Local 50+ dancers tap dance for the sheer joy

Members of the Phyllis Smith Tappers are continuing something of a legacy in Collingwood and Wasaga Beach while dancing their hearts out.

The core group of a dozen or so older ladies and sometimes a gentleman or two come out every week on Tuesday afternoons and Wednesday evenings for an hour to develop and then further their tap-dancing skills, often performing during special occasions when the opportunity arises.

On those occasions they are known as The Phyllis Smith tappers, in honour of the lady who got so many in the area involved in tap dance.

Cathy Baginski, whose dance background dates back to her childhood right into her university years, has adopted the role of leading the crew. It’s a casual gathering and Baginski does it simply for the fun, enjoyment, exercise and camaraderie. The only cost is a $3 contribution to space rental at along with a membership with the Collingwood Leisure Time Club.

She recommends anyone with interest to swing by to see if this group is for them.

“We take it slower and break down new steps at the Tuesday class for those new to tap, and then do steps/dances geared to those who have been tapping awhile for the Wednesday class,” she explains. “We learn new dances, practice previous numbers, and sometimes make plans to perform. However, we really are out for the fun, exercise (brains and bodies) and camaraderie (no one is obligated to perform).

“We also still go to seniors’ homes and things like that,” says Baginski. “Last year we did a St. Patrick’s Day tap demonstration at one of the seniors’ homes.”

Phyllis Smith, who passed away last year, loved to tap and enjoyed sharing her passion in her senior years with others who wanted to give it a try, running regular sessions at a Collingwood church. She also collaborated with another tap group running out of Wasaga Beach. The leader of that group, too, passed away. Baginski says Phyllis was still tapping a month before she passed away at age 88.

Irene McGhee was thrilled to have discovered the group after moving to the area in 2019 from Toronto where she had enjoyed dancing as a regular activity.

“It’s the thing I look forward to most every week,” says McGhee, who is 69. “When the kids went to school I started to take tap and I never looked back.

“I feel like I’m 49, dance makes me feel so youthful.”

In addition to the exercise and the social aspect of the group, she credits tap with helping to keep her sharp, given that it requires the brain to also be active, memorizing the steps, putting them altogether and pairing it all to music.

She credits Baginski with helping making the dance accessible for everyone. When new people join, Baginski breaks down the steps which McGhee says helps the more experienced dancers finesse their own skills.

Baginski, who has a dance and teaching background, although it wasn’t specifically focused on tap, ended up taking the reigns, initially running it in Wasaga Beach. She now runs the dance group for all those who are interested at the Collingwood Leisure Time Club which is equipped with a floor more suited to their style of dance.

The tappers accommodate different levels. Tuesday group is more focused on basics which gradually leads to learning dances. There is a faster pace at the Wednesday group to meet the needs of the more experienced dancers. Although most attend both groups.

“It’s always a challenge. I aways say just keeping coming out,” she says, adding that encourages people to keep at it to develop their skills further.

Tap, she explains, is based on a series of basic steps that are put together. The difficult part is remembering how those steps are connected to form a dance.

Baginski has been dancing since she was a young child growing up in Woodstock, doing tap, jazz and ballet every week. In university she focused largely on jazz and modern dance and studied dance at York University, eventually ending up teaching in Alberta with her husband for five years.

She came to Collingwood in 1986 where she eventually found the tap dancers, which hadn’t been much of a focus for her prior to that.

“I just love it, it’s fun, it keeps me active,” she says, “social as well.”