The Willow Glen Resident

Photograph by Skye Dunlap

Boot-Scootin' Seniors: Students in Betty Shamus' line-dancing class at the Willows Senior Center practice their moves.

Line-dancing classes offer fun, fitness to local seniors

By John Pancharian

In the white-walled auditorium of the Willows Senior Center, 50 elders, some in fringed cowboy boots, shuffle and twirl to the strains of "Knock Three Times" by Tony Orlando and Dawn.

Twice a month, volunteer dance instructor Betty Shamus leads free line-dancing classes at the senior center. The classes not only bring smiles to the faces--and sweat to the brows--of local seniors, but also provide a fun and supportive social setting.

As "Knock Three Times" ends, the dancers clap and laugh, praising or gently ribbing each other.

"As you see, they're so energetic," Shamus says, "The average age is 75 to 80, and look at them go."

While Shamus says this, one of the dancers calls out to the group, "What time is it?"

"Fun time," comes the response in chorus.

Popular in country & western clubs across the country, line dancing grew out of traditional square and contra dancing. Participants form lines and dance in unison, using combinations of simple steps. The dancing began to catch on at senior centers in San Jose about 12 years ago, according to Flo Kamien, who preceded Shamus as the instructor at the Willow Glen center.

"I was the first line-dance instructor in San Jose for the senior centers," Kamien says. "I taught here at Willows, at Kirk and at South Side Senior Center." Kamien says she began as a ballroom dancing instructor, but often had trouble finding partners for all her students because of a dearth of male dancers. At Shamus' line dancing classes as well, only a handful of the participants are men--and they dance mostly in the back of the room.

"This is such a great activity because some of these ladies are widows, and you don't need a partner [for line dancing]," Shamus says. "Some have husbands, but they don't want to dance."

Shamus and other dancers unanimously agree that they like the social atmosphere of the line-dancing classes. Shamus readily admits some of the class veterans know the dances better than she does, but she enjoys having the community of old friends in the classes. She characterizes the classes as a support group of sorts for participants.

"There are people who are just sitting," Shamus says. "They're lonely, and they think they're all alone in the world. But you meet people here. It helps fill that void, which we all need."

"It's a chance to get out of the house and be with friends," dancer Lucille Macchiarella of Willow Glen says. "It took me a while to get started, but once you get started, you meet people here."

"I wouldn't be alive without it," says dancer Lisa Kirby. "Is that too dramatic?" she added, smiling. Kirby is an accomplished dancer, having trained in ballet, but says she prefers plain old boot-scooting. "Line dancing is a lot of fun," she says, "and ballet is hard work."

Not all work is a bad thing, however, according to Judy York, the senior center's assistant director.

"The line dancing is a good way to exercise and a fun way to work on fitness," she says, adding that line-dancing classes are popular in nearly all San Jose senior centers.

York says Shamus' beginning line-dancing classes usually draw 40 to 60 dancers.

Beginning classes are held from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of each month, with the first half-hour reserved for first-timers to learn basic steps. For those who want something more challenging, there are also advanced line-dancing classes, held Tuesdays from 1 to 3 p.m. with instructor Adele Van Sticklen.

Line-dancing classes are canceled until Aug. 25 while the Willows Senior Center is being painted. The center is located at 2175 Lincoln Ave. and offers a range of classes and activities, as well as a nutrition program for local seniors.

For more information, call 448-6400.

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