Strangers become ‘family’ on dance floor

When the clock strikes 7 p.m., seniors fill the dance floor at the Vestavia Hills Senior Lodge. If they waltz, swing or samba a little slower than they used to, nobody seems to notice.

For 30 years, seniors have gathered every Monday night, first at the city’s Civic Center, then at the lodge. A live band guides them through two hours of ballroom, swing, line dancing and pretty much any style except square dancing. There are no lessons, but chairperson Zella Listerman said those who come to watch can often “pick up a few steps.”

Some seniors are trying out dancing as something new; for others it’s a way of life. Finlay and Yvonne Johnson are regulars at the Monday night dances, and Yvonne has been coming since it was hosted at the Civic Center in 1991.

“Sometimes we had a few people, sometimes we had a lot. Then they built this building [the lodge] and it started to grow,” Yvonne said.

“She and I dated a long time, and I’d come once in a while,” Finlay added.

Finlay and Yvonne met at a singles dance in 1989. After 25 years of dating, the Johnsons got married in November 2015. When the band picks up its tempo on Monday nights, Finlay breaks out steps and spins that he first learned in the 1950s.

“We both love to dance. We live and breathe it and go as much as we can,” Finlay said.

Most of the dancers, Listerman said, are single and they’re always willing to dance with a different partner. Some dances are entirely based around that idea; at one January dance, the band’s singer called everyone with December birthdays onto the floor. She began to play, but every time she called out “Snowball!” those on the floor would have to choose a new partner from the seniors still sitting.

It’s not just about the dancing, though. Listerman said many seniors come and never get up from the chairs on the sidelines. They’re there for the music and the community created over 30 years.

“We have a good time. It’s a family,” Listerman said.

In her seven years as chairperson, Listerman said she has worked to grow the Monday night dances into more entertainment. This included the move from taped music to a live band, as well as different short programs during the 8 p.m. break each week. Sometimes they’ll have holiday parties or honor particular dancers, including the nine regular members over 90 years old. The group celebrated Veterans Day with a parade of flags and ceremony honoring the group’s military veterans.

“It’s all to honor the seniors,” Listerman said.

Al and Rita Huggins have been coming to the Vestavia Hills dances for about 15 years, and before that they attended senior dances in Homewood and East Lake. Married for 49 years, the Huggins said they enjoy meeting new people and the exercise they get. While Rita sticks to the slower dances since she had two knee replacements, Al said he’ll dance “everything except tango.”

“Everywhere you go and spend time you meet new friends,” Al said. “It’s great entertainment.”

“Even if you don’t dance a lot,” Rita added.

The dancers also sign cards for sick members, and once a month they bring a birthday cake to celebrate everyone with a birthday that month.

For some seniors who have fewer friends or family nearby, Listerman said it’s nice to have people recognize and celebrate with them.

“You just know somebody cares and someone’s got an eye on you once you get in here and we get to know who you are. And that’s why they come,” Listerman said.

That family spirit recently showed up at full force when their oldest member, Don Dunham, passed away. The Vestavia Hills resident was just weeks away from his 104th birthday, and the Monday night dancers already had a birthday party planned.

Dunham was a staple at the senior lodge until two weeks before his death. Listerman recalled that he was always “absolutely wonderful.” When the Monday night dancers once asked him the secret to his long life, Dunham replied: “Never, ever give up.”

Dunham had a particular favorite seat at the lodge, and Listerman said the dancers pledged to leave that seat empty after his passing. In his obituary, Dunham’s family asked that donations in his honor be made to the Monday night dance group.

Julie Harper, who helps coordinate senior citizen activities through Vestavia Hills Parks and Recreation, said the Monday night dances have always drawn a big crowd. For many seniors, dancing was something they learned to love in their youth, and not many locations in Birmingham now host senior dances. She’s noticed in the last few years that more “younger people” — seniors in their 50s and 60s — are starting to join the weekly crowd.

“We just love having them come,” Harper said. She added that the dances are open to all seniors, even those who don’t live in Vestavia Hills.

“It’s really social and a chance for them to do something they really enjoy, and something they’ve enjoyed for a long time. Some come and they haven’t danced in a long time and they pick it up real quick.”

This month, the Monday night dancers will have a Valentine’s Day dance Feb. 8, which Listerman said will include food, decorations and selection of the night’s best dancer. Harper mentioned that the group is also considering a dance marathon in the future.

For the senior citizens who put on their dancing shoes each Monday night, Vestavia Hills’ senior dancing group is more about the weekly meetings than any special events. It’s a chance to form a new community around a much-beloved pastime.

“It’s a first-class social dance,” Finlay Johnson said.