A local icon known as Dancing Bob just celebrated his 65th birthday on Feb. 13, and to celebrate, a few of his closest friends held a celebratory dinner at Déjà vu Café in Moose Jaw.
The story of Dancing Bob is unknown to some, even as his contagious positivity inspires many.
Bob Pearce inherited the Regina-based Capital Electric Motor Repair business from his father, but as of this September, the shop will have been temporarily closed for three whole years.
The reason for its closure is so Pearce can continue his mission of spreading positivity to those who need it most. The business, he previously stated, will remain closed “until the COVID-19 lies are exposed and vaccine passports and masking restrictions are abolished.”
Beyond the pandemic years – which are now about four years on – Pearce said he continues to witness a social division that remains ever since the lockdown. His concern involves what he describes as a lack of freedom to hold your own opinions and to express yourself without the fear of a negative backlash.
“I was dancing for freedom from fear,” and “for the freedom of expression,” he said at Déjà vu Café.
Expressing positivity can become an addictive feeling. “I can never get a higher high than the high I get from dancing,” he stated earlier.
Pearce has lived a hard life, but back in early 2016 he could never guess where an upcoming series of events would take him.
In 2016, his wife of 34 years divorced him and left him alone without a place to stay.
“Since then, I’ve been on an emotional roller-coaster,” he admitted.
Oct. 12, 2017, was a significant day in Pearce’s life. On that day he suffered a heart attack, but his trauma was by no means over. Four days later, his mother Irene Pearce died on Oct. 16, followed by the death of his mother’s sister on Oct. 19.
“Robert William Pearce died on the table that day on Oct. 12, 2017,” he said. “Dancing Bob was born that day.”
Following this sudden turn, Dancing Bob woke up early on Oct. 20 and walked for 20 kilometres.
Dancing Bob is free-spirited and he’s all about mutual respect, Pearce said. His continued inspiration to dance comes through the memory of his late mother, who he said taught him to dance while listening to music in the womb.
Following this transformative period, Pearce would be forever changed by the pandemic years.
Pearce volunteered at a Regina-based veteran’s project through the Wascana Rehabilitation Centre prior to the lockdown. Funding for the program’s arts and crafts group ran out at the end of March 2020, which was just two weeks after the onset of COVID-19 restrictions.
The resulting social isolation hit these veterans hard, and Pearce pointed out that, today, only four of the original 12 he’d visit are still alive.
“To a large degree, people died of loneliness,” he said. “It’s very, very sad that that happened.”
With his shop now temporarily closed and his life forever changed, all Pearce could think to do was dance. He wanted to start the next chapter of his life by creating as much positive energy as possible.
It was here, dancing alone in Wascana Park during a pandemic-era blizzard that Dancing Bob was first discovered.
Pearce is one of those rare people who never smoked, drank coffee, or used spirits or cannabis. He also refrains from refined sugar and is all about promoting a healthy lifestyle. He’s willing to speak to anyone, granted they’re willing to show him respect in return.
When it comes to trauma, Pearce is sadly no stranger. “If you don’t forgive the past, you will project it onto the person you love the most,” he warned.
To face his own trauma, Pearce relies on the contagious nature of his positivity.
“Even if you have tsunami waves sent at you, you’re going to float,” he said with confidence.
Pearce plans to keep dancing wherever he can – Wascana Park, Albert Street in Regina, and even the basement of his business – not to mention the odd visit to Moose Jaw, where he can typically be seen at the corner of Main Street North and Thatcher Drive.
His mission is to keep dancing until he feels the community has been re-united following the lingering upset from the pandemic years.
You won’t find Pearce sharing his message on any social media platforms, however. This is because he describes social media as leading you “down rabbit holes,” and he prefers to talk face-to-face.
You will, of course, continue to see him dancing on the street corners, busy intersections, and even throughout the odd blizzard as he continues to share his positive energy with the world.
