Richland Seniors Association’s longtime monthly ballroom dances have taken their final spin. 

The dances, held every third Friday, had been going on for decades – but since the Covid-19 pandemic, attendance has been on the decline, the Senior Times reported in February 2025.

April 12 was the last dance for those passionate about getting together and ballroom dancing to a live band.

“Attendance had been on a steady decline for some time and it finally came to the time when it was just not practical to continue,” said Fred Shaffner, an RSA board member who has been running the dances for the last two years, in a statement.

The dances relied on its attendees, who each paid $10 in admission, as well as sponsorships to help cover the costs of providing refreshments and paying for the live band. 

While the dances were open to all ages, Shaffner said it was primarily the older generations who were interested, “and that is a limited population.” 

Nothing special marked the final dance, he said, since there is always the hope that the dances could start again in the future. 

“Well, we moved on from the minuet so maybe it’s time to move on from ballroom, but I hope the very beautiful waltz will never die,” Shaffner said.