History of Les Amies Dance Club
Les Amies Dance Club is the longest-lasting ballroom dance club in Canada! It was founded in 1921 following the disbanding of a similar club known as "Entre Nous". The first Rose Ball was held on April 10, 1922. An executive of three members consisting of C. Melvyn Scott, J. Percy Page and James W. Hill, remained unchanged for the first 25 years with new names appearing on the Executive Board from the late forties. The Honourable J. Percy Page was Lieutenant Governor of Alberta from 1959 to 1966.
Les Amies members dined and danced in the grand ambience of the Hotel Macdonald for the first 60 years of its history. The Club moved to other premises when the hotel closed for extensive renovations in the mid 1980's. While the "Mac" reopened in fine style in 1991, the small dance floor made it unsuitable for Les Amies.
During the early years of the Club's history, the press provided detailed accounts describing the setting at the Rose Ball. Tables were decorated with roses and lit taper candles. Waiters paraded turkeys held aloft on silver platters and decked with sparklers, followed by a second parade of baked Alaska, also with sparklers. Background organ or piano stylings set the mood. Until 1943, the press listed in full the names of members and guests attending the Rose Ball -- a veritable "who's who" of Edmonton society.
In 2001 the Club attendance was at an all time low. Over the next five years many changes were made to encourage attendance including having the bands play more Latin music; selling mini membership packages (half the season’s dances) as well as full memberships; having themed dances with decorations to enhance the theme; having people escorted to their seats where they found themed place cards at their places; and having dance demonstrations in the band break. Thanks to all these measures by the 2006 – 07 season, memberships had increased significantly, and most of these changes were so popular they have continued to this day.
On May 11, 2012, Les Amies celebrated its 90th Anniversary Rose Ball at Santa Maria Goretti Centre with 234 people in attendance including the Lieutenant Governor, The Honourable Donald S. Ethell and his wife Linda. The occasion was also marked by the launch of the book Dancing through the Decades: A History of Les Amies Dance Club 1922 - 2012, a written and pictorial account of the Club’s history.
Les Amies members dined and danced in the grand ambience of the Hotel Macdonald for the first 60 years of its history. The Club moved to other premises when the hotel closed for extensive renovations in the mid 1980's. While the "Mac" reopened in fine style in 1991, the small dance floor made it unsuitable for Les Amies.
During the early years of the Club's history, the press provided detailed accounts describing the setting at the Rose Ball. Tables were decorated with roses and lit taper candles. Waiters paraded turkeys held aloft on silver platters and decked with sparklers, followed by a second parade of baked Alaska, also with sparklers. Background organ or piano stylings set the mood. Until 1943, the press listed in full the names of members and guests attending the Rose Ball -- a veritable "who's who" of Edmonton society.
In 2001 the Club attendance was at an all time low. Over the next five years many changes were made to encourage attendance including having the bands play more Latin music; selling mini membership packages (half the season’s dances) as well as full memberships; having themed dances with decorations to enhance the theme; having people escorted to their seats where they found themed place cards at their places; and having dance demonstrations in the band break. Thanks to all these measures by the 2006 – 07 season, memberships had increased significantly, and most of these changes were so popular they have continued to this day.
On May 11, 2012, Les Amies celebrated its 90th Anniversary Rose Ball at Santa Maria Goretti Centre with 234 people in attendance including the Lieutenant Governor, The Honourable Donald S. Ethell and his wife Linda. The occasion was also marked by the launch of the book Dancing through the Decades: A History of Les Amies Dance Club 1922 - 2012, a written and pictorial account of the Club’s history.
The Honourable Donald S. Ethell, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta speaking at our 90th Anniversary Gala Rose Ball, May 2012
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Sue and Dick Stein, Les Amies members since 1969, cutting the cake at our 95th Anniversary Gala Rose Ball, May 2017
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In October 2019, Les Amies held the first ever YEG Ballroom Dance Festival in Edmonton at the Ukrainian Youth Unity Complex. Crowd estimates for this free admission event ranged from 700 – 1000. Many people came and tried ballroom dancing for the first time. The Festival offered three hours of dance performances and dance lessons in the morning and then the Trocadero Orchestra played for an afternoon dance. It was a huge success!
The 2019 – 2020 season began with a Christmas Ball and a Valentine’s Dance but shortly after the pandemic hit and dances were cancelled due to COVID -19 until the Christmas Ball in 2021. During this time, preparations began for the Centennial Rose Ball planned for May 2022, but it was not until early 2022 that the Club was sure it could go ahead.
Fortunately, the Centennial Rose Ball did go ahead on May 14, 2022. It was a spectacular event held at the Polish Hall and attended by 175 people. The theme was the “Roaring 20s” and many people came dressed to the theme. Dancing after dinner was to the Trocadero Orchestra. As one person wrote: “It was grandeur never before seen at Les Amies and exceptional by all standards.”
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Sabrina Thievin, Florence & Ken Borch, and Bruce & Myrna Wilkinson, long time Les Amies members, cutting our 100th Anniversary Cake.
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The second edition of Dancing Through The Decades: A History of Les Amies Dance Club 1922 – 2022 was written after the Centennial and launched at the Rose Ball in 2023. It covered 100 years of Club history from its beginnings in 1922 up to and including the Centennial Rose Ball.
Today "the band still plays on" but in a changing and evolving 21st century world. Each year, Les Amies holds four dinner/dances at a variety of venues. The club continues to provide lovers of ballroom dancing an opportunity to "dress-up" in their finest and to dance and celebrate with a live band on an excellent dance floor. New bands and stylings, new approaches to membership, and a host of new faces continue to make the Les Amies dances enjoyable evenings of great dancing.
Updated by Ruth West - January 2025
Today "the band still plays on" but in a changing and evolving 21st century world. Each year, Les Amies holds four dinner/dances at a variety of venues. The club continues to provide lovers of ballroom dancing an opportunity to "dress-up" in their finest and to dance and celebrate with a live band on an excellent dance floor. New bands and stylings, new approaches to membership, and a host of new faces continue to make the Les Amies dances enjoyable evenings of great dancing.
Updated by Ruth West - January 2025