|
Keep
Active and Dance Fit for Life
You
can help the older generation in your local community...
a message to all ISTD Teachers
Everyday
the media is encouraging the population to eat healthily,
lose weight and keep fit. Dance teachers are so well
equipped to encourage young and old to leave their computer
screens and experience the joy of dance for fitness
and the social life it creates. Most teachers have large
children’s and adults’ classes in some form
of dance, which is brilliant. In this article the aim
is to make teachers aware of a large section of the
community who may not find it possible to attend existing
dance classes, but who would love to dance and have
fun; this group are the partner-less ‘Nifty Fifties
Plus’! For them Line Dancing is ideal, no special
clothes needed, just some suitable shoes and a sense
of humour are all that is required. Classes can be arranged
to accommodate pupils with disabilities such as loss
of sight or hearing, their Line Dancer friends are always
pleased to assist when necessary. Pupils frequently
get referred by their doctors to attend a reputable
Line Dance class to aid recovery from illness, a caring
teacher will adapt the steps/movements of dances to
enable a disabled dancer to enjoy their dancing safely.
American
Line Dancing burst upon the English Dance scene around
1995/6 and has since become a global phenomenon. Now
mostly referred to as Line Dancing, it has become a
world wide means of having fun, socialising , exercising
and dancing to a fantastic range of music encompassing
a variety of styles. In the early days, not all members
of the dance world looked upon this brash new arrival
very favourably. As a teacher of dance for well over
fifty years, I quickly recognised the value of this
latest craze, my only regret is that for forty years
of my career, Line Dancing did not exist. It is sad
that for all that time I could have taught so many people,
especially the older generation, who missed out on such
an enjoyable and healthy pastime.
Line
Dancing is popular with all age groups, whether dancing
socially, or with a deeper study of technique and style
for medallists and competitors. At present this dance
genre is sometimes referred to as Mainstream Line Dance,
which is the style most commonly used for general Line
Dance classes to distinguish it from New Line Dance,
which is performed with strong use of funky rhythmical
body ripples and Hip Hop actions, therefore very popular
with the younger generation and competitive dancers.
It is the choice of music and rhythm, plus the dance
steps and actions performed to traditional and modern
Country Music, Pop, Funk, Hip Hop, Latin, or even popular
classics, that dictate the suitability of the chosen
Line Dancing for the varying age groups and ability
levels.
Now
a firmly established dance genre, the choreography of
Line Dance in the past thirteen years has improved dramatically,
with much more attention being given to musical appreciation
and phrasing. Instructors are now recognising the need
to be qualified and to understand the needs of each
particular class with regard to safe dance practice
and the suitability of dances taught. ISTD qualified
teachers who have time, plus a studio or hall available
on a week day morning or afternoon, should consider
starting a class of Mainstream Line Dancing for the
older generation, for the following reasons:
Benefits
for the Teacher:
1. To use a hall or studio creating additional revenue
when other age groups would not normally be able to
attend dance classes.
2. This age group are a pleasure to teach and the class
(when established) would be a valuable community asset.
Being older, many Line Dancers would be grandparents,
they would become very loyal, encouraging their family
and friends to become pupils, supporting dance school
events, and learning other dance genres taught within
the dance school.
3. Selecting Line Dances and music for this age group
would not be a difficult undertaking. It is recommended
that you seek experienced advice on teaching Line Dance.
(For further Line or Country Western information see
end of article.)
Benefits
to Line Dancers from a well structured and carefully
taught Line Dance Class performed on a safe dance floor
surface:
a)
Health
1. Rhythmic movements danced with good musicality provide
an effective, pleasurable and strain free work out and
improve flexibility and muscular strength.
2. A Line Dance session provides sufficient aerobic
exercise, which helps to protect against heart attacks
and cardiovascular disease.
3. Dances for this age group are low impact, but with
sufficient weight bearing exercise to provide protection
against osteoporosis as bone density increases with
exercise.
4. The constant learning process and remembering the
dances helps to aid concentration and memory skills.
5. Exercise, having fun and being happy promotes good
health.
b)
Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Line Dancing is a very social activity for all ages
and both sexes, but by far the largest group of Line
Dancers are ladies, they are attracted mainly by the
fact that no partners are needed. This form of dance
has been a life saver to many people, who in the past,
may have danced with their partners, or even been a
dancer in their youth! Suddenly they are on their own,
many ladies in this situation have expressed their deep
appreciation of the friendship, understanding and fun
that Line Dance classes and events have provided when
they are experiencing very difficult times, and as a
bonus, a day time class is ideal for ladies to attend
on their own.
In
the past where could older people enjoy dancing by themselves?
Thankfully now there is Line Dancing for everyone, with
no partners needed, and to all kinds of music. There
are some Country Western Clubs where Country Music,
Stetsons, Western Boots and clothing prevail. Now though
at most Line Dance Classes casual clothes are worn,
and at many Line Dance Socials it’s great to ‘dress
to impress’ in stylish non-Western fashion. While
dancing and having fun, Line Dancers have raised thousands
of pounds for charity. Long may this valuable dancing
community family pastime be popular, which it will,
if we as teachers nurture it and appreciate the joy
it brings to so many.
The
ISTD quickly recognised the popularity of Line and Country
Western Dance and at the request of members, in May
1996 held the first Country Western Workshop in London,
followed each year by many successful workshops and
festivals. If you are interested in attending (in London)
a purely Line Dance Workshop for all levels and age
groups, or need advice on Line Dance, whether Mainstream
or New Line, or any subjects within the Country Western
Professional or Amateur Syllabus, (Syllabus obtainable
free from ISTD HQ), please contact the DFR Faculty Secretary,
Patsy Graham - 01494 513135 or dfr@btinternet.com who
will direct your enquiries.
Jean Cantell
back
to top
|
