The Dancing Waiters: A Golden Act
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A Golden City Days staple from 1972-1997
In 1972, a legend was born.
It was the lead-up to the 75th Anniversary of Rossland’s incorporation as a city, and a group of friends wanted to contribute to the festivities. They decided to open an old-style saloon, complete with live entertainment, that would harken back to Rossland’s early days as a Gold Rush town. They opened their saloon in the old Capitol Theatre on Washington St, called it “The Golden Nugget,” and hired a group of Can-Can dancers from Republic, Washington to complete the spectacle for Golden City Days.
What happened next? Maybe the dancers were held up at the border; maybe they were sick. This was nearly fifty years ago, and recollections vary. Everyone agrees that there were originally professional dancers scheduled; everyone agrees that they could not make it to Rossland in time for the show. Everyone agrees that the important part is what happened next!
The men who had planned this affair, including Jim Albo, Vince and Bill Profili, and Ron Holm, concluded that they must adhere to the first rule of show-business. The show must go on – so on they would go! The friends choreographed a dance routine, dressed in matching outfits, and began their show. They wore bowler hats and string ties along with aprons and vests, and they swished and flipped their aprons in place of the traditional Can-Can skirts. “The Dancing Waiters” were such a hit that they returned to the stage for Golden City Days the next year … and the next, and the next. After that initial, impromptu performance, the Waiters spruced up their choreography, added more dancers, and began dressing in brocaded vests. They performed for large crowds to wild applause.
For twenty-five years, the Dancing Waiters and the Golden Nugget Saloon continued to delight Rosslanders who celebrated Golden City Days. In 1974, the roof of the Capitol Theatre had collapsed due to an accumulation of snow, but the Saloon relocated to the Rossland Transportation Co-op building on Columbia Street, where they continued to perform each year until 1996. There was something in the act that appealed to all ages. Bill Profili recalls having to duck to avoid being hit by the pennies and dimes that one group of elderly ladies threw onto the stage as they clapped and cheered. On Sunday mornings, they switched gears and supplied hot dogs, drinks, and ice cream for the local children. On show nights, the Saloon would be packed with hundreds of spectators, cheering the dancers on. With all the money they raised, the Dancing Waiters were able to donate thousands of dollars to local charities, events, and good causes.
In 1997, the Co-op Building was no longer available for the Saloon. So that year, the Dancing Waiters performed their show at the Rossland Arena. Then they kicked up their heels one last time and retired.
Sources:
Interview with Bill and Vince Profili (RMDC collection), 2019
Rossland Telegraph interview with Jim Albo by Sara Golling, 2019
Rossland Telegraph article by Andrew Zwicker, 2010
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