This week's theme of Boys, Gilrs and dances left me at a bit of a loss. My sepia collection doesn't contain any old "dance" photos, because my mother, coming from a strict German Lutheran family was not allowed to attend dances as a girl. Dancing was considered to be against the beliefs of the church!
Of course as soon as she finished her teacher training and moved away from home, all that stuff went by the by and as a pretty, single female teacher in a country town, she made up for the strictness of her upbringing. But, that's another story.
But the theme did bring to mind my own girlhood and the dances and balls I was able to attend. The first introduction to the attractions of the country dance was often the "Deb Ball" or the "Junior Deb Ball".
Then would come the Country Dances or the Church Dances held monthly - usually each town would hold a monthly dance so there was always a dance to go to somewhere each week. I remember the best thing about country dances was the amazing supper that the local ladies would put on.
I remember going to church dances with my friends - no one actually went with a boy! Dolled up to the nines, the girls would seat themselves on one side of the hall and the boys on the other, eying off the opportunities. And how very spruced up the boys looked in their suits and ties and short back and sides haircuts.
If a girl was lucky, she might actually get to dance with a boy, but more often than not she spent her time with a girlfriend, talking about the boys she fancied and hoping that "he " would notice her.
while the boys got on with the more important side of the dance
Occasionally one of the girls would get lucky and meet the boy she would eventually marry.
Simple fun times and lovely memories to look back on.
Liz Needle - linking with
"Sepia Saturday".
