Feelin' 2022

Shake it off at this touring Taylor Swift dance party spinning into Dallas

'Track Five' Chicago event for Austin preview

Dallas is ready to experience Kate Kennedy's Taylor Swift-inspired "Track Five" dance party.

Katey Psencik Outka

If you’ve still got some 2021 stresses to shake off — or if 2022 isn’t all it’s cracked up to be so far — a Taylor Swift dance party coming to Dallas' South Side Music Hall could be just the ticket to cure all your winter woes.

If you’re anything like me, you found yourself scrolling through TikTok constantly during the height of the pandemic. In the winter of 2020, when everything felt bleak here in the United States, my TikTok feed was flooded with videos from Australia, where cases were low and hundreds of young women gathered in crowded bars, singing along to — who else? — Taylor Swift. It felt like an unattainable dream, but a Chicago podcaster has finally made the dream a reality — and she’s bringing it to Texas.

Last summer, Kate Kennedy of the long-form lifestyle podcast Be There in Five launched “Track Five,” her response to those viral Australia TikTok dance parties.

After vaccines became widely available, she wanted to host the Taylor Swift dance party that the pop star’s U.S. fans deserved after long months of lockdown. “Track Five,” aptly named for Swift’s tendency to make the fifth track of every album her most vulnerable and personal (and usually, the most beloved among fans), features a live show with Kennedy, who discusses topics like early 2000s teen nostalgia, pop culture, influencers and yes, Taylor Swift.

The live show is followed by a three- to four-hour dance party with a carefully curated playlist of Swift’s music.

Kennedy hosted the first event in Chicago in July 2021, and one of my best friends and I used it as an excuse to take our first vacation after being vaccinated. The night was everything Kennedy promised it would be and, if I’m being honest, one of the best nights of my life. It turns out, screaming “Cruel Summer” in a bar full of crowded women is the therapy I needed after more than a year of pandemic-related stress.

After the Chicago premiere, Kennedy toured “Track Five” to seven different cities across the country, including New York City, Boston, and Atlanta. Kennedy’s website lists her two Texas events — in Austin this Friday, January 21, and in Dallas on February 4 — as the “final Track Five shows of 2022.”

Tickets for the Dallas event are $75 plus fees and include access to Kennedy’s live show as well as the dance party. Doors open at 6 pm and the show starts at 7:05 pm. Be sure to visit the venue's website for the current COVID protocols.

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Rolling a strike

High 5 Exchange bowling and entertainment mega-center rolls into Allen

Facebook/High 5 Exchange Austin

The High 5 Exchange in Austin has bowling galore.

A new family entertainment destination is rolling into Allen, bringing bowling, laser tag, miniature golf, virtual reality, and more. Called High 5 Exchange, the venue has broken ground at 2361 Quail Covey Rd. in The Farm in Allen.

It is expected to open in 2027, according to a release.

High 5 Exchange comes from a family entertainment company founded by husband-and-wife team Scott and Jenny Emley. They opened the first location in the Lakeway area of Austin more than a decade ago; a second Austin location followed a few years later.

Their roots are in Austin - Scott Emley played football for UT Austin - but the couple recently relocated to McKinney. There's also a location under construction in Mansfield.

The entertainment mega-center in Allen will combine indoor and outdoor attractions, dining, and rooms for parties and other group events.

Tasty-looking tacos at High 5 in Austin.Facebook/High 5 Exchange Austin

Bowling will be the major draw, with 24 lanes supplied by QubicaAMF. The lineup will include 16 traditional tenpin lanes equipped with EDGE String pinspotters, HyperBowling, and Neoverse, along with eight Fly'n Ducks duckpin lanes, the release says. The combination will give guests the choice between traditional full-length bowling and duckpin bowling, which uses a smaller ball.

"Bowling has a unique ability to bring different generations, interests and skill levels together," said Jody Pastula, director of new business development, U.S., for QubicaAMF, in a statement. "By offering both tenpin and Fly'n Ducks duckpin bowling, High 5 Allen is creating more ways for guests to participate and share the experience. We are pleased to be part of a project designed around connection, variety and repeat visits."

Beyond bowling, High 5 Allen will feature laser tag, a virtual reality arena, an arcade gaming floor, escape rooms, an immersive experience from Creative Works called "Limitless," and outdoor miniature golf. The venue will also have dedicated spaces for birthday parties, corporate gatherings, and private events, along with food and beverage service.

While details on the food and beverage program have not yet been announced, the Austin locations feature a full-service bar and a menu of "American classics with a gourmet twist."

High 5 Exchange Allen Rendering of High 5 Exchange at The Farm in Allen.Rendering courtesy of High 5 Exchange

High 5 Exchange will be part of The Farm in Allen, a 135-acre mixed-use development at the southeast corner of the Sam Rayburn Tollway and Alma Drive. Developed by Allen-based JaRyCo Development in partnership with the Johnson family, The Farm combines residential, office, dining, retail, and entertainment components.

"Allen and the surrounding communities have been part of our vision for this project from the beginning," said Scott Emley, co-founder and CEO of High 5 Exchange, in a statement. "The Farm brings together homes, workplaces, parks, dining and entertainment in a way that fits how people want to connect.

"We are excited to create a place where a family can spend an afternoon, coworkers can gather after work, and friends can celebrate the moments that matter."

entertainment and dining bowling allen