At the Plains Day Dance Party Saturday evening, getting down didn't refer to boogeying  - it was getting down, as low as a person could get without hands, knees or butt touching the ground. 

It took only about 20 minutes to come up with a winner in the "tall" category of the annual limbo contest. For 22-year-old Jubal Ryan, it took a crab-like walk with knees turning in ways that would make most people cringe to get below the stick at 26 inches above ground to become this year's limbo champion.

Ryan was one of more than 40 men and women to take part in the taller class competition, which included Pat Roy, who at 6 feet, 3 inches tall, managed to make it through several heights before being disqualified. In the short class of about 35 children, 9-year-old Hailey Diamond of Plains took the 2021 limbo championship medal, along with a big candy bar and a gift bag. Ryan received $50 and a gift bag.

The limbo was only a small part of the gathering at E.L. Johnson Memorial Park, which included a potluck dinner, DJs, and plenty of dancing. The Ryan Family of Plains has been hosting the event for about 16 years. The food this year was provided by Dan and Roxsanna Ryan and J.D. Crabb of Plains.

Hondo Ryan, 17, and Torrance Peacock did a waltz demonstration to kick off the festivities. "It was a great time. People loved it, especially the kids," said Newman Ryan, who works out of state most of the year, but returns nearly every June to help with the family event. Ryan guessed there were probably more than 300 people at the event throughout the evening. "We had a continuous flow of people all night long," he said, although that dwindled to around 100 during the DJ laser light and fog machine show, which was favored more by the younger crowd.

DJ Fame Lopez played an array of different music styles from pop to polka for pair and group dancing, including the traditional barn dance, the "Virginia Reel." The throng also took to the cement dance floor for the "YMCA" and the "Chicken Dance," two favorites in past years. Ryan led a group in Little Eva's "Locomotion," which eventually packed a train of over 40 weaving in a circle. "It's always been something to look forward to," said Taralee Ryan, Newman's 20-year-old sister. "It's the highlight for our summer."

This was the first year for the laser light show, put on by Lopez, whose DJ name is "Seraphantom Online." He was followed by Clay Chachaturov, also known as "Kosmic Glo," and John Semmler as "Paully Millz." The light show started around 10 p.m. and went for about an hour with the DJs taking turns playing the computerized generated music. "The diversity was awesome," said Newman Ryan. Chachaturov has the most DJ experience with 10 years under his belt, followed by Lopez with four years and Semmler with two years.

"It's a different kind of music, not for everybody," said Newman Ryan. "But the people that stayed loved it and were jumping up and down all night."