Bonnie Schoenfelder
Since line dancing is so much fun, you really don’t need another reason to do it, but line dancing has some long-term health benefits that are worth noting. The New England Journal of Medicine studied the effects of different recreational activities on mental acuity. People who play the hardest gain the most. The physical activity that wins the prize is dancing. Dancers have a 76% risk reduction for dementia (New England Journal of Medicine, 6/19/03). Dancing integrates several brain processes at once, building new connections. When you dance you are using musical, emotional, cognitive, and kinesthetic processes simultaneously. When it comes to building and sustaining brain power, the best activities are those that require split second decision processes and those activities that are new and fresh. Unlike working on your golf swing, dancing requires new sequences which are constantly changing. For you fitness band aficionados, you will get up to 1.5 miles of steps in a session. Not only that, but it is just plain fun. So, keep yourself sharp! Start dancing.
Move To The Music: an easy line dance approach to exercise is a fitness offering at the SaddleBrooke One fitness center. There are eight sessions of two hours. Cost is $45 for the series offered on Tuesdays, Jan. 14 through March 10 in the SaddleBrooke One Aerobics Room from 4:15 to 5:45 p.m. Soft soled athletic shoes required. Class size is limited to 15.
Basic line dance moves will be used to produce a moderate exercise routine. All of the routines taught will easily transfer to other line dance venues or learned quickly enough to enable dancing at typical SaddleBrooke social events. The first hour features novice dances, the second hour features beginner/improver dances.
The class will be taught by Bonnie Schoenfelder, an eight-year member of SaddleBrooke Line Dance Club and Instructor in Line Dance for Bloomington, Minnesota Parks and Recreation Department. For questions or to reserve your place call or text 952-897-0291 or email [email protected].