The attendees at the Newstead Midwinter Dance were very keen to dance. On such a chilly and wet night, a certain level of zest was required to even leave the house; Saturday’s crowd showed enthusiasm in abundance.

Guided by patient dance-callers, close to 100 people gathered at the Newstead Community Centre and braved a variety of steps and rhythms in circles big and small. ‘Band Without Borders’ provided jaunty music including klezmer and Balkan styles. In that environment, it was not possible to stay shy for too long; cold hands were quickly warmed by the nearest person in the circle and smiles spread quickly.

The event originally started in 2016 as Maritsa Gronda’s seventieth birthday celebration. Her party was such a success that it became an annual occasion in the town. “It was quite a big shindig, with everyone dressed up in their favourite mythical outfits,” Maritsa told the Tarrangower Times. “Some people said we should do this again. So we decided to go for it, but we decided to change it to be a winter warmer for Newstead.”

Now the dance is organised by Maritsa with the help of Wendy Ashton, who explained that it is a local event for local people. “Community is what we do,” said Wendy. “And winter is a time when you need a dance, because people can get a bit depressed with less sunlight.”

The third key organiser of the Newstead Midwinter Dance is Anthony, known for his regular community lunches. Anthony created and served a delicious and popular supper for midwinter dancers with the help of cheerful volunteers including Erica and Ken. Served in the cosy side room of the hall, the supper gave dancers a chance to catch their breath and rehydrate.

Newstead resident Nina Virago described the event as a modern ‘Saturday Hop’. “One of the great things about Newstead is lots of community activities,” she said, resting between dance sets. Dora from Clydesdale said the event reminded her of village squares in Italy. “Here, people live far apart and are very independent, but it is great to get together for music and dancing.”

Maritsa and Wendy said that the event received some funding from Vibrant Newstead to help with expenses and that it has had to put a limit on numbers. “We try to cap it at 100 so there is enough room for dancing,” Wendy explained. “We’ll just cover our costs.”

The community benefit to the people of Newstead and surrounding towns is visible at the Midwinter Dance, with joyous dancing, tasty food and a merry atmosphere.

“In Europe, winter is the time for festivities,” Maritsa said. “Winter is when you need to rev up a bit and connect!”

See all the pictures in the issue.
This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 26 July 2024.