Dancing to the Phantom of the Opera in the Square

Dancing to the Phantom of the Opera in the Don Mills Square, Toronto

We are home finally! After almost a month visiting different cities in Europe in August, my husband and I were ready to come home. We thank God that we have had such a wonderful trip and we are home safely!

Of all the experiences we have had in Europe, the one that I remembered most was those beautiful town and city squares where people could simply hang out, meet and chat with their friends or just sit and watch the passersby. Because of the cold weather in Canada, Canadians typically spend at least six to eight months or more cooping up indoors depending on where they live. Consequently, we have many huge indoor shopping malls but not too many outdoor gathering places like the European town squares. How  we wish we had something like that in Canada.





People dancing under the stars in the town square



Yes! We finally have a beautiful neighborhood outdoor space where residents can sit, enjoy a nice meal, sip a cup of coffee while watching kids play, ride their bikes, play balls and chase each other.

 Not only can we do that all that, recently, we discovered this newly developed outdoor plaza even offer free dancing lessons two nights a weeks to anyone who wanted to dance and have fun.

So for a few weeks in September, my husband and I rushed down to the Shops at Don Mills Town Square, located on the corner of Lawrence Ave and Don Mills Road,  as soon as he swallowed his dinner minutes after coming back from work.  Together with a few other people, we learned the steps of cha cha, tango, sala and line dancing from our dance instructors, Janie and Dexter, who worked hard at putting some great music and dances for us.





Some of the dance participants in the Don Mills Square


Who would think of dancing tango to the music of Phantom of the Opera?  We did and we loved it!!! I always thought that tango was a very complicated dance so I never even bothered trying to learn it. Janie and Dexter managed to create a simplified version of the tango dance to this very favourite piece music of mine.









Janie & Dexter - Dance Instructors in the Square

 

It was fabulous to be able to listen to beautiful music, move our bodies fluidly and enjoy the crisp breezy fall air in a clean open space. This town square is away from main street traffic, surrounded by elegant shops, family friendly but not too crowded.

The best part of it was we had two professional dance instructors who came to the square and taught us how to dance rain or shine regardless of the weather since May this year. 

      

Making new friends & socializing after the dance



 
Unfortunately, we learned about it too late and I just joined when I came back from Europe at the beginning of September.

Besides the free dance lessons the square also offered free yoga classes from May to the end of September and other seasonal activities in the winter.

It is time that the inhabitants of Toronto have a town square not just in downtown Toronto, but in the suburbs as well. Don Mills was the first planned suburb in Canada, so it is fitting that we also have the first suburb town square!

R.T.,Don Mills, Toronto

Sept. 2012