I once heard a tale of a pastor who filled his church by doing family dances. My reaction to the story was one of scepticism and incredulity. So how did we get to the place where dancing has become a normal part of the social scene at Evangel Chapel?
For me it goes way back (well, a little way back) to my wife and I attending wedding receptions. Of course we never danced, having grown up in a fairly staunch environment where dancing was considered one of the ills of our time and for the most part - forbidden fruit. So there we would sit, looking on with a sense of “I’m-missing-out”. Happily, our story doesn’t end here.
A few years ago, we were invited to attend one of the Pomeroy Barn dances, and was I in for a surprise! On a warm summer evening, we walked into that old barn, packed with young people of all ages. With “Fishin’ in the Dark” piping through the PA, the atmosphere was electric as 120 people milled around the dance floor, doing what we do best in the Peace – country two-stepping! I saw something that day that was wholesome, family-friendly, and loads of fun. I would soon meet the wonderful gal behind the concept: Angelica Pomeroy (affectionately known around our church as “Angie, the dance lady”).
Angie, along with her husband Mike, is a long-time resident of Fort St. John who has always loved to dance. When they moved out to the family farm with the big old dairy barn, she saw a vision that had nothing to do with a milking parlour. They started small in 1993 with barn dances in the loft and over time this would grow to several dances being held throughout the year, drawing crowds of people from the Fort St. John area. Angie’s dream is to bring family dancing back into the life of the community - for sociability, fun, and exercise.
Angie teaches lessons in the Big Green Barn on occasion, leads dance for social and community events, and presents week long dance residencies in local elementary schools. Her repertoire includes folk and international dances, children's dances, along with some 'local favourites': 2-step, polka, waltz, and schottische to name a few. She leads many 'mixer dances' to make sure it is a 'social' event, as well as teaches 'dance etiquette'.
This year at Party in the Park (June 18, Centennial Park), Angie will be leading a team of 25 dancers that will give live illustration to many of the dances that have become favourites at Evangel Chapel. Then we’ll break out into one of the biggest “barn dances” of the year!
