There are plenty of folks in Blanco and beyond who have a story to tell about an experience they’ve had at the historic Twin Sisters Dance Hall, but the coronavirus pandemic has put a strain on future of the longtime establishment.

Where once there was the hum of the fiddle and the happy tapping of feet, as of March nothing could be heard but the figurative squealing of brakes as the governor declared an emergency and shuttered the state--especially bars and dance halls.

“It’s a struggle; we’re worried,” said Jo Nell Haas, president of the board of directors for the nonprofit that owns and operates Twin Sisters Dance Hall. “By not being open since March, we’ve lost around $20,000.”

The dance hall is run by volunteers, so no employees were laid off, but she said that bartenders have missed out on tip money.

Other bars were able to retain some income by pivoting to their grills or getting creative with curbside, but Twin Sisters Dance Hall did not have those options. Some of the very features that defined the establishment turned into challenges overnight because of the coronavirus.

There was seemingly always a dance or a party going on at Twin Sisters, attracting people from all around the Hill Country.

It was 60 to zero for Twin Sisters Dance Hall, all rentals canceled just about overnight.

“It was going well for Twin Sisters: we’d been building up momentum with grants and just got our roof replaced,” Haas said.

The Raise the Roof fundraiser began for that reason and has continued to be a key revenue source to pay bills and tackle repairs and restorations.

The biggest recent restoration was its grand drape curtain, which was installed just last month.

“We’re one of the few dance halls that still has one; it’s unique,” she said.

Haas said the Raise the Roof fundraiser for this year, slated for September, is uncertain but she hopes to be able to pull together a springtime fundraiser, instead.

An ‘iconic’ Blanco

establishment

One county official is hoping for a future for Twin Sisters because of how much its been a part of the past--including his own.

“As a teenager growing up in the neighboring area of Dripping Springs, we occasionally ventured to dances at Twin Sisters,” said Blanco County Judge Brett Bray. “Twin Sisters is an absolute icon. There are only a handful of these dance halls left. They’re wildly popular with anyone who appreciates historic Texas culture.”

Twin Sisters was built in 1879. Of the 4,703 people who called Blanco County home a few years later, in 1900, most probably scooted across the dance floor of Twin Sisters at one time or another.

(For those who like numbers, the last Census showed a population of 10,497 for Blanco County.)

The dance hall has weathered many a storm in those 140 years, at times becoming a safe harbor.

“During the Depression, it was the community get-together spot for farmers and ranchers in the area--they played music and danced and ate and were able to get through rough times.”

The hall has been open for a community dance once a month since being built.

“This is probably the first time in its history that it’s been closed this long,” Haas said. “It’s breaking my heart because we’ve been working so hard and people have been so generous. All small businesses are suffering. I worry about our future and about the other historic dance halls.”

Bray said that dance halls like Twin Sisters have been presented with “overwhelming” challenges, but he is working with Haas to find solutions.

“We try to work with every business to find ways for them to continue some form of operation, but it’s difficult to manage social distancing or any other type of personal protection from respiratory droplets while dancing with a partner,” he said.

Haas has gotten to see the Twin Sisters tradition develop and hopes to see it continue.

“One August, we had a group of 30 people come in--all ages, from toddlers to older people--and we asked if there was a special occasion and they said, ‘Yes,’” Haas recalled. “The grandfather had taught them to dance there and he had just passed away so they decided to celebrate his life at Twin Sisters, with the entire family. Twin Sisters is part of our heritage, going back generations. And then people who move here make it part of their tradition.”

Donations to the nonprofit are tax deductible.

How you can help Twin Sisters

--Donate by mail: Twin Sisters Dance Hall Club Inc., P.O. Box 1468, Blanco, TX 78606

--Donate online: www.twinsistersdancehall.com.

--Support the Save our Stages Act: visit www.saveourstagesnow.com.