Lots of Dancing Opportunities
Some good social time! (Photo by Wanda Ross)
Diana Wille
SaddleBrooke Ballroom Dance Club (SBDC) is dedicated to bringing SaddleBrooke residents multiple social dancing opportunities and accommodating all levels of dancing ability. Here are some of the events you can attend.
Dinner Dance Parties: A Monthly Dinner Dance is available. Jan. 20, 2023, is our upcoming dinner dance. We will begin serving cocktails at 5 p.m., followed by a lovely two-course dinner at 5:30 p.m. and dancing from 6 until 9 p.m. in the glorious MountainView Ballroom. This event is open to all SaddleBrooke residents, but you must register two weeks before the event.
Open Dance Practices: We now have three different time slots that you can come to practice. Some have DJs, and at some you can bring your own music. We will also be booking three time slots for 2023.
* Tuesdays from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the SaddleBrooke One Vermillion Room
* Fridays from 3 to 5 p.m. in the SaddleBrooke One Vermillion Room
* Sundays from 3 to 5 p.m. in the SaddleBrooke TWO MountainView Ballroom
Novice Dance Parties: These are monthly dance parties for brand-new dancers or those who haven’t done it in quite a while. At the Novice Dance Party, basic steps are very quickly reviewed, and you learn to associate music with the appropriate dance. You take the floor to practice what you’ve learned, knowing there’s help a handwave away. It’s a stupendous way to get started.
How do you connect to these dances? Just go to our website sbballroomdance.com. Activities are on the calendar and also under the “Activities” and then “Events” tabs. On the site you can click to register for these dances. (We occasionally get canceled in our time slots, so it’s always a good idea to check that.) And please remember, SaddleBrooke Ballroom Dance Club is where the learning continues and the fun never ends.
Are You Ready to Dance?
A recent SBDC dance class (photo by Wanda Ross)
Diana Wille
According to a 25-year study, the No. 1 activity for seniors’ brain and body health is ballroom dancing. Yes, a fun activity is really good for us, too! Why? Because dancing has repetitive movements, requires you to think ahead, and creates a social environment. That’s three of the four top things to do to help remain mentally healthy. (By the way, the fourth thing is maintaining a Mediterranean diet.)
Have you ever watched people dance and felt a little intimidated or overwhelmed? Dance can look pretty difficult, and some dances really are complicated. But at its most basic level, a dance starts with simple movements in time to the music. So, if you have ever tapped your foot or clapped your hands to music that you’ve heard, you are ready to dance!
SaddleBrooke Ballroom Dance Club (SBDC) has a new program just for you, the brand-new dancer. Our Novice Program removes the intimidation you might feel. Only novice dancers are in the class, so everyone is at the same level. You will learn some basic steps so that at the end of the two classes you are able to get on the dance floor. And there is a monthly Novice Dance Party where you are with only novice dancers to just have a fun time on the dance floor and work on your steps.
Here’s the upcoming schedule for our Novice Classes and Dance Parties:
Dec. 13: Novice Class
Dec. 16: Novice Dance Party
Jan. 3, 2023: Novice Class
Jan. 17: Novice Class
Jan. 27: Novice Dance Party
Classes are at 4 p.m. at the Vermillion Room at SaddleBrooke One, and Novice Dance Parties are from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Vermillion Room. All SaddleBrooke residents are welcome, and the classes and parties are free. Just let us know you’re coming by email at [email protected].
Also coming in January is a Beginning Waltz class taught by Brian Hand and Sheila Honey on Mondays and Wednesdays, for the entire month, at the Mariposa Room at DesertView in SaddleBrooke TWO. Monday classes are from 6 to 7 p.m., and Wednesday classes are from 4 to 5 p.m. Waltz is a classic. Its turning, embracing couples, at first, shocked polite society. But it became the ballroom dance par excellence of the 19th century and tenaciously maintained its popularity in the 20th century. These monthly classes are free to SBDC members, but you are more than welcome to come to one class to make sure it’s a fit for you. Email [email protected] to register.
We know that dancing is a great way to keep our brains healthy, bodies active, social connections close, and to just plain have fun! Keep updated on dances by visiting our webpage sbballroomdance.com. Or better yet, join us. You would be a most-welcome new member. Remember, SaddleBrooke Ballroom Dance Club is where learning continues and the fun never ends.