Handed Down - Nevada Arts Council

1988–1989
Square Dance Calling:
Phil Aranguena and Tom Moody
Phil Aranguena was born in Elko in 1925. He
began square dance calling on his own shortly after
his caller friend Gene Ludlow left the area, but soon
started taking classes with such well-known callers as
Cal Golden. Phil and his wife Betty have been members
of Elko’s Sagebrush Spinners since the club’s beginning
in 1977.
“I didn’t have a burning desire to be a caller. I just
enjoy dancing and I enjoy the fun and friendship in
square dancing. And I just wanted to keep it going here.
Really, what happened, my sister-in-law, as a present
to me, gave me some dancing classes. It was ballroom
dancing, but then (the teacher) also taught us square
dancing. And that’s what got me into dancing. The
wife and I met at square dancing, actually. I was in a
square dance class and my regular partner couldn’t make
it one square dance and the instructor asked Betty if she
would be my partner. That’s how we got acquainted.
The very first night there while we were dancing, the
one thing we both remember, she said to me, ‘Phil,
don’t get grabby.’ So that’s how we got started.
Tom Moody, 47, was born in Thatcher, Arizona. He
was an air traffic controller in the Air Force and continues
to work for the Federal Aviation Administration. It was
while he was based in Fairbanks that he began his love
affair with western style, club square dancing. Tom also
met his wife Babs at a square dance.
“The first time I square danced was at church dances
at Thatcher. And the first time I ever square danced
like they do nowadays was in New Mexico when I
was in high school. The first time I became aware that
square dancing was for older folks was when I was in
the Air Force. But I actually learned to square dance in
Fairbanks, Alaska. In Alaska they have several square
dance clubs and all the callers belong to an association.
I even went to the caller’s association in Fairbanks and
asked them if I could learn. And they just didn’t seem
interested in teaching me. And then last summer when
I mentioned it to Phil, he seemed like he was so anxious
to teach somebody. And so Phil and I have really—we
just got into it really hard and fast.”
Tom Moody takes his turn at the mike.
Phil Aranguena calls
a square dance figure at
the regular Saturday
night get-together of the
Sagebrush Spinners in
Elko.
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