Calling all dancers

Alex Kostecki says it hurts to see so few people participate at the annual dance festival and hopes square dancing survives in Thunder Bay.

Kostecki and his wife, Sylvia, have square danced since 1977. The pair has travelled across Canada to participate in dances in Halifax and Vancouver, B.C. The couple went toe-to-toe with other couples at the 42nd annual Square and Round Dance Festival at the West Thunder Community Centre.

The three-day festival, which started on Thursday, had nearly 50 couples participate. Kostecki said that’s a low turn out and remembers a time when the community centre was packed full with people.

"It hurts to see the attendance down," the 74-year-old said on Saturday. "People are getting older, they are dropping out and they can’t go on. The younger couples are busy on their cellphones. I hope square dancing survives and I hope there are some young people that are interested."

Square dancers have a caller that shout out dance moves for the performers to do. Four couples dance until they can’t anymore and usually wear colour co-ordinated attire. Kostecki said it’s a great way to meet people and build long lasting friendships.

He said they have an open house in September and hoped that would attract more people to come out and try dancing.

"At one time here at Confederation College we had 40 squarers," he said. "That’s huge. You meet so many nice people."

He added he would continue to dance as long as he was able.

Bill Zimmer, president of the Lakehead Square and Round Dance Association, said interest in square dancing goes through cycles where it becomes popular for a time and then participation drops. He said they are at that stage now where not many people are interested but he hoped it would change.

He said major events such as the Blues Festival also didn’t help attract couples to dance.

"A few couples are away on holidays or sick but there could have been more," Zimmer said. "Younger people today between the ages of 25 to 45, if they have children, they are running after them and they may not have time for themselves. We’re almost catering to the 50 and over crowd. We would like to have more younger people."

There’s a lot of positives to square dancing including being a great way to meet people while getting some exercise, he said.

Zimmer added people can email him at [email protected] if they are interested in signing up to dance.

The final dance begins at 8 p.m. at the West Thunder Community Centre.