Oldies Dance to return in October

If classic rock n’ roll is the soundtrack to generations of music lovers, the Rock n’ Roll Oldies Dance is a way to let loose and embrace a trip back through time on the dance floor.

The 20th Rock n' Roll Oldies Benefit Dance will be held
from 7 p.m. to midnight Saturday Oct. 15 at the Eagle's Hall
in Biddeford. For tickets, call 207-284-4692. 

The 20th edition of the popular benefit dance will be held from 7 p.m. to midnight Saturday, Oct. 15 at the Eagle’s Hall, 57 Birch St. in Biddeford and is the largest community fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House of Portland. Tickets are just $10 with proceeds donated to the Ronald McDonald House, which provides comfort for the families of pediatric patients, supports programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children and enables family centered care to ensure that family members are fully supported and actively involved in their child’s care.

Oldies Dance Group organizer Bruce Martin says that to date, the organization has raised $85,500 for Ronald McDonald House and he recommends that anyone interested in attending the dance to act fast as tickets are a hot commodity, selling out quickly with seating limited.

“I’m constantly amazed at how quickly these tickets sell,” Martin said. “It’s confirmation that people still love to dance, and they love to listen to classic rock n’ roll oldies music. We can only accommodate about 300 people at each of these dances, so I strongly encourage anyone who is interested in attending to call and get their tickets as soon as possible.”

According to Martin, the Oldies Dance Group sold 349 tickets to its May 7 dance in just 10 days and had to turn away 82 additional requests for tickets because of seating limitations. This reinforces the continuing popularity of rock n’ roll music and public support for the Ronald McDonald House, he said.

Martin attributes the ongoing success of the oldies dance in the community to the public’s enduring love for some of the greatest rock n’ roll music from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He said that for many participants, the Oldies Dance is an opportunity to get out of the house on a Saturday evening and dance the night away in a safe and comfortable setting or just socialize with friends and listen to some classic tunes.

“Without a doubt, the most popular song at every dance is ‘Unchained Melody’ by the Righteous Brothers,” Martin said. “Even guys who don’t normally dance get up and are out on the dance floor for that one. The music is fantastic and takes you back to a simpler time where you know all the words to the songs by heart and the beat is contagious and makes you want to get up and express yourself through dancing. Those memorable Motown hits and anything we play by Elvis Presley ensure the dance floor will be packed.”

The bottom line though is that each Oldies Dance is highly affordable and raises money in a fun way to support the important work that the staff of the Ronald McDonald House in Portland is doing, he said.

To purchase tickets for the October dance or for more information, call Bruce Martin at 207-284-4692. <