Organized in October 2010 by a small group of 15 people, the Heritage Dancers are an unincorporated nonprofit dance association dedicated to promoting live dance music and the health benefits of social dancing.
Our group was organized in an effort to provide additional opportunities for the public to hear and dance to a variety of dance music played by live bands on a regular basis in a family-friendly environment. We believe in working together with hall owners and communities for the benefit of all. All the food and beverages available for purchase at our dances are provided by the hall owners and/or a group within the community. Businesses that want to donate door prizes or help sponsor a Heritage Dancers event are recognized at the dance and attendees are encouraged to thank that business personally by patronizing the business when the opportunity arises. The Heritage Dancers gladly display flyers for upcoming dance events put on by other groups when provided, and members attend other dances in an effort to support the bands, dance halls, and groups working to keep dancing and live dance music a part of our culture and our heritage.
The dances sponsored by Heritage Dancers offer a variety of music from Country to 50’s & 60’s, Big Band to Swing, Polkas, Waltzes, Foxtrots, Two-Steps and more. The focus is on “classic” ballroom-style dance music…the kind your parents and grandparents danced to in places like Matters Ballroom, the Riviera Ballroom, The Electric Park, The Coliseum, and other great Iowa ballrooms and small dance halls during the “golden era of dance.” Our dances feature only live bands from around Iowa and neighboring states and are always open to the public to attend.
You don’t have to be a member to attend a Heritage Dancers dance and no matter what your age or experience level, you will “fit right in” with our fun-loving group. Dancing is what we love and dancing is what you can expect at our events. The association motto is “For the Fun of It” because that is what the Heritage Dancers believe dancing is all about; making new friends, dancing and listening to great music and sharing a good time together. Whether you come to dance or just come to listen to the music, you will find a welcoming atmosphere and a friendly smile. Combine that with getting healthy while you dance and what more could you ask for. In the future, we hope to be able to find an instructor willing to come our area and offer lessons for various styles of dancing such as line, country, swing and ballroom. In the meantime, we are more than willing to help new dancers get started by sharing our knowledge and skills.
Regular dances are held in various locations around NE Iowa and are normally scheduled for Sunday afternoons from 1:30pm to 5:30pm although we do have some dances on Saturday nights. Our current dance schedule can be viewed or printed by going to the Dance Schedule page. Food and beverages are available at every dance and door prizes are given away during the intermission.. The cost of admission is only $8.00 per person with children, 17 years of age and under, admitted free when accompanied by an adult. All monies generated from the admission charges go to pay for the band fee, hall rent, advertising and sales tax and any funds left over remain in the Heritage Dancers to fund future dances.
Over Memorial Day weekend, Heritage Dancers sponsor a dance festival called DanceFest. The festival offers a wide variety of dance music from 50s/60s to country to old time to big band, and everything in-between, all in one weekend.
While Heritage Dancers is still a small group, their membership more than doubled in 2011 and we hope to continue that trend in the years to come. Heritage Dancers offers memberships in the association at a cost of $25.00 per couple or $15.00 for Singles – per year. Membership renewals are $15.00 per couple or $10.00 for Singles – per year. Included in a Heritage Dancers membership are a membership badge, membership card, monthly newsletter, and a reduced members-only admission price to our regular dances. All the door prizes given away at our dances are donated by the members and officers of the Heritage Dancers or by businesses and guests of our dances.
For more information on a Heritage Dancers membership, or to request the current DanceFest Brochure, write to Heritage Dancers, 202 5th Avenue SW, Oelwein, IA 50662. You can also reach us by email at heritagedancers@hotmail.com or better yet, attend one of our dances and see for yourself the fun you will have dancing with the Heritage Dancers.