Line dancers learn moves at Halcyon House

WASHINGTON — Twice a week, every week, a small crowd gathers in a corner room at Halcyon House to get some exercise.

They are not difficult to find during practice, as the sounds of Brooks & Dunn’s “Boot Scootin' Boogie” and Alan Jackson’s “Good Time” echo through the nearby Applewood Lounge.

"You’re getting a workout without realizing you’re getting a workout,“ Halcyon Wellness Coordinator Taylor Patton said. ”You’re improving your balance and coordination, you’re getting the cardio, getting your heart rate up, laughing, having a good time.“

The advantages go beyond physical exercise. The practiced choreography offers participants a cognitive workout as well, according to Patton.

“It’s also great for your brain memory,” she said. “It’s been proven to fight dementia and depression. You can feel that after one time dancing.”

That’s not to mention the social benefits. Many in the classes came for the sense of community.

Patton said that was one of the program’s top goals.

“It’s very important to be fit, but also so important for our overall wellness to have a group of people to socialize with,” she said. “You look forward to going to this line dancing class because you know that your friends are going to be there, and everyone in that class is friends. It helps people feel more welcome.”

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The dance routines are modular: certain steps can mix with others as dancers tailor their moves to the tempo of virtually any song. In other words, the activity is easy enough to pick up with some practice, and with a decent leader at the front of the room.

More physically demanding movements are modified for the senior-targeted class, according to Patton. That means removing spins, and sometimes replacing grapevines.

“It’s absolutely geared toward 55-plus,” Patton said. “If you’re worried because your balance isn’t great, I can suggest that you take a step to the left instead of bringing your foot over your other leg.”

The class is part of the community’s “Well Ahead” program, which is free for Halcyon House residents and available for a monthly membership fee to anyone else 55 or older living in Washington.

The result is a diverse array of experience among participants. Patton said she had plenty of first-time line dancers, shaking a leg alongside others who would offer their own advice, or suggest new songs and routines to learn.

More recently, practiced members of the group have taken a trip to Wildwood Saloon in Iowa City, to take their skills to a new venue, where they learned two new dances.

“We did those, and then we showed off all the dances we had learned in line dance class,” Patton said. “We’re hoping to go again soon.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com