Happy dancers (photo by Judy Saks)
Judy Saks
SaddleBrooke Line Dance Club (SBLDC) members are certainly passionate about line dancing, and we do a lot of it right here in SaddleBrooke. But on Feb. 21 we did something a little different. Nine volunteer dancers went to perform for a group of residents at the Country Club of La Cholla Retirement Community. The date was right in the middle of Rodeo Week in Tucson, so the songs and dances definitely had a country-western theme. Lots of Western hats, boots, and bling could definitely be seen.
Our group was introduced by Carolina Anderson, the Life Enrichment Director at La Cholla. She gave a short and interesting history of the Tucson Rodeo, and then it was time to perform. We started out with a song and dance called “Codigo,” sung by country superstar George Strait. As we danced and smiled out to the crowd, I wondered what the reaction would be at the end of the song. The reaction was fantastic! Lots of wide smiles, thunderous applause, and many shouts of “Yee Haw!” I also saw some of the seated residents tapping their toes in time with the music. We continued with a dance called 2-Stepping Away to the song “Tulsa Time.” There were several more dances, which included the songs “Country as a Boy Can Be” and “Can’t Let Go.” After each and every dance, we got the same great reaction, which was very gratifying.
When the “SaddleBrookers” were finished, it was time for five members of La Cholla’s line dance group to perform. They were introduced by line dance leader/dancer Carmen and did two lively dances, which everyone enjoyed. It was then time for the two groups to get up and dance together. We started out with a lovely waltz and then danced to two classic line dances, Elvira and Electric Slide. What fun!
After the program, we got a chance to speak with some of the residents. Everyone was so warm, welcoming, and kind, making this a rewarding experience for all. A big thank you goes out to Dorothy Wood, chairperson of the SBLDC Music Committee, who made the connection with this wonderful retirement community, created our program, and “rounded up” the nine volunteer dancers.
Please check out our website sbldc.weebly.com. Got questions? Please email our vice president Jane Sims at [email protected]. Whether it’s inside SaddleBrooke or somewhere else, we love to line dance. Why not come join us?!