Danceland Manitou Beach

by Sandy Joe Karpetz | Nov . 3 . 2015 | Canada, Saskatchewan, Travel

DANCELAND MANITOU BEACH

This past September I hit the road with my mom in a Kia Sportage and headed east. Our first stop was Danceland Manitou Beach, Saskatchewan – home of the dead sea of Canada. The whole trip was a pilgrimage of her youth, and a real eye opener for me as the provinces between Alberta and Ontario are not ones I’ve explored much.

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THE HISTORY OF DANCELAND

Dating back to 1928, Danceland in Manitou Beach is home to a famous horse hair dance floor, the legend that Elvis played a show there, as well as many other stories that can only be trudged up by those who lived them. I can confirm that the horse hair floor, one of the few remaining in Canada, does add a bounce to your dance step. It was such a treat two step around on.

TOONIE TUESDAYS

Toonie Tuesday draws quite the crowd. The evening was made special with two live musicians (elderly ladies cranking out waltzes on keyboards) and fresh hydrangeas on every table. 10/10 for the crowd, the musicians, and the atmosphere.

THE SUMMER OF 1967

In the summer of 1967, my mom (who was 14) went on a holiday to Winnipeg with her parents. On the way, they made a stop at Manitou Beach.

“It was Saturday night and for a teenager it was boring, what is there to do at campground? My parents told me to go check out the dancehall to see if there was anything going on. Right as I was walking back to the car, they started pulling away and said ‘We’ll see you at midnight!’ and they knew I would never in a million years walk back to the campground alone in the dark,” explained my mother.

And that was how my mom became acquainted with Danceland. Clad in bell bottoms and a Robin Hood cut blouse, she had no choice but to go inside.

“I was so nervous going inside alone that I tripped onto the dance floor. I didn’t notice it was a step down, there are signs up now. I met a bunch of girls, Janice from Yorkton, Saskatchewan, who I was penpals with for years and who even came to my wedding.”

DANCELAND MANITOU BEACH

Very little has changed since that summer in ’67, at least at Danceland. The interior has remained as charming as ever. The only noticeable difference is the burm surrounding the building as the lake continues to rise due to the heavy rainfall. The aura and aesthetic is the perfect setting for David Lynch to work his strange mystery magic. I highly recommend stopping by this little prairie town on a salt lake.

photographs - sandy joe karpetz

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1 Comment

Rebecca Jane on November 3, 2015 at 8:31 pm
The furthest west I've ever been is SK, and I was only in Regina. The old-style whimsy of this place makes me feel like if I'm driving through someday on the way to visit pals in AB, it would be worth a stop!
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