One of the best ways for adults over the age of 55 to stay fit and connected within the community is through dance programs, including local square and line dance programs offered on a regular and affordable basis.
Square Dance
For novice dancers, one of the best places to start is square dancing, offered by the Town and Country Square Dance Association in Moose Jaw.
“It’s like walking to music. If you can tap your toe, then you can square dance,” explained Valerie Wright, the association’s caller since 2003. She said square dance is a better starting point for a novice dancer than other, more routine styles of dance or even freestyle.
To participate, dancers simply learn the basic moves and then follow the lead of the caller, who directs the movement on the dance floor. Participants are organized into groups of eight, and couples stand by for the caller’s next instruction. From there, it’s a matter of good listening skills.
Wright said the focus is on “social square dance,” meaning it’s about enjoyment rather than competing. There’s no competition to train for, and dancers looking to take it a step further can contact Wright for more advanced options.
“We’re not nose to the grindstone; we’re there to get a bit of exercise and enjoy the friendship of others, and that’s what is it is all about,” she said. “If we know the move, we know the move and if we don’t, we just do it again until we learn it.
“It’s all about community and the friendships that you make within that community,” Wright added.
One benefit of square dance classes is the opportunity for a romantic outing with the significant person in your life.
Wright has attended lessons with her husband for a decade now, and where many couples tend to focus on life’s day-to-day challenges, they found a way to spend quality time together. This was accentuated when their kids moved out and the couple realized how strongly they maintained a sense of connection.
Square dance also gets you moving, and Wright describes this as “discreet fitness.”
“If someone tells me to hit the floor and do 20 sit-ups and 10 push-ups… I might drag my tail across the lawn half an hour later. But if someone asks to dance with me, they hardly have to put the needle down and I’m up there to dance.” The key, she said, is to get started as early as you can.
If you’re interested in attending the next dance lesson or would like to ask a few questions, Marcia Wiman can be reached at 306-681-8648.
St. Mary School is located at 720 Fifth Avenue Southwest.
Line Dance
Alternatively, line dance classes are made available through the Cosmo Centre’s Line Dance Workshop.
Line dance is a choreographed dance where a group of people dance together in a repeating series of steps. During the dance, participants are arranged in lines that usually face the same direction and act in unison on the dance floor.
The ladies who instruct the classes are Vel Smith and Brenda Winter, with Cheryl Chow covering lessons during the winter months.
Classes at the Cosmo Centre are meant for an advanced-beginner level.
Beginners should start at either the Timothy Eaton’s Centre or South Lake, where Winter teaches beginner-level classes. Classes at the Timothy Eaton’s Centre are held at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays, and introductory classes are held on Wednesdays at 11 a.m. To contact the Moose Jaw and District Senior’s Association for more details, the number is 306-694-4223.
For details on classes at the Sun Valley Community Association, visit SouthLakeResort.ca.
For confident beginners, Smith and Winter host classes every Thursday morning from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. An intermediate-level class is also available between 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. on those days. The fee is $5.00, and this covers two-and-a-half hours with free parking available.
Winter said line dance is a great physical activity with many health benefits, from mental health to improving balance and coordination.
“It’s really good for memory because you’re counting all the time. Line dances will go from 32 up to 72 (steps) that you have to remember,” Smith explained.
These steps are usually recalled in groupings of eight moves, and it’s all about remembering the pattern.
For more information on dance classes, call or text Brenda Winter at 306-642-0015.
The Cosmo Seniors Centre is located at 235 Third Avenue Northeast.
