Smiles all around at Level 2
Lynda Fraley
Watching Anne Romeo and her talented line dance leaders instruct a Level 2 Program of 20 dancers, one is struck by the dedication, collaboration, and organization that buttresses the group. Although, according to the club’s informative website, Level 2 dances are “more difficult,” “complex,” and involve “more tags and restarts” than Level 1 dances, the vibes on the dance floor are relaxed and companionable. Smiles and laughter accompany concentration in the movements of the dancers. Additional complexities of Level 2 classes include fewer walkthroughs than in Level 1 classes—just one per dance. Moreover, one new dance is introduced on average each month.
While all of this may sound daunting, as the Level 2 Program draws to a close each week, Romeo encourages dancers to stay for the Level 2 Workshop directly after. The Workshop “serves as a supportive teaching environment” to drill down on dances which have more challenging steps and rhythm patterns. The group of 10 participants who remained for the Workshop received individualized instruction, more walkthroughs, and help with unlocking difficult passages. At the end of the multi-hour Level 2 Program and Workshop, most dancers left the room relaxed and tired but appreciative of the experience and looking forward to next week’s efforts.
When Level 1 dancers become accomplished at the Level 1 dances, Romeo suggests that they “take a leap of faith” into a Level 2 Workshop where “dancers rely on themselves more” and classes focus on “sequencing and orientation” rather than on each specific step. For those dancers who take that advice, Romeo’s leadership of Level 2 will be welcomely familiar, since she previously sponsored the Novice and Novice+ classes for several years. Her dancers all remember her as an excellent teacher—patient, organized, and clear. With a smile, Romeo observes that it has been fun for her “to watch the progression of the dancers” over the years.
Before moving to SaddleBrooke in 2015, Romeo lived in Eastern Pennsylvania. Within the first year, she discovered Shirley Miller’s Novice line dance class and was bitten by the bug. With no previous dance experience, she found line dancing to be fun and challenging. By 2019, she had assumed sponsorship of both Novice and Novice+. Romeo’s other club responsibilities include the Dance Committee, backing up the webmaster and the Website Committee, leading Level 1 dances, and coaching the Leaders Clinic. Somehow, Romeo squeezes in time for pickleball, nine-hole golf, and the Art Guild where she is membership director.
If you are an adroit Level 1 dancer who has become too comfortable in that groove, why not “take a leap of faith” and join Anne’s Level 2 group? Like Romeo, do it because you love it! The Level 2 Program meets each Sunday from 12:30 to 2:15 p.m. in the Vermillion Room at SaddleBrooke One. A Level 2 Workshop follows immediately from 2:20 to 3 p.m. For more details, please visit the website at saddlebrookelinedance.club.