LINTON - Just like the clothes make the woman, Carole Haarschager says the dress makes the dance.

She feels 10 years younger when she puts on her full, colored skirt, matching frilly blouse and layered petticoat and takes a twirl and a do-si-do in her husband's arms.

By the time the weekend's over, she should feel 10 years younger a couple of times.

The Haarschagers, of Fargo, joined nearly 200 other people from around North Dakota and nearby states for the 53rd annual Square and Round Dance and Cloggers Convention at the Linton school gym.

They planned to dance Friday and today away in Linton, the smallest town to ever host the event. The convention used to draw 1,000 square dancers 30 years ago. It's definitely fallen on harder times, at least in terms of numbers.

So many have twirled into thin air.

Some of them have just gotten older, and bum knees or a bad hip have them sidelined. Haarschager said square dancing is better than aerobics, giving the arms, legs and "waist" muscles a good workout.

She said some of the benefit is undone by the lunch that's always served, but the lunching and the visiting is half the fun.

Adam Baumstarck, of Linton, helped organize the convention, which has been headed to Linton since 2003.

He said bigger clubs can break a convention down into committees - one for organizing lunches, another for decorating, and so forth.

The local club - the Wishek Diamonds - has only 16 members and only one "Get It All Done" committee, Baumstarck said.

He lamented how hard it is to get younger people involved in the dance. Dancers invite newcomers and former dancers all the time, but no one new ever shows.

Baumstarck said it takes a fair commitment to stay involved.

At one time, Linton had the biggest square dance club in the state. Now it's just him and his wife, Cecilia.

The Wishek club is the only one anywhere south of I-94 in North Dakota and the last one between Highway 83 and Montana.

Besides being good for the body, the dancers say it's good for the mind, because it's all about listening to the directions.

The old saw goes that square dancers don't get Alzheimer's disease.

If square dancers are getting few and far between, the men and women who call the dances are rare as a barn dance on Saturday night.

Jim Jirak, of Breckenridge, Minn., came to help call the square dancing at Linton. He farms, too, and said between the calling and farming, he's yet to find a profitable occupation.

He said back in the day he called five, six times a week. Now, it's the occasional weekend and often for only one "square," or four couples on the floor.

"These days you've got to do it because you're dedicated," Jirak said. "It's hard to generate enthusiasm for just one square."

At least there won't be that problem this weekend, with squares galore breaking out into full color on the gym floor.

The public is welcome to watch dance workshops from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. today in the Linton gym, as well as a program at 7 p.m., followed by a dance tonight.

(Reach reporter Lauren Donovan at 888-303-5511 or lauren@westriv.com.)