Summer fun for Level 3, the highest level in Rebecca’s Line Dance classes. Here are (right to left) Kay Lantow, Barb Nicholson, Pat Wellington, Janice Motley, Pat Benter, Denise Anthony, Melanie Murphy, Karen Brungardt, Cindy Ervin, Gerry Harding, Carol Chiarello and Instructor Rebecca Magdanz. Behind the lens is Mark Magdanz; Judy Hargadon and Raye Cobb traveling
Dr. Mark Magdanz
Classes started June 26 with a fun loving bunch of SaddleBrookers and Ranchers having a ball on various dance floors. The 2017 summer class series runs through September 7. Rebecca’s line dance classes and happy feet party sessions serve all skill levels from novice through high intermediate. Year round classes are always ongoing. You don’t have to be enrolled in every series as they stand alone. Each week three practices occur. One for each skill level – 55 to 60 minutes long.
Research says a longer happier life can be ours. How? Let’s describe steps you can take to achieve better quality golden years.
1. Vary rhythms within your exercise – Dance! Sway! Move to the beat! Latest research suggests that music with exercise is better. Studies show adding music improves outcome. If you desire better results – add music to your exercise — Why not Line Dance?
2. University of British Columbia research finds that regular exercise actually increases the size of your Hippocampus – the part of your brain that helps you learn and remember; therefore, memory and learning through dance in choreographed movements requiring memorization, concentration is a proven brain capacity builder. Dancing is very much like a new language for feet and brain.
3. Sleep – Your immune system finally relaxes, reloads and repairs during sleep. All kinds of important and wonderful processes take place so recharge your mental and physical batteries.
4. Balance/coordination – Step/movement skills are learned in classes and provide directional changes supporting inner ear function that improves balance.
5. Exercise – Doing a fun activity means you’ll do it more regularly. Dance gives mild to moderate cardio work out and increased strength to muscles and bones. And earlier in the day facilitates good sleep.
6. Socialization – In class people meet and make new friends. This is vital to mental health and happiness.
Line Dance is a form of Interval Training. Dancing is alternating periods of moderate intensity work with periods of low intensity recovery. The key to starting any training is to continue until it is a good habit. Push the intensity of the workout over the course of several weeks. Each dance series starts slower and builds intensity with your improving fitness.
Rebecca gives you the fundamentals of dance for lifetime dancing enjoyment. It allows you to get exercise, improve your balance and coordination and enjoy new friends. Classes in adult communities must be mindful of physical limitations so Rebecca takes pride in professionally modifying dance components to accommodate class and individual’s physical safety and comfort.
Her classes for fall 2017 are accepting reservations so now is the time to place your name on one of the class lists for September. Contact Rebecca Magdanz at [email protected] or phone 818-2656. Rebecca is a 13 year full-time SaddleBrooke resident teaching classes about 44 weeks per year. Rebecca has taught for almost 11 years to our senior residents in Robson communities.