By Mark Dreger

You香蕉视频直播檙e never too old to dance.

West Kelowna香蕉视频直播檚 Westsyde Squares celebrated their 60th anniversary as a club Saturday with a party for current and former members at the Westbank Seniors Activity Centre.

香蕉视频直播淪quare dancing is awesome entertainment,香蕉视频直播� said Lynda Bjalek, Westsyde Squares president and 30-year member. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 good for the brain, it香蕉视频直播檚 good for your physical fitness, it香蕉视频直播檚 good for everything. When the music turns on you can be in a real sour mood or had a real bad day, you come to the dance and I guarantee within five minutes you香蕉视频直播檙e a totally changed person.香蕉视频直播�

Initiated in 1957, the Lakeview Recreation Commission were planning how to celebrate the British Columbia centennial the following year until someone suggested square dancing as part of the Old West heritage.

香蕉视频直播淎nd basically the dancers decided, 香蕉视频直播榯his has been so much fun, that香蕉视频直播檚 not going to be it,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈�� said Brian Elmer, who香蕉视频直播檚 been a part of Westsyde Squares for 46 years. 香蕉视频直播淲e want to establish a regular dance club and continue to enjoy this activity beyond the centenary year.香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈��

It was Ray Fredrickson from Summerland that met with the group at the Lakeview Elementary School cafeteria and that began the Westsyde Square Dance Club. They香蕉视频直播檝e been dancing from fall to spring ever since.

香蕉视频直播淚 think the fact that we香蕉视频直播檝e been going for 60 years is testament to the longevity of the recreation as a social recreation,香蕉视频直播� Elmer said. 香蕉视频直播淧eople can gather together, learn this dance form, meet at least weekly, and apart from the time spent on the dance floor there is a lot of time on the sidelines socializing. And over the years香蕉视频直播攊n fact pretty well right away香蕉视频直播攜ou begin to solidify friendships with people who were strangers not too long ago, and that lasts a lifetime for many of us.香蕉视频直播�

Over the years, the club jumped from location to location, moving to the old Westbank Community Hall until the Mount Boucherie Community Center was built; and then once the City of West Kelowna moved into the Community Center, they moved to the Westbank United Church for their Wednesday night dances.

香蕉视频直播淲hen I joined the club in 1971, we danced in what is now the Westbank Lions Community Hall,香蕉视频直播� Elmer said. 香蕉视频直播淭he hall was in its original state back then and the floorboards had collected dust and wax particles over the years and when we danced there in the early 香蕉视频直播�70s香蕉视频直播攁s a man often wearing dark pants香蕉视频直播擨香蕉视频直播檇 come off the dance floor after a couple hours with a white coating up to about my knees because we moved on the floor and worked that dust out of the cracks and it had come up onto our clothing.香蕉视频直播�

With most of the members in their senior years, Westsyde Squares hopes to attract younger members. Their dance caller香蕉视频直播擠ustin McGifford香蕉视频直播攊s currently only 26-years-old, showing that all ages are welcome to join.

香蕉视频直播淩ight now we香蕉视频直播檙e hoping that it will be younger,香蕉视频直播� Bjalek said. 香蕉视频直播淲e range right now from 50 to香蕉视频直播攚ell we got people right up into 90. It香蕉视频直播檚 very good for everybody.香蕉视频直播�

With 60 years spent in the community, it has become a second home for its members.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 my family,香蕉视频直播� Bjalek said. 香蕉视频直播淚f I have a conflict of something, two or three different things going on, if there香蕉视频直播檚 a square dance I香蕉视频直播檓 here. It香蕉视频直播檚 my priority.香蕉视频直播�

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