50 years of dances now 50 years of memories

By Jane Smith

05/22/08 May 21, 2008 10:35 pm

— CROSSINGVILLE — The music of Joe Matczak’s Orchestra playing the “Red River Valley” square dance filled the air Saturday night at Crossingville’s Sts. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church Hall as dancers filled the dance floor.
Nick Sekel, 80, of Cambridge Springs watched and listened from the social hall’s kitchen with a bit of melancholy in his mind and voice. After more than 50 years, it was the last time such music would play for a public dance.
The church council has decided to convert the social hall into Sunday school classes.
Sekel sold tickets at the first dance. One of only a few dance halls in the county at the time, it was the meeting place for singles to find dance partners and perhaps partners for life.
“Most of them were singles,” he said of the early crowds. They danced to the music of the Missouri Fox Hunters and the Woody Woodell Band from Sharon. Orest Seneta’s band started playing in 1991 and did so on a regular basis until his death several years ago.
Clicking off the names of well-known musicians from the area, Sekel allowed his mind to go back to those days of fun and dancing. While he first sold tickets, he eventually was in charge of the dances. He also advanced to the dance floor to join others. His favorite? “I loved to square dance.”
As the years went by, the crowds disappeared, according to Sekel. “Now, it’s mostly seniors,” he said, noting as the older folks die and others can no longer dance, there aren’t enough people to warrant keeping the hall open.
The original dance hall was built in
the 1930s — on blocks. “The dancing was shaking the whole hall,” Sekel said with a grin, so about 1950, a basement was built under it. That’s where chicken dinners and other events were held.
The dance hall had no tables; just benches around the perimeter for dancers to sit between songs. “It was full,” he said, noting people were told “you can’t get in yet unless you stand.”
The hall was expanded and the maple hardwood floor was put down in the new hall, which had enough room for 550 people. Tables were added and people were encouraged to take snacks and make a night of it.
They did.
But, as the 1950s turned to the ’60s, fewer people were showing up. Sekel said the young people didn’t go out as much, preferring to stay home and watch television with their dates.
That wasn’t the case for JoAnn Schlosser Bidwell, who was in attendance for the “last dance” on Saturday night.
She and her husband, Bob Bidwell, “had our first date here,” she said. Asked why she was attracted to him, she grinned, “He had a job and a car and he loved to dance,” but quickly added, “and his good looks.”
She remembers the first dance the two danced was a “slow one,” but couldn’t recall the name of the song. Although she loves square dancing and the polka, her favorite dance is “the waltz. It’s more romantic.”
She and her husband will celebrate their 54th wedding anniversary in September. Although it was the last dance for the Crossingville hall, Bob wasn’t with her Saturday night. He doesn’t dance too much any more. However, JoAnn didn’t want to miss it so she did the next best thing. “I brought my sister,” she said, laughing, explaining that her sister’s husband can’t dance any more so she told her husband, “I’m going to take Nyla (Groves) to the dance.” The two sisters were on the dance floor all night — enjoying the music and the memories.
Bidwell loves square dances, and as Sekel would agree, quickly mentioned “Duck and Dive” as one of her favorites. For true square dance fans, this is a favorite as it combines great music with intricate dance steps, which are fun to do. Her favorite polka? “Pennsylvania Polka.”
Saturday’s crowd of about 60 people wasn’t just seniors. Teens were dancing, and one father was teaching his young son how to polka.
The two Schlosser sisters were joined by Elsie Schlosser Seneta, widow of the former dance band leader. She just wanted to go and enjoy the last dance at the hall where her husband had played for 17 years. “It’s a sad end of an era,” she said. Her favorite dance was the polka. “It’s a happy dance. It’s fun and it’s good exercise to boot,” she grinned.
Blaine Schlosser and his wife, Julie, also were there. “We’ve been coming forever,” he said. He enjoys the polka because “I like the beat.”
Although some of those in attendance had no idea where they may go to dance in the future, that wasn’t the case for John Tautin of Saegertown.
Well known throughout the area for his polka dance skills, Tautin has already made plans. He’s going to a three-day polka festival at Seven Springs. “Let’s Have a Party” is the song he enjoys dancing to. “It’s a nice beat,” he said and makes anyone listening to the music “want to get out on the floor.”
“It’s been a nice run,” said Sekel, summing up the feelings of many in attendance.
The 50 years of music now have become 50 years of memories.

Jane Smith can be reached at 724-6370 or by e-mail at jsmith@meadvilletribune.com.

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