?
If that doesn’t sound like the place to be, think again. Last weekend, the city was abuzz with anticipation for the first-ever Tulsey Town Two-Step at VFW Post 577. Two-step lessons started at 7:30, with live music kicking off at 8:15. We arrived right on time, immediately basking in the warm, orange-red glow of the VFW’s maple-floored dance hall. There were no presales—this seemed bold, but Tulsans young and old, famous and infamous, came around for a honky-tonkin’, elbow-rubbin’, good-old-fashioned two-steppin’ time.
The early crowd was eager to learn or brush up on some two-step. Heather Heathrow proved a great instructor, acting as leader (“the guy”) alongside her capable and beautifully deadpan partner, DeJon Knapp. Quick, quick, slow, slow, she guided us over and over, till most of us had picked up the basics.
(Cut to two hours later, in the bathroom, singing the little mantra to myself. A woman walks in, catches me: “You’re never going to forget it.” Three days later, I fear she’s right.)
“Boot Scootin’ Boogie”—the video was filmed in Tulsa in the ’90s, by the way—was one of the practice songs. Our cowboy boots and suede heels clacked across the room. We laughed when we slipped up, lost our rhythm, or got distracted spotting members of the Native sketch comedy group the 1491s.
Even Killers of the Flower Moon star Lily Gladstone was posted up at the back of the dancefloor much of the night. I couldn’t decide: Is this really Tulsa? or This is so Tulsa. I’m going for the latter, but, still, it’s wild to think her Friday night plans involved our local VFW.
The talent of the Post 577 house band is an embarrassment of riches: Jesse Aycock on guitar, Paddy Ryan on drums, John Fullbright on keys, Johnny Carlton on bass, and Muskrat Jones on pedal steel. The band laid the backbone for the classics and originals from a stellar line-up of rotating performers: JD McPherson, JP Harris, Samantha Crain, Agalisiga “Chuj” Mackey, Sterlin Harjo, and Jacob Tovar (the host).
Just to name a few of the songs the band buoyed: