Page 45 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 134

www.sportsenergynews.com Issue #134 March 2024 45

Dancing for fun and sport

By Casey Leger in contrast to freestyle dancing.
“While freestyle involves dancing
om Manley and his wife, and improvising alone in front of
TIsabelle turned a hobby into a your partner,” says Tom, “couple
passion. The couple teach the Latin dancing means that the couple is
dances Rumba, Mambo, Cha Cha, connected, and the partners dance
Bachata, and Samba; the rock-n- the same thing at the same time,
roll dance Triple Swing, and smooth with one person leading and one
dances like Waltz, Viennese Waltz, person following. There are dozens
Foxtrot, and American Tango. “We of styles of ballroom dancing, with
practice some more dance styles,” each style matching a particular
Tom says, “but do not know enough style of music.”
to teach them: Single Swing, Tom and Isabelle offer new lesson
International Foxtrot, Polka, Hustle, programs every season: in April,
and Two Step.” September, and January. They

Tom and Isabelle were already teach in Cornwall, Russell, and
stepping onto the dance floor a lot L’Orignal. Each program focuses on
as a young couple, dancing freestyle one dance style for 10 weeks with a
on weekends, looking for bands, time investment of 1 hour per week.
parties, and DJs. “But over time,” Over a period of 3 years, they will
Tom explains, “we found freestyle cover all ten styles that they teach,
dance limiting. It became somewhat and they take returning dancers to
repetitive and routine.” higher levels of proficiency with Photo Submitted
advanced courses. Tom also offers
Around the year 2000, the couple private lessons in their home in THE LOST VILLAGES Answer page
THEME: The Lost Villages • Answers
saw an advertisement for ballroom
Alexandria.
dancing lessons in Cornwall. They 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
signed up and fell in love with the As for the advantages of ballroom D A M S P O I N T

sport. While they still often dance dancing: “People,” says Tom, 10 P E 11 12 E R 13 14 15
T

U
W
D E
S
O U T
freestyle, ballroom dancing offers a “appreciate ballroom dancing as 16 17 18
whole universe of dancing options a light and entertaining physical E X P R O P R I A T E R A P
and expressions. Tom and Isabelle exercise and as a leisure opportunity 19 20 21
have been teaching ballroom dance for couples, instead of each partner 22 23 24 25 O A T 26 27 I S L A N D

28

for 10 years. going their separate ways. Ballroom B O A R D W A L K S O N T O
dancing, like any sport, develops 29 30 31
“Dancing,” says Tom, “is a T
strong motor skills and coordination C R U E L L E O D O S A S
learned sport, like any sport. It is and strengthens the senses of 32 33 34 35

not a matter of talent. Most people balance and spatial orientation. It O I L P A N S H R I M P
do not dance at parties because they 36 37 38 39 40 41 42
also develops memory and activates M S T N E Z O R C L O O
never learned how to dance. As parts of the brain that handle rhythm 43 44 45 46 47

teenagers, they leaned against the S Y D N E Y S K E A N S
and beat. Finally, ballroom dancing 48 49 50 51 52
wall while others danced. As adults, combines excellent social interaction M O V E S R O E I N N I E
they become shy and feel clumsy with movement and exercise. Many 53 54 55

on the dance floor. But that can be A N I L M O U L I N E T T E
health experts recommend ballroom
fixed with lessons. Anyone can dancing as a leading anti-aging 56 57 A 58 S
M E

L
S
U L

P
discover the joy of the dance floor
activity.” 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66
with lessons.” L I L M I L L E R O C H E S
Anyone interested in ballroom 67 68 69
According to Tom, the terms E T E E L V E R N O R T H
dancing can visit www.
ballroom and Latin dancing are 70 71
ballroomforfun.ca to learn more
umbrella terms that cover all the about programs, fees, and dance W A L E S L E V Y
styles of social or couple dancing, Puzzle by Douglas Taillon Crossword on page 43
styles.