KLRN premieres Texas dance hall series

A new five-part public television series takes a closer look at the legacy of Texas dance halls.

Why it matters: Texas dance halls are intertwined with the state's identity, long serving as spaces for people to gather and unwind — particularly across the Hill Country.

Zoom in: "Texas Dance Halls: Still Swingin'" is produced by San Antonio's KLRN and hosted by screenwriter, director and actor Jay Pennington.

• The series will share personal stories from dance halls, and introduce the people who built the venues.
• It will also take a look at dance hall preservation for future generations.

What they're saying: "The lore of Texas dance halls runs so deep in our state," executive producer Shari St. Clair said in a statement.

• "Dance halls were the first place in rural communities where residents gathered for both business and fun."

What's next: The series premieres at 7:30pm Thursday, with new episodes every Thursday through April 23.

• Watch it on KLRN's livestream.

📍 If you go: You don't have to go far to find some cold beer and two-stepping at a Texas dance hall.

• Broken Spoke, which opened in 1964 on South Lamar Boulevard, calls itself the oldest continuously operating music venue in Austin.

💭 Nicole's thought bubble: I have a lot of great memories in Texas dance halls. I grew up in Victoria, a short drive from the now-closed Schroeder Hall in Goliad, where I saw plenty of rising country stars over the years.

• And I have a visceral memory of being sweaty and embarrassed, two-stepping with a boy for the first time at Garner State Park's dance hall.