February 18, 2004
Waltz down Memory Lane
Seniors swing, fox-trot and polka at Saturday night dance
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
For a waltz down Memory Lane, area seniors can recreate the steps of their youth at the Traverse City Senior Center's weekly Saturday night dances.
Last Saturday, nearly a dozen couples plus another dozen singles turned up to polka, fox-trot, two-step, waltz and swing. Decked out in their Valentine's Day best for the evening, the dancers enjoyed companionship, exercise and a little romance.
Marlene and Gordon Rady attend the senior dances every week as their regular 'Friday night date.' The fact that the dances are held on Saturday night is not important to these newer dancers, who smoothly circle the dance floor staring dreamily into each other's eyes.
"We've been dancing about a year, we never danced before," Marlene Rady said. "We were looking for something to do together and took classes at the college."
The Saturday Night Dances have been a regular feature of the Traverse City Senior Center for more than 15 years. The dances feature the live music of the Bill Rusch Trio every week, which merges banjo, organ and clarinet into a smooth, danceable sound. Bill Morse, a Lake Ann resident and the banjo player for the band, provides vocals for some songs.
Gene and Maxine King kindled their romance and subsequent marriage on the dance floor 17 years ago. Both laughingly recall Maxine's pursuit of Gene, finally luring him on a date to a polka dance after months of hinting.
"We've been dancing every since," said Gene King, who lives with his wife in Traverse City. "We polka, swing, waltz, two-step; I can do the samba, but I don't try to get fancy with her."
Maxine King learned to dance in school, everything but swing steps, which her husband taught her. Gene King learned the dances of his peers while serving in the United States Air Force.
"I had an instructor overseas, Arthur Murray style," King recalled.
Lois Golightly and Warren Lange began dancing when Warren presented her with couples dancing lessons in the late 1980s. The pair now swirl around the dance floor in perfect harmony, performing complicated steps and moves. Married for 35 years, Golightly noted that their dancing sometimes provides a barometer for their marriage.
"When we started getting compliments, I knew we were getting better and we started dancing more and arguing less," she recalled.
"Ladies don't give up," Golightly added for other women hoping to get their husbands onto the dance floor.
Lange began dancing while growing up on a farm, where families would host dances in their barns.
"We couldn't dance until January, when half of the hay was gone," he said. "Then there was room in the haymow."
Charles Orr of Traverse City does not recreate memories at the Saturday Night Dances, despite being a regular there for the past five years. The World War II veteran never learned the steps until 1999. As a young man, he enlisted in the Navy just before his 17th birthday. When Pearl Harbor was attacked nine months later, Orr was soon too busy fighting for his country to bother with youthful pursuits.
"I didn't get to do the dances of my generation," said Orr, who brings his sweetheart Carrie Graham to the dances every week. "I learned when I was too old so I'm still not good but I manage to get by."
"I love the dancing - I love to try, anyway," he added good-naturedly.
Saturday Night Dances are open to singles and couple age 50 and older. They are held at the Traverse City Senior Center, 801 E. Front St., from 8-10:30 p.m. and the $3 admission price per person includes refreshments. For more information, call the Senior Center at 922-4911.