DANCING LIKE THEY USED TO — Several couples, along with individual guests, attended the Sept. 5 dance at the Big Band 200 Club in Wheeling. The next and final dance of the year will take place on Saturday. For information, contact Membership Chair Ben Safranski at (740) 461-2770. -- Contributed

WHEELING — For former Steubenville resident David Burton, being president of the Big Band 200 Club in Wheeling has been a gift.

The once grand, but now, “quite small dance club” offers interested residents an opportunity to participate in dances held throughout the year.

Approximately two dozen couples are taking advantage of the club, Burton noted the 200 in the club’s name refers to the membership it once had.

“There was once a limit of 200 couples,” he explained. “There were many people interested in taking part in that art of dance,” he said of earlier times.

People who attended the Sept. 5 dance commented on what it is like to be back at the 200 club.

Among the many comments were, “We have met so many wonderful people on the dance floor,” stated Cathy Jones.

“Being out with friends, doing the Swing and Foxtrot, makes a great date for my husband and me,” commented George and Laurie Ruberg.

“The Big Band 200 Club is a wonderful way to socialize and dance the night away,” stated Hugo and Laura Andreini.

One local woman wrote: “When we first started dancing lessons with Barbara Blanchard, after the first lesson, I asked my husband, ‘How many lessons come in this series?’ He said, ‘I think eight, but we may want to do 16.’ That was the start of our dancing. And then Barbara introduced us to the Big Band 200 Club. We’ve danced ever since — about 20 years now. We would not have kept it up except for the Big Band 200 Club.”

Burton announced he was pleased with many of the comments left for officials.

“We rent the ballroom at the Osiris Shrine in the Oak Grove area of Wheeling, and we try to have four to five dances each year,” Burton explained. “As our name implies, we try to have an actual big band to provide live music for our dances. A few years ago, we even had the Glenn Miller Orchestra due to a very generous one-time gift to the club.”

The next dance will be held Saturday, featuring the Wally Gingers Orchestra performing.

A disc jockey will entertain dancers during the March 21 dance and Wally Merriman will perform at the dance scheduled for May 2.

All dances are held at the Osiris Shrine, located on the corner of National Road and Kruger Street.

Burton noted there is a dress code for participants, with a coat and tie required for gentlemen, and dressy and tasteful attire for ladies.

“In short, we try to continue with a tradition of dancing the way our parents did,” Burton concluded. “We do get some younger members, but as yet, the number of younger members coming in does not make up for the older members who, for various reasons, are no longer able to continue with us.”

All dances include the traditional coffee and doughnuts during intermission and are BYOB.

The club will provide soft drinks, ice and snacks at no charge.

A dance subscription is $85 per person. If you cannot attend a dance, you can arrange for another person or couple to attend as your replacement.

Contact Membership Chair Ben Safranski to make arrangements at (740) 461-2770.

The cost is $35 per person, or $15 for students who have a proper student ID.

Reservations can be made prior to the dance by contacting Safranski.

Registration forms should indicate where you would like to be seated.

For information, visit the club’s Facebook page.