Walkerville RSL

It had been a couple of years since I had attended a social dance night at the Walkerville RSL . I had heard on the grapevine that they were still a lot of fun so I dragged the QuickSteps Crew along to check it out.

It is hosted by Chris and his team from Sa Ballroom and Latin and they were more than happy for us to join the party. These events have always been open to everyone.

We arrived at 8:30pm when the event starts and we were among the first 20 or so people there. We were also the first people to get up and dance and had most of the floor to ourselves for the first 15 mins or so.

The relatively empty dance floor at the beginning of the night. The venue itself is warming (maybe a little too warm at times!) and inviting, old school but lovely. Attendees are free to enjoy three main areas. As you enter the hall through two big double doors you walk immediately into the large main dance floor with chairs and tables set up on either side.

From here you can also head to the right into a small but comfortable bar and second seating area, tucked away from the mayhem of the dance floor. Alternatively, if you need a bit of a break from the noise you can head out the back door into an expansive undercover seating area complete with gas heating during the colder months.

Chris is a musician so I imagine this is where the great music comes from. I absolutely loved the playlist full of fresh and funky tunes for dancing and much of which I had never thought of dancing to before. I also really enjoyed the way Chris managed to include old school hits without it being predictable.

The music from the past was as unpredictable as the newer music.

He also has an interesting way of displaying the playlist that I had not seen before. Instead of listing songs with dance styles, he provided an ordered list of dance styles to be played that night.

• Foxtrot
• Swing
• Waltz
• Tango
• Rumba
• Cha Cha

This way you didn’t have to know what each song was called to know what was coming next. You simply know that if you have just danced a Foxtrot a Swing will be next. Innovative and simple to use.

There was a note at the bottom of this list mentioning that after 10:30 pm only Latin and swing styles would be played. I think this is generally very appropriate, it’s better pto arty music for that time of night and also by that time the dance floor can be a bit too full for ballroom styles.

Take your wallet, get a cab, and enjoy a few reds without breaking the bank!

The drinks were cheap. There is no other way to put it. It’s not often you can go to a dance event and enjoy drinks at RSL prices but here it is.

The QuickSteps Crew and regular attendees danced and mingled together by the end of the night. The friendly and inviting vibe lasted throughout the evening. We never felt unwelcome or out of place even though we were from another studio.

So in closing, if you are looking for a relaxed and inexpensive night out dancing with great music the Walkerville RSL is the place on the last Friday of every month. See you on the dance floor!

Michelle