Alan & Diane Schultz
Topeka, Kansas
Alan and Diane Schultz were introduced into the world of Square Dancing in the fall of 1968 in Topeka Kansas.
The Jeans and Jane’s Square Dance Club were sponsoring a Square Dance class consisting of ten weeks with caller Bob (Pappy) McDaniel. Bob and Mary Hughes insisted on taking them to try it out. That is how their adventure began. Never actually expecting to graduate, but they did.
Alan’s calling career began the night they graduated. The class members suggested Alan call the two songs Pappy called for the helpers each night and they were “Tiny Bubbles” and “Walking in the Sunshine”. With some hesitation he agreed to do it as a joke, but it stuck with him. For the next two years when they went dancing, the area callers would ask him to call a tip at their club dances. Alan would also assist area callers in teaching their classes. With the help of those callers and a lot of studying on how to teach Square Dance class, he decided to offer a free class in the spring of 1971. Twenty-two couples showed up. After graduating, the class decided they wanted to form a club if Alan would agree to be the caller. He agreed and the new square dance club was named “The Swinging Squares”. Alan continued as their caller for thirty-three years.
Alan and Diane learned to Round Dance from Dean and Carol Stamm. Private lessons were offered and could not be refused. An agreement was made to have Dean and Carol cue rounds for the Swinging Squares Club. They agreed and became one of the first to cue rounds in the area.
During the summers of 1972 and 1973 the Schultz’s attended Callers school in Estes Park Colorado conducted by Callers Frank Lane, Earl Johnson, Vaughn Parish and Beryl Main. When Alan was told he had the timing of Marshall Flippo, he took it as a great compliment.
During the Schultz’s Square Dance years, they called and taught classes for the Swinging Squares of Topeka, Kuntry Kuzzins of Carbondale, Twilight Twirlers of St Mary’s, Plus Workshop Group of Topeka, and the Square Rounder’s Plus Club of Kansas City. The Schultz’s were known nationally and made regular appearances for many Square Dance Clubs, Festivals and Conventions all over the country.
Teaching the art of Square Dancing was important to Alan & Diane. They taught at least two classes per year which included Mainstream, Plus, and Advanced levels of dancing. Alan was generous of his time and always willing to share his patience and resources in mentoring new callers.
For thirteen years, Alan and Diane hosted Camping Square Dance weekends at Sycamore Springs resort in Sabetha Kansas, (4 to 5 weekends each summer). They were on staff at Beryl Main’s lighted Lantern Square Dance Camp on Lookout Mountain in Golden Colorado. They were also on staff at Gary Shoemaker’s English Mountain Resort in Sevierville Tennessee and Marshall Flippo’s Kirkwood Lodge in Osage Beach Missouri. Their Summer Sizzle Square Dance Weekends with Vic and Donna Perry were a hit. Family was important to Alan & Diane and their children would always travel with them and participate in the wide array of activities that took place during these unforgettable experiences. The whole family would have a blast producing skits that they presented during the after the dances. Chris loved doing his magic tricks and the audience loved watching him.
Pam and Tom have attended and cued at several National Square Dance Conventions. They were the vice chairman for “Sew and Save” for the 57th National Square Dance Convention, in charge of “Hearing Assist” for the 67th National Square Dance Convention, and Pam modeled in the style show at the 34th National Square Dance Convention.
Alan and Diane were active members of the Northeast Kansas Square Dance Callers Association and Kansas Square Dance Callers Association. They held offices in every position in both associations more than once. They became members of CALLERLAB in 1978.
Alan was a very determined person. Finding different places to hold Square Dances on a regular schedule was very challenging. The Swinging Squares spent their first 3 years traveling between different venues across Kansas, looking for a home. Alan and Diane got together with Bob & Mary Hughes, and they decided something needed to be done. They dreamed up an idea to build a community Square Dance Hall. A meeting was held at the Hughes home inviting all the area club officers and their callers to attend. Those present took the idea back to their clubs and the response was a resounding “Let’s do it!” Shares were sold to fundraise, and a corporation was formed to turn the dream of their new community center into a reality. The square-dancing community rallied together to volunteer services and time for the common good. Croco Square Dance Hall would delight square dancers and thrive for 12 years at 1520 SE Croco Road in Topeka, until a fire burned the building to the ground in 1986. The square dance community was devastated but not defeated. The hall would be rebuilt. Alan was again named as the contractor; square dancers from all over pitched in again to rebuild their home a second time.
Fast forward 12 years, the State of Kansas informed the Croco Board that they would be redeveloping the interstate, which required them to take the property on which Croco Hall sat. With an impressive display of perseverance, the Croco Board went back to the drawing board for a third time. New land had to be purchased, which is why Croco Square is now located at 6115 SE Hwy 40 in Tecumseh, Kansas. The third time is the charm and Alan was again appointed to oversee the construction of the third building as it stands today.
The Schultz’s took the opportunity to promote Square Dancing whenever possible by regularly volunteering to perform at special community events such as the Jerry Lewis Telethon, Cider days, and other fund raisers that took place across the state.
Alan was in the US Air Force and stationed at Forbes Field with his identical twin brother. Diane met them both at the USO in Topeka. Elliott says he met her first, but to be honest they looked so much alike, Diane was never sure who she met first. That mystery has never been solved. Alan and Diane were married February 6, 1965, and have three children, Kim, Frank, and Chris. They have one granddaughter, Chelsea, married to Max Ellis.
Alan worked for Santa Fe Railroad for twenty-three years in computer services before leaving to help introduce the world to the concept of Email with Fisher International out of Florida. He retired from the Kansas Department of Transportation in the Bureau of Computer services as their Data Administrator.
Alan enjoyed volunteering at Topeka Civic Theatre. He was a member of the Executive Committee for the Kansas Employer Support for Guard and Reserve, supporting our service men and women.
In 2004 Alan started having trouble with his memory and cognitive skills due to a condition called Lewy-Body dementia that eventually caused his death on August 2, 2006.
Diane was a stay-at-home mom while the children were young and operated a home daycare. She later went to work for Shawnee Heights School District working with the special needs Pre-School Program for 18 years before retiring and shifting to work at the family restaurant “Field of Greens” in Downtown Topeka. The pandemic shut down the restaurant and gave Diane time to sort through the vast collection of Square Dance memorabilia they collected during their career. She donated a large majority of it to the University of Kansas, where it is archived and available to square dance enthusiasts for years to come. The Schultz’s have always considered themselves fortunate to be part of the Square Dance world and have always considered to be family.