On February 5, 1999, the final episode of Club Dance was aired on TNN.  Club Dance seemed to be among the early fatalities as CBS began changing the programming of their newly acquired station.   Re-runs were short lived.  As the last re-run faded from our televison screens (6-28-99) all hope of Club Dance being re-vived seemed to fade with it.  These pages I constructed has become my tribute to the show.  The friends I made will never be forgotten.  My memories of this special time in my life will live on forever. Take a stroll down memory lane with me as we revisit the glorious days of Club Dance.

In an announcement September 19th, 2000, TNN is changied their name and format.  TNN will is now named The National Network and will focus more on "general programming". 

Please view the full article about TNN's changes on The Tennessean web site at:

http://www.tennessean.com/sii/00/09/20/tnnmain20.shtml#related

The full press release regarding the change in TNN can be viewed on VIACOM's WEB site at:

http://www.viacom.com/press.tin?ixPressRelease=55002790   

Club Dance in the news

The Knoxville Sentinel, Oakridger, Chicago Tribune and Beatsezine online magazine are among those who have featured articles regarding TNN's decision to drop Club Dance!  Read the articles on the following WEB sites.  These links should carry you directly to the article on these individual sites.

 http://oakridger.com/stories/011999/stt_0119990032.html

http://chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/greene/0,1122,SAV-9902020325,00.html

http://beatsezine.com/issue/032599/insider.shtml  

http://jdnews.com/stories/1999/01/28/life05.shtml   

http://www.countrybarn.com/nl/cbnl12.htm

 

A variety of Club Dance related merchandise was sold including a monthly newsletter highlighting visitors and regulars on the show.  The newsletter ended with the May 1999 edition and merchandise sales are no longer available.

Scripps Networks who owns Cinetel Productions, I'm told, completed a $12 million, 78,000 square foot expansion of it's Knoxville headquarters and technical facility where they once filmed Club Dance.  I'm also told that this facility provides hosting capabilities for up to 1,200 web sites as well as additional studio and production space.   These pictures were taken near the completion of the construction, September 1999.   

Club Dance was produced in a television studio (shown here in this picture) located in Knoxville, Tennessee. Two to four shows were taped during a taping session and the participants change clothes in-between shows. Shows were usually taped on weekends such as on a Friday and Saturday but occasionally the taping was expanded to Thursday and Sunday... Each of the shows in a series of tapings are then aired on a separate week day giving the appearance that participants are in attendance every day.

Little Bob is seen really letting it go dancing with Paula during a spotlight dance! Filming the dance is one of two handheld cameras. In the background (wearing orange) you can see Shannon, the camera man for the Club Dance newsletter, taking pictures.

A picture of Carol (my terrific wife) and myself (Gary) made January 23, 1999 at the final Episodes tapings!  Those boots that you see in the background, often referred to as the "boot deck", are made out of Styrofoam!  To my knowledge no one has actually fallen into the boots!

Jack, Diane, Ray and Connie practice a West Coast style dance called 4 play.

Mike and Tonya practice dancing.  You may remember Tonya from the shows taped at the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville!

Barry and Cindy letting it loose!

Tonya dancing on the upper deck.  The upper deck hasn't always been here, it was added to the Club Dance set back in 1996.

Cally and Glen let it loose while the camera man catches it on camera!

This is a shot of my personal video camera taping me dance as the film crew zoomed in on the display and this is what appeared on the air!

This picture is the footage directly from my video camera. 

Paula & Bob

Angel & Mike

Ray and Connie kick up their heals on the boot deck!

Bob and Linda.   Wonder what they are talking about?

This picture was taken at the 4th of July Show (1998)

Cades Cove Club Dance Reunion

Club Dance Page #2