Cabaret's romantic history recalled

Wanaka woman Shirley Omer-Cooper (82, centre) pictured with fellow cabaret-goers Bill Riley (75), of Dunedin, and Erika Gordon (36), of Cardrona Valley, was one of the oldest people at last night's Cabaret on Ruby event on Ruby Island, Lake Wanaka. Photo by Lucy Ibbotson.

Mrs Omer-Cooper, of Wanaka, was the oldest person at last night's Cabaret on Ruby, a revival of the traditional cabaret dances that took place on the island in the 1920s and 1930s.

Her son and daughter-in-law gave her two tickets to the cabaret, held on the site where her parents had danced while honeymooning in Wanaka, after they were married in Invercargill in 1926.

''I always remember my mother telling me about dancing at Ruby Island,'' Mrs Omer-Cooper said.

''It must have been special to Mum.''

The tales relayed to her about what went on on the island match the memories of other former Ruby Island revellers, particularly those about smuggled liquor.

''I think that they got sort of warning signals if the police were coming [to the island] ... They weren't supposed to have alcohol ... over there.''

Mrs Omer-Cooper was initially a little unsure about attending the event: ''It's a bit old to be going to cabarets, don't you think?''.

However, she and friend June Hyde - who took the extra ticket - seemed to thoroughly enjoy the atmosphere around them from their deck chairs on the dance floor's perimeter, as they tapped their toes to the live ragtime and jazz music provided by the Roseneath Centennial Ragtime Band and Bella Kalolo.

Numbers for the event were limited to 200 people. They were ferried to and from the island on Lakeland Adventures' Dual Image boat.

In a nod to the original cabaret tearooms which operated at the site, the Matakitaki Diner sold food and drinks to the crowd, many of whom were dressed in era-appropriate attire which added to the sense of history revisited.

-lucy.ibbotson@odt.co.nz