THE DANCING YEARS

The DSA Olde Tyme and Modern Sequence celebrates its 50th Anniversary this autumn — 50 golden years for its dedicated dancers now,fortunately, increasing in numbers year by year. But it wasn't always so.

One who remembers all those years is Victor Sciacaluga BEM, now in his 70s — and still dancing.

"I came from a dancing family, my parents remember dancing the Lancers and even quadrilles at the old Assembly Rooms, so when 1 saw an announcement in the Chronicle for a Grand Dance,open to all, at the DSA, a friend and 1 decided to give it a try. We were in our 20s, sitting in the corner and two ladies Misses Gilpin and Price encouraged us onto the floor. In those days the DSA club was very much Services and UK based civil ian orientated — as much was in the post war years on the Rock. We were made most welcome and, as time went by, I went to more and more dances learning the steps ail the time. The Club occupied two nissen huts in the Cormorant ama at Queensway.

"1 remember at that time Captain Kinsman was the Chairman and eventually I became a Committee Member—the Offices were all held by UK personnel. In the 50s, things changed as the Dockyard began to close down and numbers of UK dancers declined and 1 found my self with fewer members,so 1 asked around amongst friends and soon we had the club up and running again. John Bruzon, who later be came the first local Chairman (for 13 years), Mercedes Andrew and her husband Harry,joined — Keith

Mcrcciics and Harri/ lead the dance,followed In/

Martin and his wife Vera were our Leaders, tlie most important posi tion. We had a well established Club, when the announcement was

Modern Sequence Dance Club

came into being.

"My late wife Esther and 1 were totallv involved in dance for all made of the opening of the Catho lic Community Centre on Zoca Flank and it looked like another great venue; so the Catholic Com munity Centre Olde Tyme and those vears, and welcomed into many homes,where we often prac tised new dances with our service friends and made many lifelong friendships, which still exist today.

Often Esther and I were called upon to 'lead the dance', especially any thing Latin;although we have even succeeded at Old Tyme waltzes and even quadrilles.

"Dancing was our life and we loved it all.

"Mercedes and Harry became our Leaders and did a wonderful job for many years, until Harry passed away. Mercedes then car ried on as Leader, partnemd by Mr. Trinidad, until 1996."

The DSA Leaders are now Wilfred and Syivana Jurado, who have to learn all new dances from scripts which they demonstrate and pass on to its 124 members.Wilfred is the nephew of Mercedes and started his dancing career as a teenager.

Mercedes reflects on the years when she and husband Harry were Leaders at the DSA from 1962 -'84. "We became the first local Leaders and Harry was brilliant with the scripts, which we received from the UK to learn the new dances from. Ho could interpret everything, every new movement. We used to travel a lot, especially to the Isle of Man where we made lots of friends and learnt with Rita Polver. We also studied from books as well as the 'scripts'. We always wanted to learn new dances and bring them back to share with our friends.

"Old Time is not'old',butjust the names of traditional dances. We

COPIERS

AND PRINTERS uiid IJuny on the dancejloor loved the Waltzes and Saunters, which are so elegant and where every movement could be studied. I'm not so sure about the more modern dances which are quicker and mistakes can be covered up."

Mercedes was awarded the Gi braltar Award by HE the Governor, for services to dance,in 2002.

The two Clubs still exist side by side today with their own clubnights up at the Queensway Club (affectionately known locally as the Central Hall).

The CCC meets on Mondays and the DSA on Fridays, from 8.30pm. There is always an hour of tuition beforehand as there is much to be mastered before taking to the floor with confidence.