When you hear the words “Line Dancing,” what do you think? A bar with country music blaring, drunk patrons, and a filthy floor? The Electric Slide?
That’s old news.
Marilene Sisco, a teacher at the Longmont Senior Center, leads the beginner line dance class at the Longmont Senior Center. “Walk forward, 2, 3, 4. Walk back, 2, 3, 4. Rock-ing-chair.” The class moves with her, some right in step, others following as best as they can. Like anything new, the more you do it, the easier it gets.
Line dancing is a way to dance solo, learning at your own pace, without stepping on another’s toes. It’s less intimidating than trying to couples swing dance.
Sisco, in her 70s, has boundless energy. She teaches two classes at the Senior Center each week, takes one and leads a performing line dance troupe, the Dancin’ Divas. She chooses music from many genres, from hip-hop to old rock to yes, country for her classes.
Sisco grew up in Oklahoma. She went to a church that didn’t permit dancing. After she moved to Colorado, she started going out with her husband.
When she was 50, she saw line dancing at a bar/dance hall in Denver for the first time. Moving to Longmont, she took classes at the Senior Center, taking the big step of getting outside her comfort zone.
She started going to line dance workshops, then joined the Rocky Mountain Dream Team and competed. They took home the Gold Medal at the 2012 Rocky Mountain Senior Games. When the teacher stopped leading and teaching, she stepped up and got certified to teach.
She hopes that her story inspires others who may not have tried it. People are usually better at it than they think they are, she said.
Sisco’s beginner class at the Senior Center attracts between 25 and 40 people. The continuing class is smaller and steps up the difficulty.
If it seems tough at first, she emphasized that it’s important to just keep coming. The class is inviting and helpful, and continuing participation ensures it gets easier, she said.
If you ask attendees why they come, they might, as Janet Beardsley said, “come for the exercise.” Others want to be able to jump on board if they go to a public dance hall. Still others have made friends there. Andy Koenig has been coming regularly for over a year. He loves it and jokes around with other students between dances.
The class is both physically aerobic and exercise for the mind, remembering the order of the steps in each dance. It’s a great way to keep the brain engaged.
Experts, like the CDC, say that exercise is important. A small study in Italy on line dancing and depression in 2021 showed improvement in depression symptoms and reduced stress. Better Health also lists the benefits of dancing, including stronger bones, better coordination, agility, flexibility, and improved balance.
“The more active a person is, the lower their self-reported depressive symptoms are,” according to the CDC.
Longmont is lucky to have a great Senior Center with plenty of activities to choose from. The important thing is to find something that gets you moving.
