Line dancing returns to Sun Peaks for second year

Returning for the second year, Sun Peaks’ March 18 Line Dancing Country & Western Party at Morrisey’s Public House provided plenty of boot-scootin’ boogie-ing for the Over-50s Group. Demand following last season’s event, when the group showcased a new routine to Shaboozey’s 2024 number-one track, A Bar Song (Tipsy), brought it back to the village.

In preparation for this year’s romp, around 50 members attended a line dancing lesson and social, designed to add four new dances to their repertoire. Local couple Patti Stevenson and Glenn Shaw, who joined the group after moving to Sun Peaks three years ago, were drawn by the music, the love of dancing and the social component.

“We have felt extremely welcome in this community since we arrived,” Stevenson said. “And the events are always lots of fun.”

Having attended the first Over-50s Western Dance Party last season, she already had a grasp of the gentle-on-the-joints genre. 

“If anyone is hesitant about joining in, it’s loads of fun, you can follow along easily and you will soon feel comfortable with the whole concept,” she said.

The February lesson was led by a Sun Peaks staff member and professional dance teacher in her hometown of Perth, Australia. She has also been coaching fellow workers, demonstrating how country rhythms and cowboy steps have global, cross-generational appeal.

While the local revival has been spearheaded by the energetic over-50s crowd, line dancing’s broader comeback has been popularized with viral TikTok choreography, crossover country hits and Western fashion helping drive a growing appetite for social fitness.

For the 50-plus crowd, the benefits are particularly compelling. Line dancing supports balance, memory and joint mobility, and the pace can be easily modified.

Glenn Shaw has been encouraging other men to join the movement.

“Was I hesitant? Frankly, yes,” he said. “Yet I knew it could be a fun outing.”

Stepping on other people’s toes can be the biggest challenge, he said, especially when everyone’s focus is on following and remembering routines.

“But since I was not competing on So You Think You Can Dance Canada, I was not overly concerned if I messed up, as there was another song along the way to dance to,” Shaw said.

The couple practiced the new routines ahead of the big event while working on Western-themed outfits.

Here in Sun Peaks, Shaw called it an opportunity to let your hair down among like-minded friends. 

Following its resounding success this year, the Western Dance Party is on track to become a regular fixture on the Over-50s social calendar.