The Saturday Night Dance – More Than Just a Dance

March 7, 2022 by Ernie Psikla

For many at BML, the Saturday Night Dance has seemed to have always been there. It’s simply part of the schedule of events on the monthly calendar.

For newcomers, though, the dance on the calendar may not seem all that appealing. A lot of men seem to resist dancing. That’s one reason women often dance together — and part of why line dancing developed in the first place. No partner needed.

But from my perspective, Saturday night was never really a “dance” per se.

More Than Music

We called our band Old Spice. Our goal wasn’t just to play music — it was to create an environment.

We wanted friends to:

Get together
Talk and laugh
Relax
Have a drink or two
Tell a few jokes
Meet new neighbors
Have something to look forward to other than another evening of satellite TV

It was about connection. Community. Shared memories.

The Soundtrack of Our Lives

We tried to play music that brought back good memories — songs from:

Our younger years
High school
Courting days
Wedding years
Even special selections for our Viet Nam veterans

Over time, the band began to recognize individual favorites. We quietly tried to work those songs into the set for particular people. (Whether they realized it at the time is another question.)

Setting the Tone

As the years passed, we recognized something important: The tone of every Saturday evening was established within the first five minutes — not by the band, but by the Old Spice Dancers. Over the years, those dancers included: Dave and Ida Bailey, Ken and Joanne Fentress, Doug and Suzie Baker, Murray and Darlene Wiedawilt, John and Marge Duncan, and Rod and Sheri Hogland

When our theme song, “Good Hearted Woman,” began to play, the dancers determined the course of the evening, not the band. They set the energy. They filled the floor. They invited others in. And just like that, the night came alive.

Caption: The Old Spice Band initially included Ernie and Reta Psikla with Louis Arollo. Photograph from a costume party dance in 2012–13.

Ernies Black Meadow Stories