ItSA国际影视传媒檚 a cold and dark Tuesday night in Yellowknife SA国际影视传媒� one day after what was once chalked up to the most depressing date of the year. But in a church hall basement, amid a chorus of laughs, the pulse of polka music and the drumming of dancing feet, youSA国际影视传媒檇 never know it.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 hard to feel bad when youSA国际影视传媒檙e doing the polka,SA国际影视传媒� says Tracey Belton-Horton, skipping through a CD-player before settling on a lively Bavarian number.

On the hardwood floors of YellowknifeSA国际影视传媒檚 Anglican Church, sheSA国际影视传媒檚 met by five other women. They join hands, forming a circle as they spin clockwise, then counterclockwise in concert, their traditional European skirts whirling one step behind their quick feet.

Together, they make up the Yellowknife Elders Folk Dance Collective, an international folk dance group for seniors that formed in 2016.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 good for the soul, good for the body, good for the mind,SA国际影视传媒� Louise Debogorski, the collectiveSA国际影视传媒檚 co-chair, said when Yellowknifer dropped by on Jan. 22.

SA国际影视传媒淎s you get older, you really need that,SA国际影视传媒� said Debogorski.

The volunteer-run collective offers memberships as well as drop in lessons every Tuesday for residents over the age of 55. The idea was birthed by like-minded lovers of dance after some troops in the city fazed out adult participation, focusing instead on honing the skills of young upstarts.

SA国际影视传媒淏ut we said, SA国际影视传媒榳e still like to dance.SA国际影视传媒� So we formed our own dance groupSA国际影视传媒� said Velma Sterenberg, co-chair of Yellowknife Elders Folk Dance Collective. SA国际影视传媒淭hat allowed us to do multicultural dance. Yellowknife is so multicultural, it just works,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

From Quebec and the Caribbean to Ukraine and Romania, the dance outfit boasts a repertoire of culturally-diverse dances, something director and program coordinator Belton-Horton strives toward. Last year, she tried to incorporate a dance from every continent, from Africa and Asia to South America and the SA国际影视传媒渢rickySA国际影视传媒� Australia.

SA国际影视传媒淲e might not be able to afford to do it in real life, but weSA国际影视传媒檙e trying to explore the world through dance,SA国际影视传媒� said Belton-Horton.

The world is coming to the church hall, too. In November, Sterenberg said a Pakistani man dropped by to teach Bhangra, an Indian folk dance, to the class.SA国际影视传媒淚t just about killed us, but we had fun,SA国际影视传媒� laughed Sterenberg, adding members have also tried out belly dancing.

The collective has also incorporated Indigenous dancing into its lessons, including Metis jigging.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 really important to celebrate cultures that are in the NWT,SA国际影视传媒� said Sterenberg.

Most of the groupSA国际影视传媒檚 members, including Belton-Horton, share a Ukrainian heritage, with many learning traditional dances as children.

But the weekly gathering is open to all skill levels.

SA国际影视传媒淲e just welcome whoever wants to come in the door and dance,SA国际影视传媒� said Sterenberg. SA国际影视传媒淲e have had people who donSA国际影视传媒檛 know their left foot from their right and theySA国际影视传媒檝e come and had a really good time,SA国际影视传媒� she added.

For newly joined member Caroline Horn, who stopped dancing when she had children, Yellowknife Elders Folk Dance Collective has allowed her to reconnect with her former love of dance. SA国际影视传媒淚t's nice to go to my kids, who are 13 and 11, and show them some steps and they show me some modern steps,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

Sterenberg said some newcomers, expecting to see seniors dancing with their walkers, are surprised by the lively bunch. The group's oldest dancer participated last year at 75-years-young, said Sterenberg.
Not only are members sharing laughs, stories, and cultures through dance SA国际影视传媒� they're also keeping their bodies and brains sharp, she added, citing scientific studies.

SA国际影视传媒淲e're using all of our body parts and cognitive parts,SA国际影视传媒� said Sterenberg.

SA国际影视传媒淐rosswords, sure, that's okay. But if you really want keep your brain working, put your damn Sudoko down and come dance with us.SA国际影视传媒�

The group doesn't do formal performances SA国际影视传媒� it's more about showing off to each other, not an audience, said Belton-Horton SA国际影视传媒� but make exceptions for birthday parties, weddings and other events.

As part of Sterenberg's bid to give back to the community through the collective, members will take to the Snow Castle in March to folk dance lessons as part of the Royal Ball.

SA国际影视传媒淵es, we're elders, but at the Snow Castle, we're going to be involving the whole community, and, again, that's really important to us.SA国际影视传媒�