ZenView: Celebrating the Good Old Days (Part 2)
Continuing from last month’s article: The first time Dania Hall was mentioned in the “Modesto Evening News” was in 1924 when the Danish Society dedicated the building to the city’s inhabitants. From that point on, Dania Hall was rented for meetings, theatre productions as well as music performances. Lo and behold, Dania Hall was even used as a skating rink in 1926. On the opening night the admission wasn’t only free, but ladies were given free skates as well! Hey!
Those were the good ole days. To sum it up, Dania Hall, located on 5th and I streets in downtown Modesto, was kind of a happening place with many different purposes. There was no shortage of good times to be had there.
I talked to a man from Danish descent who has fond memories of the Christmas Parties at Dania Hall. Coming in as a family you would enter the side of the building to enter “The Orchid’s” dining area, being greeted by the smell of the food; potatoes and gravy. After a scrumptious meal, the adults could get a high ball at the little bar which was in the corner of the restaurant. Everyone would then go upstairs to the main hall where there was a big Christmas tree in the middle of the room. The stage had a background on it, where the kids were singing, accompanied by a pianist in front of the stage. Later Santa Claus would come out and give all the kids presents. Tthe kids would dance around the tree singing Danish songs that they didn’t necessarily understand. It was great fun and an event that a kid looked forward to all year. In this same place, for the past 12 years this Danish man has been practicing his martial art at the T’ai Chi Ch’uan Academy of Modesto. People still have a good time at Dania Hall. It has become a place for exercise, health and rejuvenation, good energy, friendship and peace of mind.
Merry Christmas, Dania Hall! Come one, come all!
For more info go to taichi4modesto.com, or call (209)572-4518
