By Margaret Marlow (Lost Shepparton co-editor)
Dance has been around since ancient times when people danced for spiritual reasons and expressed themselves with dance movements.
Australia's First Nations people are actually the danciest groups of all time, but dance styles adapted to changes in music and contemporary dance began at the start of the 20th century when US dancer Isadora Duncan broke away from ballet and developed a more natural form of dance style.
In Shepparton in the 1950s and 60s, dance halls were always packed with people interacting and enjoying music.
Ballroom dancing was in vogue where couples danced together the Pride of Erin, the Evening Three Step, the Waltz or the popular Barn Dance where dancers formed a circle and changed partners as they navigated the circle.
The Star Theatre in Fryers St was the main dance hall in Shepparton, but wherever there was a hall it was probable a dance would be going on of a Friday or Saturday night.
The Star Theatre had full orchestra music to dance to while the smaller halls usually had only a piano player, but the rock ’n’ roll era of the mid to late 1950s changed all that.
Modern bands were hired to play in the hall, or sometimes local musicians would hire a hall themselves and invite the public to enjoy their style of music.
The advent of television, with shows such as Bandstand, taught us how to dance the latest steps, jive being the most popular until Chubby Checker taught us how to do the Twist.
Waltzing as a couple remained though for the more conservative but often the two would mix, with the jivers and twisters up front closer to the band and the two-stepper couples behind them.
There were numerous dance halls in Shepparton but to name a few (apart from the Star Theatre) were the Railway Hall near the station, the Orange Lodge Hall off Archer St, the Drill Hall, the Youth Club Hall, various church halls and a few out-of-town country halls.
I do recall a jazz band playing on Sunday afternoons in the Star Theatre supper room out back where many patrons jived to jazz.
Often supper would be served at the smaller venues and right on midnight, patrons stood respectfully still while God Save the Queen — Australia's national anthem at the time — was played.
Outside the venue, farewells were said until next time, but almost always there was a newly friended couple leaving together and in many cases a lifelong union was formed there at the local dance.
Here are some comments from our Facebook fans about their memories of going to the pictures.
Marlene McKenzie
My grandpa Mick McCarty had the bakery and baked the bread down the lane at the side between the Star Theatre and Nicholl's Furniture store. My nana, mum and aunties catered for balls and weddings in the supper room. We lived above the bakery where you could see the two windows. Happy days.
Margaret McNamara
Attended a dance there in the late 1950s. Margaret Marlow (nee Campbell) was in the ticket box. Great memories.
Margaret Marlow
Yes she was, Margaret McNamara. You have a good memory. Worked till 11pm then made it for the last couple of dances. They finished with God Save the Queen at midnight and then the P & O Café for a sarsaparilla.
Bob McKellar
A lot of memories come with that photo, but before that had a lot of good clean fun at that venue. Syd Curtis and I used to work together and he had a marvellous voice and a great band. When he sang, the dancers would stop and just listen.
Merryl Peyer
This is where l met my husband at the dance.
Kaye Robertson
My parents met there in the late 1940s.
Jeanette Doherty
I made my debut there and attended many dances and balls.
Claudine Ryan
Remember Mary Chuck and Sid Curtis at Saturday night dances?
Terrie Crozier
Dad, Sid Curtis, played in the Blue Moon Orchestra for many years.
Lyle Johnson
Our father, Frank Johnson, and his brother Charlie (Mocca) were the doormen for the Saturday night dances for a few years in the early 1960s.
Nett Steele
My mum and dad, Mary Varapodio and Harold Robinson, had their wedding reception at the Star Theatre in 1959.
Wilma Marten
We had our Shepparton High School socials there in the 1960s. They were fun and that's when we got interested in the opposite sex. I can still remember the boy I had eyes for.
Barbara Anne
Always had the Modern Waltz with Jimmy Wong. You would not see the boys until it was time for your pre-arranged dance with them.
Ronald Le Lievre
My great aunt, Ruth Tate, used to play the piano in the Star Theatre, and used to also play for dancing lessons conducted by a lady by the name of Mrs Thomas. I think that was her name.
Jenny Bordett
I remember Mrs Thomas’s dancing classes on a Saturday morning and also the end-of-year concerts. Such a beautiful venue. Shame it had to be pulled down.
Di Feldtmann
Yes, I also learnt dancing there too. Also went to many a Hill Billy concert there also with my parents — the Hickey Sisters, Keith Riordan.
Robyn Fitzgerald
It had a great dance floor and stage. Now it is the tenpin bowling alley and shops.
Yvonne Carlos
The Old Star was always part of my Saturdays. I learned dancing there from five years old with Mrs Thomas, then helped her teach younger kids how to tap etc. Then it was the concerts, Apex Antics Shows, fashion parades for McKeon’s, and finally our social life spent at the Thursday and Saturday night dances. Such beautiful memories.
• Geoff Allemand is manager of the Shepparton Heritage Centre and admin of the Lost Shepparton Facebook page. Margaret Marlow is the Lost Shepparton co-editor. Please share your pics of the past at pastpics@mmg.com.au