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Cotillion Dance Club swaying to a rise in popularity

 

In 2019, the Austin Cotillion Dance Club celebrated 100 years, however, there was also some concern that it might not make it much further.

Questions about numbers nearly brought an end to the club.

“We took dance lessons and we were so excited to have a place to do it and then they were like you know what, we don’t have enough people,” said Susan Smith, who along with her husband, Geoff, are co-presidents of the group entering their second year in the role. “This is it, we’re done.”

However, since then the club is enjoying something of a resurgence in popularity and the band plays on.

“It’s doing great,” Geoff said. “It’s on the right track. It’s coming along.”

As of this past Tuesday night, there were 42 people slated to attend Cotillion, up from 33 last October. The Smiths took over the role as co-president’s last September and have been enthusiastic in helping the club continue to grow.

Cotillion is held six nights a year at the Austin Country Club. Those interested pay for the meal served by the country club as well as the $85 yearly membership.

“We’ll help it along,” Geoff said as the reason for taking up the president position. “See if we can help make the corner and I think Cotillion now has. A lot of fresh faces, a lot of new people. It’s essentially six date nights a year.”

The Smiths add that you don’t have to be a dancer to come and enjoy the evening, with some choosing to come for just the meal and music.

However, for those who want to get up and join in, each night starts with about 10 minutes worth of instruction on a certain dance; enough to learn the basic steps. The entire night is a relaxed and laid back night of dancing, music and fun.

“It makes people more comfortable just showing up,” Geoff said. “You don’t have to be Fred Astaire or anything like that. There’s all levels of dancing, including people with two left feet, and they have fun.”

For the Smiths, the dance floor leading to cotillion started with a desire to learn how to dance themselves. They took lessons and then eventually came to cotillion.

“We needed something,” Susan said, explaining they took the lessons after both of their children left the house. “We both wanted to and now is our time to go and do it. We’ve gotten pretty good at cutting a rug.”

The club not only includes people from Austin, but as far away as Owatonna and even further including near the Twin Cities. There’s also representation from Rochester.

Further enhancing the evening is that it’s a live band each time including local favorites like Barry Rush and Rush Hour and the Austin Big Band, however, the season will also include a performance by The Deceivers.

Anybody interested in joining Cotillion can inquire through their Facebook page: Austin MN Cotillion Dance Club or reach out to Geoff at gsmith@ibidata.com.

“It’s just the chance to go out and have a nice meal, have a dance with a live band,” Geoff said. “It’s not something you do any place else. If you like that kind of thinking, there’s not another place in the county where you can do it.”