Chickasha Area Arts Council: Artscope 2004

Several Public Art Projects have been sponsored fully or in part by the Chickasha Area Arts Council. The first of these projects was the Songosaurus located just as you enter the park at the 9th Street entrance. The Chickasha Area Arts Council selected Duff Bassett's Songosaurus for the Shannon Springs Play Sculpture. The sculpture is a large scale sculpture that incorporates sound (using gongs) with whimsy.

Funded through a Local Government Challenge Grant from the Oklahoma Arts Council, the City of Chickasha and the Chickasha Area Arts Council, the Shannon Springs mural project is complete. The City of Chickasha and the Chickasha Area Arts Council collaborated on the enhancement of Shannon Springs Park with a building-sized mural painted by Dr. Bob Palmer, Jeff Ecker and UCO students. The project was the end of a year-long process looking at how Chickasha could express its identity through historical events and motifs. There are six images painted that reflect Chickasha?s heritage through agriculture, people and historic buildings. Citizens are invited to go to the park and view the mural on the north and east sides of the Shannon Springs Pool House.

The idea of sponsoring Ballroom Dancing Classes came from a CAAC director in the fall of 2004, and the search began to locate an instructor. David Hyer of Oklahoma City was recommended and contacted by CAAC.Ā David and his dance partner, Shelby Rothell, are professional competitors in Ballroom Dancing and National and World Champions in American Style Ballroom Dancing. They traveled to Chickasha on Saturday evenings in Jan. 2005 to teach three one and one-half hour classes. More than 60 people from high school age to senior citizens participated. Additional classes were held that spring and again in the fall. Since then, David and Shelby have returned each winter to teach ballroom dancing to people from Chickasha and many surrounding communities.Ā Participants learned basic dance steps to the waltz, swing, tango, fox trot, cha-cha and salsa.

A very special event highlighted the 2005 year-of activities as CAAC sponsored, for the first time, the New Year's Eve event, 'A Midnight Waltz'. Following a buffet dinner, David Hyer gave instructions in three dances throughout the evening to 70 attendees. The DJ, Jammin' Jeff from Norman, played a wide variety of music until midnight, which gave everyone an opportunity to practice newly learned dance steps. In March 2007, the CAAC sponsored a second dinner dance, 'Centennial Dinner Dance' in the USAO Ballroom. A western theme was used for the evening. Participants enjoyed a buffet dinner, many door prizes and an evening of beautiful music and entertainment by the USAO ShowBand. A highlight of the evening was honoring seven couples that had been married 50 years or longer. From those the kings and queens of the 'Centennial Dinner Dance' were announced. Curtis and Gwen Brooks and Gordon and Pauline Spangler, who each had been married more than 65 years, were honored as Kings and Queens and received special gifts. A third dinner dance with a Valentine's Day theme is scheduled for Feb. 9, 2008 in the USAO Ballroom. Mr. Joe Settlemires and the USAO ShowBand will again be providing music for listening and dancing.

A community project of the CAAC has been to investigate the possibility of providing a cover for the Amphitheater in Shannon Springs Park. The goal was to obtain a sturdy cover that would shade the Amphitheater stage, as well as some of the seating area. The CAAC is interested in using this area to promote summer concerts and theatrical presentations and also to encourage others to enjoy this historic facility for activities. Funds for the project were obtained from the City of Chickasha, an individual contributor and the CAAC. A local builder presented a design for a cover that would be removed during the winter months and replaced for the spring and summer months. Lighting and electrical outlets were also added to this area, enabling groups to use the Amphitheater at night.