Dancers give auditorium one last whirl

LAUREL - If the walls of the Laurel auditorium could talk there would be some tales spun much like the twirling dancers who made the building their home for the last 55 years.

The Laurel Town Twirlers square dancers closed the door on a chapter of their history, hosting the last dance at the auditorium April 27. The building is now closed to public events and will be used by the Laurel-Concord-Coleridge school during its building project. After the school use, plans are being made to demolish the building.

Even though the Twirlers are losing their standing place to dance twice a month, memories and friendships made will last a lifetime.

“It’s like a big family,” said Michelle Vanderheiden of Laurel.

Vanderheiden, along with her husband, Eldon, were among 40 others who joined in for the last dance at the auditorium last week.

It was Eldon who introduced Michelle to square-dancing when they were first married. Michelle took lessons and the couple enjoyed many dances, loyal members of the club for about 10 years. She recalls those early dances and taking her first-born son and then their other children.

“At first, he was in the playpen and then racing play cars down the ramp with other kids. We have lots of memories of our kids playing with other square-dancers’ kids,” Michelle said. “They would pretend to dance when we were dancing. It was a family thing.”

Work, children and life got in the way, and the Vanderheiden’s became the “occasional” member for the next 20 years. Recent semiretirement has opened up more time for them to enjoy dancing again.

“We thought we’d really like to see everybody again,” Michelle said.

And they fell right back into it - both the dance steps and the friendships.

Jerry Junck of Wayne was the caller for the group’s last dance at the auditorium. Junck founded the square dancing group in 1968. Mary Ann Urwiler, and Court and Darlene Roberts were charter members who were also in attendance at the last auditorium dance.

“I think everybody had nostalgia that night. I don’t think anyone was too sad, just reminiscing,” Junck said.

The Laurel Town Twirlers now are looking for a new home, possibly in Belden or Randolph, for their twice-a-month regular dances, Junck said.

“The club isn’t folding, they’re just changing the venue,” he said.

He said at its peak the club boasted about 90 members.

“A lot of clubs don’t last this long, they don’t have that longevity,” Junck said. “It’s been lots of anniversary dances, special dances, party dances, city celebration dances held there over the years. There’s a lot of good memories.”