Owner Millie Strueby and her late husband Arnold played in Danceland’s house band, The Decades, in the ’70s and ’80s. Arnold had some experience running a venue — Millie first met him at the nightclub he owned in a shopping centre in Lanigan, Sask. The couple moved to Manitou Beach in 1980, and Arnold spent 12 years as the town mayor. They were in love with the community and its historic dance hall, so when it came up for sale in 2001, they bought it. The previous owners had insulated Danceland in 1996 to keep it warm through Saskatchewan’s harsh winters, and once they took over, the Struebys promoted the dance hall as a year-round venue.

Manitou Beach, a summer resort town with a permanent population of 364, goes pretty quiet out of season — except for the crowds that come to Danceland for a night out that you just don’t find in other places. A buffet meal is served before every dance (because not much else is open, and you’ll need it after the long bus ride), then the music usually begins at 8 p.m. and plays on into the night.

Canada’s “Polka King” Walter Ostanek has been playing Danceland for several decades, and headlines the annual summer polka fest. “Danceland has charisma, and I love going there,” says the three-time Grammy winner and Order of Canada recipient. At 89, he says he’s going to keep travelling from his home in St. Catharines, Ont., to play Danceland for as long as he can because of all the people he has met at Manitou Beach who return year after year. “I might be feeling tired, and my bones are creaking, but the minute I put the accordion on and I see people dancing, something inside of me wakes up, and away we go again,” he says.

There are two different crowds that come to Danceland, explains Sklar: the traditionalists and the country crowd. Admittedly, some of the first group find his band’s style too loud and too fast. “We’re not your grandpa’s polka band,” he explains. “And I’ll tell those who complain: you come here to dance, not visit; you can do that at home.” When he plays Danceland, there are always requests for Johnny Cash, and a Texas two-step will always fill the dance-floor. His all-time favourite to get the crowd going is “Whiskey River.” “We always play the original, the Johnny Bush version though,” he says.

Singer Dianna Moroz started coming to Danceland 15 years ago and became friends with Strueby. She sings with bands under her stage name, Dyana, and doesn’t mind the hour-and-a-half drive from her home in Saskatoon in winter to make it to Danceland. “Gosh, I’ve not missed a New Year’s Eve here in all that time, and I go down most Saturdays to jam with the band,” she says. “I can’t say enough good about the warmth and the welcome of Manitou. I love this place — it’s like a second home to me.”

As Danceland fans age, Strueby finds ways to keep the magic of Danceland going for future generations. The University of Saskatchewan’s Ballroom Dance Association are regulars, and the venue has also hosted visiting country music artists and comedy nights. “We host lots of weddings too,” explains Strueby. “Young people are blown away by the character and nostalgia of this building.”

In the summer, Moroz runs Toonie Tuesdays, teaching old-time waltzes and polkas to kids, their parents and grandparents, along with the Birdie dance, the Macarena and the Gummy Bear Song.

Since it was built in 1928, Danceland has provided joy to many. Couples have fallen in love here: Strueby often meets visitors who tell her this is where their parents or grandparents met. Danceland is full of nostalgia — but also full of the promise of staying a beacon of light in this tiny town on cold winter nights for decades to come.