Line Dancers Banned From Wearing Boots at New St. John’s Centre
Boot Scootin’ Booted: St. John’s Line Dancers Face Flooring Fiasco at New Mews Center
St. John’s, NL – A beloved line dancing program offered by the City of St. John’s is facing a surprising obstacle at it’s new home: the floor. Participants have been told they can’t wear their signature cowboy boots in the new Mews Centre, sparking frustration and confusion.
Helen Escott, a dedicated line dancer for the past decade, is baffled by the decision. “To ask line dancers to not wear their cowboy boots is like asking tap dancers to not wear their tap shoes,” she says. “It’s just such a ridiculous request. We can’t dance in bare feet or running shoes, it’s dangerous to do that.”
Artist’s rendering of the new Mews Centre. (City of St. John’s)
Escott recalls consultations held during the Mews centre’s development, where the line dancers’ needs were clearly communicated. “What you’re saying to me,” she says of the suggestion to relocate the program, “is that you took our tax dollars to build a recreational facility that now we’re being told we can’t use. You’re going to find some older facility for us to use.What was the point in building it?”
Mayor danny Breen acknowledges the popularity of the line dancing program and assures residents it will continue at the new facility. Though,he explains that the hardwood flooring in the double gymnasium prohibits the use of hard-soled footwear.
Instead, the program will be relocated to one of the mews Centre’s multi-purpose rooms, which have suitable flooring.”As part of the commissioning process, we’re looking at the configurations of that there…it looks like there will be room for about 20 in each of those spaces,” says Breen.
While the Mayor insists alternative arrangements are being explored, Escott and her fellow dancers remain concerned about the impact on their beloved program. The future of boot scootin’ at the new Mews Centre hangs in the balance.
Boot Scootin’ Booted: A Q&A about Line dancing Fiasco at St. John’s New Mews Center
NewsDirect3.com sat down with Helen Escott, a seasoned line dancer and vocal advocate for the program, to discuss the recent controversy surrounding footwear restrictions at the new Mews Centre.
NewsDirect3.com: Helen, can you explain the situation with the line dancing program and the new Mews Centre?
Helen Escott: We’ve always worn our cowboy boots for line dancing – it’s essential to the dance style. Now we’re being told we can’t wear them on the new Mews Centre’s hardwood floor. It just feels absurd!
NewsDirect3.com: Why is wearing cowboy boots an issue, and were there any discussions about this during the planning phase?
Escott: From a safety standpoint, we can’t dance in bare feet or running shoes. It’s simply hazardous. During consultations about the new Mews Centre, we clearly expressed our requirements for suitable flooring. This feels like our voices weren’t heard.
NewsDirect3.com: What’s the proposed solution, and are you satisfied with it?
Escott: The City is suggesting we move to a smaller multi-purpose room. It’s concerning as it substantially limits the number of participants we can have, and it might not offer the same space and acoustics as a gymnasium.
NewsDirect3.com: What do you hope will happen next?
Escott: We hope the city will reconsider and allow us to use the gymnasium in our cowboy boots. the new Mews Centre shoudl be accessible and welcoming to all, and for line dancers, that means dancing in our boots! We paid our taxes; we deserve a facility that caters to our needs.