'In a different world': Bakersfield Smooth Dancers ring in new year through ballroom dance
Jan. 1—The dawn of a new year rings in fresh beginnings — but one local group celebrated Saturday night in a decidedly old-fashioned way.
Gowns fluttered and twirled as partners danced a waltz or a foxtrot. A live band provided the perfect backdrop for the Bakersfield Smooth Dancers to dance the night away, as they've done for decades.
"It just puts you in a different world," longtime member Bill Landry said of dancing with his wife Susie.
Bakersfield Smooth Dancers, founded in 1964, operates under the National Smooth Dancers umbrella organization, which emphasizes ballroom dancing. For a membership fee, interested dancers learn modern dances such as the tango and rumba.
The COVID-19 pandemic paused their celebration for two years. But now it's back strong.
For Bakersfield dancer Kay Boyer, dancing invigorates the soul and floods the body with a rush of endorphins.
Boyer loves the cha-cha, rumba and bachata because of their lively nature.
"And, they're really sexy," she slyly added.
She and other members of the organization love the exercise the dances offer. For some, the Bakersfield Smooth Dancers also hold a more special meaning: Boyer met her husband through dancing when they were beginners taking lessons.
Bakersfield Smooth Dancer Secretary Wendy Wilson was feeling a little lost when she had kids and didn't have a strong identity. Dancing with her husband injected their relationship with life and gave them a chance to dress up.
"That's been an amazing thing for our marriage," Wilson added.
Members also express themselves through dancing.
When the music strikes an emotional chord, Wilson cannot help but get up and twirl around. Landry added that dancing lets people tells a story by moving their body with the music.
Kimiko Johnson, 78, added she's loved dancing since she was a little girl, and that twirling the night away brings back those memories. It keeps her young and healthy, she added.
Bakersfield Smooth Dancers originates from the post-World War II era, when big bangs reigned supreme. A group of local residents who decided they loved dancing learned of a formal group — the National Smooth Dancers — that came together around those same principles.
Those earlier Bakersfield residents decided to form a formal chapter. It offered them a chance to meet different dancers from around the state.
Most people look to change what they'll do in the new year. But this group rang in 2023 with something they already love: friends, great food and exercising with music.
"It sets the tone for the coming year," Boyer said.
You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. You can also follow her at @_ishanidesai on Twitter.
