About the Production

The Hoopla Train with Yard Master Yip is an originally created production that incorporates Polka and Waltz dancing. Based on the structure of a classic variety show, The Hoopla Train used and developed classic comedy scripts and existing musical scores, interwoven with stories, jokes, and most importantly featuring live polka music. This production appealed to both young and old with nearly 2000 audience members attending the shows. All of the Hoopla Train performances took place in historical and underutilized ballrooms around the state of Minnesota. In addition, prior to each performance, we provided audiences who came early with polka and waltz dance lessons.

Locations Performed:

The Vintage Ballroom:  Faribault

Blue Note ballroom: Winsted

DB Searles:  St. Cloud 

The Blue Moon: Rochester

The Park Ballroom:  New Prague

The Maple Lake Pavilion:  Mentor

The Lakeside Pavilion:  Barrett

The Pla Mor Ballroom: Glencoe

The Orchid Inn: Sleepy Eye

The State Street Theater: New Ulm

The Kato Ballroom: Mankato

Eagles VFW: Minneapolis 

Larson’s Barn:  McGregor, Minnesota

The Falls Ballroom:  Little Falls

American Legion:  Nisswa

Rushford Hall:  Northeast Minneapolis

The Ukranian Club:  St. Paul, Minnesota

Why this Subject Matter is Important:

The Hoopla Train was designed to bring a wide variety of audience members of all ages to appreciate the music and dance tradition of Polka and Waltz and how dancing brought community members together in classic, underutilized historic ballrooms. Nights enjoying and dancing to music was an important part of community socializing before the use of cell phones and even television. While these touring bands are dying out, it’s an art form that promotes being together in a space and sharing the joy of dancing and music. The Hoopla Train production was like an antidote to virtual socializing performed to preserve and promote polka and waltz art to a younger audience and bring back beloved memories to an older audience. One of our best memories of this production was seeing folks over 65 dancing with 20 somethings meeting each other for the first time.

Performers

Jim Lichtscheidl, Andrea Wollenberg, Eriq Nelson, Nathan Keepers, Eric Sharpe, Elise Langer, Darcey Engen, Kimberly Richardson, Luverne Seifert.

Musicians

The Sleepy Eye Concertina Club, Ray Sand and the Polka Dots, The Chmielewski Fun Time Band

Written, Conceived, and Directed by:

Jim Lichtscheidl