Every Tuesday and Thursday night the hottest dance club is located right here in Santa Clara – if you’re over 50. The Santa Clara Senior Center hosts ballroom dancing twice a week and you don’t have to be a professional dancer to take part in the fun.
While the dancing starts at 7:30 p.m., there is a lesson starting at 6:30 p.m. where each month a new dance is learned. Currently, participants can learn how to jump, jive and wail to the upbeat swing style of dance. Next month it could be anything from the Foxtrot to the Waltz or even a type of line dancing called Elvira. What’s even better than the instruction is the cost. Senior Center Ballroom Dancing is only $6 on nights with a live band and $5 on nights when a DJ provides the music. Refreshments are provided and you don’t need a partner as many dancers show up solo and fill up their dance card with a new partner for every dance – just make sure you’re wearing the right shoes.
Most dancers stroll into the center’s multipurpose room between 6:30 and 7:30 wearing comfortable, rubber-soled shoes, but before they hit the wood floor, they switch to a slick-bottomed shoe to help them slide and spin throughout the night.
The “mixer board” on the stage tells dancers which type of dance will be performed next and throughout the night there are even fun things thrown in like a mixer allowing dancers to dance with various partners in a short period of time and a ladies’ choice where the women have to ask the men to dance.
Each dance night is slightly different from the other. Tuesday nights is called To Get Acquainted, or TGA and Thursday nights are simply the senior center dance nights. “[The dances are great because] the dance floor is the only place the guy can be the boss,” said Joe Allen, the chairman of the Tuesday night events. Allen went on to say that just because a dance is taught one way doesn’t mean the dance has to be danced that way and it’s the guy’s job to lead his lady.
There is no membership required to take part in the Senior Center’s ballroom dancing nights. All that is asked is that you be of age to attend. Those underage are welcome to attend if their partner is over 50 years old. If you’re looking for a fun-filled night with your peers, there is no better place than the Santa Clara Senior Center on Tuesday and Thursday nights so grab your dancing shoes, get out to the center and dance the night away!
The Santa Clara Senior Center is located at 1303 Fremont Street in Santa Clara. Additional information on all of the Senior Center’s activities can be found at http://santaclara.gov.