The dance of time

Bootscooting into their nineties - Nance and Cliff Mclaine. 172910_01 Picture: KATH GANNAWAY

By Kath Gannaway

Healesville nonagenarians Cliff and Nance Mclaine say dancing is keeping them on their toes.
Nance celebrated her 90th birthday on Monday, 11 September and Cliff turned 90 on 16 June last year.
The couple met when he was 18 and she 17 at a dance at Box Hill Town Hall and have been dancing ever since.
“It’s something we’ve enjoyed all our lives,” Nance said in the midst of a week of birthday celebrations with family and friends.
“It was ballroom dancing back then, and we still do ballroom, but 30 years ago we turned to line dancing and bootscooting,” Nance explained.
The couple are regulars at the Healesville Senior Citizens line-dancing every week, as well as enjoying the RSL Morning Melodies and a spot of bowling at the Healesville Bowling Club.
Cliff and Nance lived in Toolangi for most of their married life, raising their daughters Sheryl and Jennifer, and now live in Healesville.
They are looking forward to another big milestone next year, their 70th wedding anniversary on 17 July.