By Carol Thompson

USA Dance, the national non-profit organization dedicated to promoting social dancing across America, holds two free dance lesson days per year. This is your chance to learn from professional dance instructors absolutely free! Since it is all day, either bring your lunch or a small lunch and drink is available for $5.

April 28 is your chance to have a spring fling with your significant other if you have one, but singles are welcome, and who knows? You may dance your way into someone’s heart as instructors do ask you to rotate during the lesson! Lessons are held at Immanuel Lutheran Church gymnasium, 828 E. Pikes Peak Ave. It’s at the corner of Pikes Peak and Institute, parking available behind the church. No need to dress up, this is learning day, so dress comfortably, wear comfy leather soled shoes (to protect the wooden floor.)

At 9:00, the basics of social dancing and Waltz will be taught by Kathy Krumland and Tait Cyrus. East Coast Swing begins at 10:00 with Naomi Skee instructing. Morning lessons conclude with the love dance, Rumba, taught (appropriately!) by Richard and Debbie Love, husband and wife.

After lunch, a firecracker Salsa taught by LaTisha Hardy will rouse you from post lunch stupor at 1:00, followed by a tricky West Coast Swing by John Sinnot and Jennifer Shirokov.  Sinnot and Shirokov will close the afternoon session with a Nite Club two-step, a relaxing but pretty dance.

Happily, many of these instructors are new, and are attracting younger dancers which is part of USA Dance’s mission. In many large cities across America, you can find a USA Dance studio, and where to go to find good dancers. Since this non-profit is also non-smoking, non-alcoholic, it attracts a lot of folks interested in healthy living. Recently one of our local couples traveled to Illinois, and asked the concierge of their hotel where to go dance. If you search http://www.USADance.org and find the closest city, you will find others like yourself.

Dance offers some of the best anti-aging benefits of all exercise programs. It not only strengthens heart and mind, it makes ou more flexible, reduces pain, increases lung capacity, treats depression without medication and even Parkinson’s Disease has improved. There are now some workshops around the world specifically for this disease treatment. You become happier as you socialize with other dancers.

After you complete your lesson day (you can video lessons or take notes also), you can practice at home and attend the next dance, scheduled for May 5^th. There is also a free dance lesson at 6:00, Rumba refresher, followed by social dancing from 7-10 p.m. The $10 fee for members ($15 non-members) includes the lesson, a huge buffet: shrimp cocktail, meatballs, veggies and dips, fruit galore and dessert as well as non-alcoholic drinks. This is the time to dress a little bit fancy and put on our dancing shoes. Dance is also held at Immanuel Lutheran School Gymnasium, only it will look more like a fancy club. Have fun and see you there.

Info: www.PPUSADance.org or call Kathy: 337-8294. Hope to see you on the dance floor!