New year, new moves: Cape Bretoners try step dancing for the first time

A group tried out traditional step dancing for the first time over the weekend at the Island Folk Cider House in Sydney, N.S.

New year, new hobby?

That was the idea for about a dozen people trying traditional step dancing for the first time on Saturday in Sydney, N.S.

“I think in January, everybody’s wanting to get moving so what better way than with some Cape Breton style dancing,” said Leanne Aucoin, a lifelong step dancer who was leading Saturday’s class.

Aucoin is teaching three step-dancing and square-dancing classes at the Island Folk Cider House in Sydney’s North End on the weekend. There were lessons for beginners and for people who have some experience.

“It’s my favourite type of exercise,” Aucoin said. “I grew up doing it. You don’t need much equipment. You just need your feet and a pair of sneakers or a pair of shoes and it’s just about having fun.”

First-timer Carolyn Keough said she goes dancing every week, but she had never tried step dancing.

“I don’t have to follow anybody’s steps,” Keough said. “I just do my own thing. Here, you have to follow the steps. You get used to it, though.”

Pat Lee, who was also trying step dancing for the first time, said he loves it.

“Anything to do with music, that’s me,” said Lee.

A group of step dancers on Prince Edward Island performed for Prince William and Kate Middleton during their visit to the province in 2011, shortly after the royal couple’s wedding.

“It was amazing,” said dancer Juliette Roberts. “We all didn’t know how exciting it was going to be until we actually were on stage, saw them in front of us smiling at us, and we just could not stop smiling the whole day.”

New dancers might not expect to perform in front of royalty, but Aucoin said she hopes some of the newbies show off their moves in public one day.

“I’m a fiddler and that’s our goal when we play is to get people dancing,” Aucoin said. “So that was one of the sad things during COVID, is when we couldn’t dance. It was hard on us fiddlers.”

Aucoin says the weekend sessions were so successful she is considering more classes later in the year.

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