Dancing Through the Ages

By Russ Alman, Communications Director  

​Weekend dances have been a mainstay at the Wenatchee Valley Senior Activity Center since it opened over 30 years ago. While people attending these live music events have historically been from older generations, there are signs that these family-friendly events are being discovered by younger groups.​

Mary Fran McClure took over as coordinator of the weekend dances a little over two years ago when the previous coordinator, the late Sue Lenke, left due to illness. “That was her life,” Mary Fran said. She did a really good job.”

But it’s not the first time she ran the program. She and her late husband, Pat, took charge back in 2008. At that time, the hosts brought all the snacks and drinks and paid for them out of pocket. They changed that so the guests would alternate based on their last names, A-M and N-Z.

Mary Fran noted that the number people attending the dances has dwindled over the past few years.  When the Senior Center was built in 1993, one of the main attractions was the big wooden dance floor. Ballroom dancing was very popular with the World War II and previous generations. “We used to have 60 people. It was a lot more than now. I think in general dancing is less popular. But on the other hand, we have some young people coming in,” Mary Fran said. “We have a lot of single people and everyone is really accommodating. The guys will go ask the gals to dance or the gals will go ask other people. No one is left out.”

Mary Fran wants people to know that even though it’s called a dance and the dancing is popular, there are quite a few non-dancers who attend. “They just enjoy coming. It’s kind of a good social event,” she said. People who used to dance but are no longer able and people who are just shy about dancing still have a great time socializing and listening to the live music.
Linda Rollings and Gary & Marv, the two bands currently alternating at the weekend dances, are very popular with the attendees. They play a variety of standards, classic country and other music from the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Both bands are receptive to playing requests.

The band Double Deal played as part of the rotation for many years but finally had to retire in 2024.

The dances at the Senior Center are alcohol free. “I think that not having alcohol — it might limit some people not coming, but I think there’s a lot of people that are much more comfortable. It just seems like a good thing to do,” she said. She noted that the bands also seem to appreciate the no alcohol policy because the attendees are more in the moment and actively engaged with their performances.

Mary Fran has noticed a trickle of younger people beginning to frequent the dances. “I would say that there’s like 35-40 year olds. Sometimes there’s much younger, 25 or so. I think one of the things that brings some people in is that we have line dancing and hula dancing and all these other activities here, and they’ve realized that all ages can come here,” she said. The weekend dances are just one more opportunity for them.

Anyone, any age can become a member of the Senior Center to take advantage of these other activities, but the weekend dances are open to the public. Members can attend for $7 while nonmembers pay $10.

Like most social activities, the weekend dances were severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. “It was really tough to get going again. We lost a lot of people and it was just a whole different ballgame.”

While attendance is not as high as it used to be, it’s now fairly stable at 30-45 participants. There’s plenty of room on the dance floor for everyone, and the Social Hall has more than enough space for those who prefer to just come to enjoy the music and socialize. “I think it is picking up more. It just kind of multiplies on itself…” as more people attend and bring their friends.

Mary Fran remarked that while it doesn’t happen often, people will bring their young children to the dances. “Little kids love to get out there and dance, and it’s so much fun to watch them.” Since the dances are alcohol free, it’s a safe, family-friendly environment for parents or grandparents who are looking for fun activities to do with their young ones.

As of right now, the dances are twice monthly on Sundays from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. and alternate between the two bands. The schedule is posted on the Senior Center website, The Livewire, and in the GO! Section of the Wenatchee World.