Back on the dance floor after a year away

By TAYLOR BROWN

tbrown@yourmvi.com

After a year-long hiatus, a group of Mon Valley residents will put on their dancing shoes and head back to Mariner’s Hall in Dunlevy this weekend.

The PT Cruisers, a local dance group, was started eight years ago by two former Monessen Greyhounds, Dianne and Paul Tobacco, to teach their classmates some moves.

More than 40 people showed up to the first class at the Charleroi Elks in 2013. While their home base changed to Mariner’s Hall five years ago, the group started meeting every Monday for members to show off their moves. 

Last February, the Tobaccos were planning a dance to celebrate four years of parties at the hall. 

The dance went off without a hitch and the group began to prepare for St. Patrick’s Day when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and brought their plans to a halt. 

For more than a year, the group has not been able to meet or dance together. 

But as restrictions begin to lift, they were able to have their first line dancing class Monday and will host their first themed dance, which has already sold out, Saturday for the Kentucky Derby.

“We were originally planning a derby dance last year,” Dianne Tobacco said, “but COVID shut us down before it happened, so we thought it would be fitting since we already had the decorations and things ordered, to make this our first big event.

“It’s been a long year and we are really excited to all be together again.”

To read the rest of the story, please see a copy of Friday’s Mon Valley Independent, call 724-314-0035 to subscribe or subscribe to our online edition at http://monvalleyindependent.com.