Put on your dancing shoes
Shall we dance?
If you go to any of the area’s senior activity centers, you’ll hear the question a lot. That’s because they all offer regular dances, open to the public.
Whether it’s ballroom or country, polka or waltzes, live bands encourage foot-tapping and hip-swaying. Beth Alcorn, director of Southside Senior Activity Center, said her facility holds a dance each Thursday. But they’re not alone.
“A lot of our folks dance somewhere every day of the week,” she said. Indeed, with senior centers scattered throughout the region, people who love to dance can always find a place.
Margaret Cadwallader, co-chairperson of dances at Spokane Valley Senior Center, said dancing has many appealing facets. First, she said, “It’s a wonderful way to exercise.” As an example, she described a recent medical problem in her own life. “My right leg went out on me, but at the conclusion of the examination, the doctor said I need to keep dancing. Dancing keeps me moving.”
Citing other anecdotal evidence, she’s convinced such activity encourages good health and flexibility among seniors. She said, “You may be surprised to see a lot of people walking with a bit of shuffle, but they’re still dancing!”
She also believes dancing can be an avenue for friendship. “Dancing is just a great opening for getting to know new people.”
Jerry Unruh, executive director of Hillyard Senior Center, agrees. “It’s a good opportunity to meet people and make new friends,” he said.
A related benefit, according to Cadwallader, is a feeling of community. “When you retire,” she noted, “you sometimes lose your connection with other people. You wonder, ‘Now what?’ ” But, she added, “When you come to the dances, you have a way to stay connected.”
Like the dancers themselves, many of the musicians who accompany them are well-known among senior adults. The bands play in numerous venues, including senior centers, retirement centers and clubs. One of the bands at the Southside Center is Uncle Harold’s. This lively group features vocals, drums, piano, trumpet and sax. Other bands offer a variety of distinctive sounds as well, such as strings and accordions.
But as the years pass, musicians face many of the same health problems that plague the dancers.
“The leader of our regular band – Nichol’s – suffered a stroke a while ago,” recalled Cadwallader. Still, declining health didn’t stop the Valley Center’s weekly dances. “We had CDs of Nichol’s for a while. Then I went around auditioning other groups.” She secured the services of Somethin’ Special from North Star Senior Center, and Valley Keynotes from Post Falls. Fortunately, the Nichol’s group has restarted, and now Cadwallader’s center rotates the three.
While many senior adults enjoy dancing, others may never have tried it.
“You don’t need to know how,” said Alcorn at the Southside Center. “Just come, and the members will be glad to teach you.”
At all centers, the dress code is usually casual. Sometimes, a themed dance suggests a certain style of clothing. But no matter what the dancers wear, one item is a must: “Be sure to have comfortable dance shoes,” cautioned Unruh.
Even persons without partners are encouraged to attend. “Sure, take a chance and come alone,” said Cadwallader. At each dance, she and her husband “go around and see all the new people and ask them to participate.” They encourage frequent switching of dance partners, so that everyone will be included.
Scott Niemeier, director of Sinto Senior Activity Center, said there’s no membership requirement for dancers. “Everyone’s welcome. Even though most participants are senior adults, we don’t really have an age limit,” he said. “We’ve even had people who’ve taken dance lessons in town and come here to practice during our dances.” No matter what your reason for coming, he said, “You’ll find a friendly place.”
Laura Schlangen, volunteer at Corbin Senior Activity Center, echoed that sentiment. “Try it! Come and you’ll be hooked,” she said.