Shall We Dance? A Look Back at Michigan Dance Pavilions

About the Event

Social dancing was a popular form of recreation across the country in the first half of the 20th Century, and Michigan was no exception, with dancing venues springing up across the state. We’ll look back at dance halls and pavilions located in amusement parks, resorts, hotels, nightclubs, and other spots. Some restaurants and taverns featured “dining and dancing” to draw patrons to their establishments. From dancing stately waltzes in the 1900s, the 1910s gave way to novelty dances like the turkey trot and the bunny hop. The 1920s could be known as the “Dance Age,” as the fox trot and Charleston took America by storm. During the Depression, dancing flourished as an inexpensive form of entertainment. The rise of swing and big band music in the 1930s and 1940s drew thousands of fun seekers to dance halls across the state. This social dance trend faded in the 1950s as rock and roll took center stage.

Christine Byron retired from her position as the Local Historical Collections librarian for the Grand Rapids Public Library. She is an avid reader of Michigan history and has collected old Michigan travel and tourist memorabilia for over thirty years. She and her husband, Tom Wilson, have co-authored five award-winning books in their “Vintage Views” series on the history of Michigan tourism. “Historic Leelanau” is their sixth book.