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South Surrey, White Rock seniors find their groove

Parking-lot line-dancing is helping keep Kent Street Activity Centre members moving during pandemic
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Seniors including Margarethe Wardel get their groove on, line-dancing in the Kent Street Activity Centre parking lot. (Tracy Holmes photo)

Semiahmoo Peninsula seniors who are missing dance opportunities as a result of the pandemic have found a new ‘venue’ for their groove – the parking lot at the Kent Street Activity Centre.

At least twice a week since the end of April, as many as 26 seniors have gathered – safely spaced – in the 1475 Kent St. lot to line-dance the Charleston, the rumba, the Tennessee waltz and more.

The effort was sparked by a trio of regular attendees of KSAC’s pre-pandemic weekly Wednesday night social dances – June Stuart, Loretta Holmes (mother of Peace Arch News reporter Tracy Holmes) and Peggy Wohlberg – and quickly grew in popularity.

In Stuart’s words, they’re “a bunch of seniors… making our own fun.”

“One day there was three of us, then… there was 20.”

The group did initially also dance in parking space at the South Surrey Recreation & Arts Centre – including braving particularly inclement weather on one occasion – but decided last week to stick with the Kent Street location moving forward.

Stuart, who leads the dances, said the music and exercise provides welcome relief from the stresses of the ongoing pandemic.

“This helps us to forget everything,” she said.

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Seniors get their groove on, line-dancing in the Kent Street Activity Centre parking lot. (Tracy Holmes photo)


Tracy Holmes

About the Author: Tracy Holmes

Tracy Holmes has been a reporter with Peace Arch News since 1997.
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