The Victoria Edelweiss Dancers are a dance troop that practices traditional German and Austrian folk dancing, dances that originated centuries ago in the mountain villages throughout the Alps and surrounding regions. These traditional dances are typically handed down from dancer to dancer as a form of storytelling that celebrates the rich cultural history of Austria and Germany. This type of dancing is characterized by the men ‘foot-slapping’―clapping their hands alternately on thigh and shoe sole in a pattern while stomping vigorously―as the women twirl and spin. In one dance, known as the bench dance, these actions are performed on a bench. Said to be an imitation of the mating dance of the wood grouse, this dance is thought to be more than 1,000 years old. The well-known Maypole Dance, where dancers wrap and then unwrap ribbons from a pole, is also part of this tradition. The Victoria Edelweiss Dancers have been dancing in the Victoria area for over 50 years and are looking for members!