Film screening at 7pm

Introducing Henry Horenstein’s latest monograph, Miles and Miles of Texas and Honky Tonk 20th Anniversary edition. Film Screening of his film, Spoke about the legendary Broken Spoke Dance Hall in Austin, Texas.

Texas used to be full of dance halls. Just about every town had one, courtesy of German and Czech immigrants who started coming to Texas in the mid-19th century. The dance hall was a family place where mostly farmers and other rural citizens could relax, socialize, maybe have some adult beverages, and dance.

For over a century, dance halls flourished. But the advent of recorded music, radio, TV, and finally the Internet took its toll. In some areas, rising real estate prices and other economic factors also took hold.

Austin's Broken Spoke was one dance hall that not only survived but prospered. The high quality of the music (Country Music Hall of Famer George Strait played there in his early years) and dancers, along with a steadily growing population of government and hi-tech workers and students. A huge factor in the Spoke's success was its owners James and Annetta White. James died early in 2021 and the Spoke survives. I made this short film in homage to the Spoke and its owners, hoping that if and when it finally closes, it will be remembered.

Spoke was funded by the Annenberg Foundation and premiered at the Annenberg Space for Photography in 2014.