A Spring in their Steps

Seniors doing line dancing, with a spring in their steps

 

Osteoporosis, Rheumatism, Diabetes

Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, arthritis

Let’s keep these diseases at bay

By exercising every alternate day

     Ladies, are you 55 and just retired? Looking for an exercise to keep fit? Try line dancing. 

    All you need is music and some enthusiasm. Music is said to bring a smile to your lips and a spring to your steps. Line dancing will do more!

     Line dance is dancing with others in long lines to lively music. There is no special equipment. 

You can dance in a small area, indoors or outdoors, in rain or shine.

     It is suitable for people of all ages and of all shapes and sizes.  You do not need a partner like in 

ballroom or social dancing. The physical movements offer great cardiovascular workout and 

thinking through the steps stimulates the grey cells.  Line dancing is a total exercise for the mind and 

body.

Seniors from D' Joy  Studio doing line dancing for good health   Photo: Wynette

     In the 1960s, partners danced to the cha cha, waltz, rock-and-roll, rumba, fox-trot or the twist in private homes or clubs. Line dance however is danced usually with an instructor, not only in private homes, but in pubs, social clubs, senior citizens clubs, exercise fields and even in playgrounds by people, especially ladies, from all walks of life.  

     Here you do the cha cha, rumba, waltz, twist or even tango in specific sequential steps choreographed by creative instructors. Beginners will find it mind boggling at first but with time, you will get hooked and there is no turning back! 

     You learn a new set of vocabulary too. You rock forward and backward, as you step, stomp or shuffle. You do a weave or a vine with a hitch, a scuff or a hip bump. Learning new words can be loads of fun. 

      Some seniors have found line dancing beneficial. Lilian, 56, just retired, said, “I like dancing, but 

my husband has no interest at all. The other alternative is line dancing where I can dance solo. The 

three hours of dancing twice a week is enough exercise for me. I feel young at heart after a session!”
      Susan, 60, who loves dancing, has left ballroom dancing for line dancing. She said, “You need not depend on a partner. There is no fear of stepping on one another’s toes, no arguments on who is at fault for a wrong step, no need to synchronise steps with one another. I’m always cheerful and smiling after my line dance.” 
     Yvonne, 65, a retired teacher, has been inactive at home for many years while her children were abroad. Line dancing has given her a new interest in life.  “It is great fun. I love the country line dance with cowboy tempo and the various hand actions that go with it. I enjoy the music too because most of them are oldies,” she enthused.
     Vasantha, 55, finds it fulfilling. “I get a sense of satisfaction when I can master new steps. My 
stamina has improved and I find that I can sleep better now.  It is great for trimming the hips and 
tummy too. I have lost a few inches here,” she said as she pointed to her slim hips.

     Ai Lian, 62, a recent widow, was feeling depressed and lonely.  After joining line dancing, she is like a new person. “It’s an enjoyable exercise. I have made many new friends. Dancing harmoniously together is very uplifting. My joint pains have disappeared,” she said, her eyes sparkling with delight. 
     Recently, our senior citizens club in Klang started a line dance class. Karin, who teaches line dancing to Chinese-speaking groups in Klang and Shah Alam, remarked, “Line dance is very suitable for seniors. The leg and hand movements exercise the body and memorising the steps is 
good for the brain. It’s a great exercise for the nervous system and students are always in a happy disposition after the class.” 
      Age is no barrier to line dancing. Madam Wu, 80, the oldest member, is a picture of health. Energetic and sporting, she is on her feet for every dance. “I look forward to the class every week. I feel restless and listless on non-dancing days. After a line dancing class, I feel happy for the rest of the day,” she said. 

     Although younger folk can source the internet for new dance steps and participate in Line Dance Championships, seniors can enjoy it in different ways. Recently, Karin organised a social gathering for all her students to perform, to meet other dancers and to have a good time. The participants came in attractive attire: colourful costumes, designer denims or country gear with stylish scarves. 

     Each group participated in one or two dances. Points were given for total presentation. For many of us, participating in a competition was a new experience. Dancing in a new environment of unfamiliar faces was different from weekly lessons in the club. With butterflies in my stomach, I wonder whether I skipped a step or missed a beat. Nonetheless, it was a great way to build self-confidence and team spirit.

     There were happy cheers and encouraging applause after every item. It was a pleasant surprise when we bagged the first prize for one of our dances. “Old ginger is hotter (a Chinese saying),” announced the Master of Ceremony, as she congratulated our team of senior citizens.

 

"Hot old ginger" Seniors with their first prize
7th from left: Mdm Wu 

     Ladies, don your dancing shoes and tap your feet to the tunes.                                                        

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This article was published in the Star (Malaysian newspaper) on 22nd July 2002. Photos are added here.