Dancing Is Not Only Fun...But Healthy Too!

From examiner.com:

By Debbie Gisonni

I thought I would honor National Dance Day with a reminder that dancing is not only loads of fun, but extremely healthy. Did you know you can burn as many calories dancing as you can swimming, running or riding a bike? Depending on the dance and the intensity—200 to 600 calories per hour.

Dancing improves flexibility, strength, balance, endurance and coordination. It reduces stress, heart disease, blood pressure and weight. Because it’s often a social activity, it helps elevate your mood. It’s also one of the few exercises you can do that is both weight bearing and aerobic. Just watch a few episodes of “Dancing with the Stars”, and you’ll see how difficult and exhausting dancing really is. The pros make it look so easy, but dancing uses muscles you never knew you had.

You don’t need to rush out and sign up for ballroom dance classes—especially if that’s not your thing. You know what kind of music and moves you like. It doesn’t matter what style dancing you prefer—ballroom, jazz, tap, salsa, belly dancing, hip hop, disco, square dancing or just dancing around your house alone (which I often do to change up my work-out)—any dancing will be fun and healthy. Just turn on the music and start moving to the beat!

Why I Dance, A Poem

Why I Dance

By Mary Kealey, a student at the Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Westerville,Ohio

There once was a lady from Chase
Who decided she had too much waist.
Her cruise was in June
Which seemed way too soon.
She certainly had to make haste!

The exercise program she had really wasn’t so bad.
She just needed more to turn heads galore
So started to look just a tad.

She came upon Fred Astaire
And decided she would look there.
So lessons she started,
Went at it whole hearted
And soon started moving with flair.

The activity lessens her stress
Which she will loudly profess.
Her steps she does learn
With every little turn
Amy, happy with her good progress.

Her goals now appear within reach
Both weight loss and knowledge increase
Her program
Improves
She’s learning new moves
She hasn’t been that bad to teach.

So the moral of this little ditty
Is even in this mid-west city
You too can have fun
I recommend this one
Do I get points for being witty?

Dance Like The Stars In Texas

From The Tribune:

A few years ago the country surrendered to dance fever and that fever is still raging.

“Dancing with the Stars,” “Superstars of Dance” and “So You Think You Can Dance,” have certainly kept dancing in the spotlight.

To dance like the stars, expect the old adage “you get what you pay for” to apply. There are a few local cowboy bars where couples can do country western dancing, but where does one go to learn to “dance like the stars?”
Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Kingwood, owned by Pahjmon and Cynthia Lipsey, has been providing instruction in different styles of ballroom dancing since 2005 and recently relocated to the Heritage Center in Town Center.

According to Pahjmon Lipsey, his is the only full-floor studio for adults in the area. He said they currently have a special introductory offer, which lets the students determine whether this is something they would want to continue with private or group lessons, or both.

“We are a ‘dance school’ and we work with our students to create a program for them based on what they want to learn and their beginning level of dance. Our students range in age from 4 to 5, to 80 to 90,” said Lipsey. “Not only is ballroom dancing a great way to exercise, it’s also a way to work your brain and body at the same time. You will get a cardio workout and learn the actual dance in the correct way – not just as aerobic exercise.”
The studio offers ballroom styles including Latin dance, swing, disco, club style, American style, international style and country western. All classes are available in private or group lessons with dance practice and socializing encouraged, much like a dance country club.

Lone Star College- Kingwood also offers group dance classes at Fred Astaire Dance Studios for college credit.

Dance fever is also bleeding over to the business world. Professional dance instructors from the Fred Astaire Studio recently performed at a Realtor event in the custom section of Fall Creek – Serrano Creek.

“We featured two homes and had salsa and waltz champion dancers,” said Fall Creek Custom Sales Manager Janie Morris.

Fall Creek marketing director Meredith Weber said, “With the amazing popularity of ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ dance seems to have taken America by storm. Following that trend, we thought it would be fun to literally bring dance home, and show how versatile dance can be while also showcasing our beautiful custom designs. With the lessons we’re offering in our open houses, you’ll be ready to be the life of the party with a sizzling salsa.”
Many health and fitness centers offer dance in the form of exercise, for example line dancing and Zumba, which is aerobics with Latin music.
Some couples, like Jeff and Brenda Sherwood of Kingwood, have made dancing their hobby.

“We started two years ago at Club Ballroom in Kingwood, which is closed now. The kids were all grown, we were empty nesters, and dance classes were something we had wanted to do for a long time but had never gotten around to. Sound familiar?” said Jeff Sherwood. “We have also taken dance lessons at Stetson’s, the country/western Dance Place in Humble and private salsa lessons.”

The Sherwoods also enjoy going into Houston for contra dancing.
“It is the type of dancing that the English settlers brought over in the 1700s, so it has historical value, too. They always have a live band, and it is less than $10 per person,” Sherwood said.

The Lake Houston Family YMCA offers line dancing to active older adults and Zumba. Marketing director Carol Sutton said, “We anticipate starting ballroom dancing in the spring so watch for more details in the near future.”

Aspiring dance partners may want to check out the Humble Community Center for square dance lessons and May Community Center in Huffman for beginning and advanced line dancing.

Photo: Fred Astaire Dance Studio located in Kingwood Town Center offers instruction in all styles of ballroom dancing and recently relocated to the old Heritage Center. Professional dance instructors are, Lyudmyla Tychuk, from left, Ruslan Sherman, Jessica Nail, Vladimir Khan and Cheryl Humphreys. Photo by Trilla Cook

Dancing Off Calories

How many calories will you burn while dancing? That depends on the type of dancing. Here's a range of some of the most popular varieties, based on a 150-pound person, per hour:

Swing dancing: 235 calories/hour
Ballroom dancing: 265
Square dancing: 280
Ballet: 300
Belly dancing: 380
Salsa dancing: 420+
Aerobic dancing: 540+

Professional Women's Forum gets in a night of fancy footwork

From the Winston-Salem Journal:

By Leigh Somerville McMillan
Published: January 27, 2009

Picture a handful of men in a room filled with 60 women eager to dance. To some, it might look like a nightmare, but if one of those men teaches dance lessons, it's a dream come true.

Michael Krawiec, an instructor at the Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Clemmons, was the dance instructor Thursday night as the Professional Women's Forum held its 14th annual Ladies Night Out at the Piedmont Club.

The night started off with a champagne reception and dinner in the Cardinal Room, providing the members of the group, the club and their guests with plenty of networking opportunities.

Catherine Itterman, the owner of Chi's, a women's clothing boutique on Robinhood Road, was a walking advertisement in an elegant silver metallic coiled choker that accessorized her starched white shirt and black pants. She and her guest Kim Wagner, a seamstress who does alterations for Chi's, hit it off with another professional in the style industry, Janine Shuman.
Mrs. Shuman and her husband, Adam, are in town from Florida for a prolonged consulting stint at SilkRoad Salon. On Thursday night, they offered free consultations along with stylists Erin Blakley, Sarah Sneed, Kelsie Gentle, Megan LaFever, Christopher Surratt, Kimberly Durhan, Amanda Banks and Donna Moore. Paul Weddle, the salon manager, also attended the party.

Pat Schreiber, the owner of Custom Professional Training Services in Kernersville, said she has been a member of the Piedmont Club for about eight years and has enjoyed Ladies Night Out for at least five of those years. "It's lots of fun," she said. "You meet wonderful women and businesspeople you wouldn't otherwise meet."

When I sat down next to Glenda Walters, I overheard her talking to her friend Becky Brown about PWF member Judy McAllister, a consultant for Doncaster.

Sharing the table with Walters and Brown was Melanie Gilliam, who shared a dream she had the night after the inauguration. "I dreamed it was me instead of Michelle dancing with Obama at the ball," she laughed. Later in the night, Gilliam got some free dance lessons so she will be ready if the opportunity ever arises.

Ladies Night Out also featured some serious conversation. I overheard Becky Jenkins, a BB&T employee who lives in Mocksville, sharing the good news that the bank had posted a profit. She was joined at the club by her guests Diane Lackey, Sheryl McDonald and Tina Underwood.

Jenkins said she belongs to several professional banking organizations but that PWF "provides a wider perspective" of other businesses and their concerns.

Mary McClure, Sharon Johe and Martha Claire Henzler looked like they were having a wonderful time as they enjoyed a spectacular view of the city lights from their table.

After dinner, Judy Sutherin, the membership director at the club, welcomed the crowd and introduced the dancers from Fred Astaire and the Shumans. Mrs. Shuman said that Winston-Salem has been "very warm and welcoming" since they arrived.

"We deliberately tried not to stuff you," Sutherin joked about the meal, but it's a wonder anybody could dance at all after the feast of basil chicken with wild rice and mixed vegetables, hot rolls and Key-lime pie.

As door prizes, five pairs of tickets to tonight's Dancing with the Stars at the Greensboro Coliseum were won by Priscilla Green, Becky Brown, Joylyn Budkey, Dee Sprinkle and Joyce Kearse. Johe won a $100 gift certificate from Chi's. Melanie Gilliam won dinner for two at the club.

Finally, the moment everybody had been waiting for. C.J. Joseph, the president of PWF, enticed everyone up on the dance floor with her own personal testimony.

"I always wanted to dance as a young woman but never thought I was any good," she said. "Then in late August, a friend invited me to take lessons at Fred Astaire. I went, and I've been hooked ever since."

Joseph said that as a result of her dancing, she has lost an entire dress size, her blood pressure dropped, and she has reduced her stress level. She had one piece of advice. "The only way to be good is not to think," she said. "You've got to learn to follow."

Now, for businesswomen who have built their success on their leadership skills, that may not have been welcome news.

But they were willing to try and Joseph's mother, Betty Lou Joseph, said she thought that everybody did a good job. And she should know. She said she taught dance lessons right after high school and eventually managed the studio. In fact, C.J. got a surprise when her mother mentioned that she met her husband in a dance class.

The dance that Krawiec and studio manager Jennifer Clark demonstrated to get the crowd in the mood was a dramatic tango. And then it was time for the group lesson, and instructors Vikki Haynes and Kimberly Angell shared the male part with Krawiec.

Clark's first tip of the night did a little to help balance out the "follow, don't lead" routine.

"Ladies, always start on the right foot," she said. "And how do you remember that?"

It didn't take long for the room to erupt with the answer: "Ladies are always right!"

Dance Studio Students Practicing Steps Long Before Dancing With The Stars

From Lancaster Eagle-Gazette.com:

"Dancing with the Stars" might have brought ballroom dancing into the limelight, but some of the residents of Fairfield County have been cuttin' a rug for some time now.

The Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Canal Winchester has been providing instruction in different styles of ballroom dancing since opening its doors in 1999.

Jayme Coakley is the manager of the studio and has been a ballroom dance instructor for the past 12 years.

Ballroom dancing is for everyone, Coakley said.

"Most people have some sort of rhythm most of the time," Coakley said. "The rhythm is normally in there somewhere, if we can build someone's confidence we can usually find it."

The dance studio offers ballroom dance styles including Mambo, Waltz, Fox Trot, the Cha Cha and Swing.

Not only is ballroom dancing a great way to build up someone's social skills, but it's also a great form of exercise, according to Coakley's students.
Brenda Hehn, who is a competitive ballroom dancer and a student at the dance studio, said she always gets a great workout when attending her class.

"It's an enjoyable way to exercise. People don't realize how much work ballroom dancing actually is."

Simple but intense workouts hot for 2009

From yourwestvalley.com:

By MEGAN K. SCOTT
The Associated Press

Out: Pricey club memberships. In: DVDs. Out: Hour-long workouts. In: Half-hour. Out: Boring routines. In: The Wii.
2009 is all about budget-friendly, time-efficient and fun workouts, according to fitness experts. Here are their predictions for how we'll be getting in shape in the new year.

THE TREND: Small dance studios
From Tamilee Webb, known for "Buns & Abs of Steel"
Webb predicts group fitness classes will move out of mega health clubs and back into smaller studios, as in the '80s when aerobic dance took off."In the olden days, it was an exercise group studio, you'd run in, know most of the women, and run out," says Webb, who teaches at a big health club. "In a big club environment, it is a different energy and vibration."She said many of her students ignore the club's other amenities and would prefer something smaller, simpler and cheaper.So while most of the smaller studios are for yoga and Pilates, she sees more classes in aerobic dance, toning and even circuit training being offered in similar places.

THE TREND: Fitness boot camp
From the American Council of Exercise Top Fitness Trends for 2009.
This military-style workout doesn't seem to be going away. This is the third time boot camp has been on the ACE's Top Fitness Trends List, according to chief science officer Cedric Bryant.Boot camps offer a "change of pace from the traditional workout experience," said Bryant. He said the workouts, which incorporate moves like lunges, push-ups and squats, also challenge people in a way that's empowering.But results also have a lot to do with it. Boot camps are time-efficient and effective, he said. And of course, he adds, some credit goes to the marketing. There are fitness boot camps for prom, high school reunions, weddings and singles.

THE TREND: Ballroom dancing
From Jeanette Jenkins, "Jeanette Jenkins Hollywood Trainer - Sexy Arms, Abs & Legs" DVD
Thanks to "Dancing with the Stars," there's going to be more interest in ballroom dancing, says Jenkins. In the past, people were more apt to find hip-hop and Brazilian dance in their fitness centers, she said."The show made it very cool to ballroom dance," she said. "You're going to start seeing ballroom dancing where you've never seen it before."Jenkins said Brooke Burke's seventh season win is an inspiration to women. She sees more mothers signing up for classes. Burke has four children, no background training in dance and an "unbelievable, beautiful body," she said.

THE TREND: Fun and games
From Carole Carson, author of "From Fat to Fit""
Exergaming," such as the Wii and Dance Dance Revolution will bring fun and appealing exercise activities back into the home, says Carson.There will also be a return to the popular exercises of childhood, such as trampolining and Hula-Hooping, she says."We're making it fun again," says Carson. "You can have a lot of fun getting fit."Look for more health clubs to purchase Expresso Bikes, stationary bikes with interactive software that simulates the experience of biking outdoors.

THE TREND: Working out at home
From Ingrid Von Burg: "Yoga for Familes" and "Yoga for Grandparents" DVD and Dr. Pamela Peeke, senior medical correspondent for the Discovery Health National Body Challenge.
Hard economic times means more people will work out in their homes.Von Burg, who teaches at two yoga studios in New York City, says students are already forgoing her classes for DVDs; not only is it more economical - but a group of people can do it together as opposed to each paying for classes at a studio, she said.Many yoga instructors are offering short instructional videos on their Web sites that students can download for free, she said.Peeke predicts more people will set up a home gym rather than purchasing a membership to a health club.

THE TREND: Senior fitness
From Amie Hoff, Personal Trainer, New York Sports Clubs
Hoff predicts more classes at senior centers, nursing homes and health clubs to help seniors with balance and coordination. Seniors who were never into fitness are getting in shape, she says."They are realizing the benefits of having more stamina throughout the day, stronger legs to get them up and down the stairs," says Hoff, who has senior clients.Hoff says many seniors are signing up for Healthways SilverSneakers Fitness Program, which is coming to Curves in January. SilverSneakers, which is for Medicare-eligible individuals, offers physical activity, health education and social events at participating locations.

THE TREND: Short workouts
From David Kirsch, "Anytime, Anywhere Workout" on WeightWatchers.com, Tracey Staehle, "Fit By Tracey - Walking Strong.
"People will be doing shorter workouts, says Kirsch. He has 10-minute circuit workouts; people can do three in the course of the day with no machines."
The idea is to get away from the traditional 45-minute to an hour workout, three sets of this, three sets of that," says Kirsch.
Staehle says more health clubs are offering 30-minute versions of group fitness classes, such as Pilates, step, and body pump. Her "step lite" class is a nonstop 30 minutes."People like to get in, have a great workout that is intense, time efficient, and get out," she says.

THE TREND: Personalized DVD or Web workouts
From Michele Olson, professor of exercise science, University of Alabama Montgomery, "10 Minute Solution: Kettlebell Ultimate Fat Burner" DVD
Olson says some people may find ways to create their own exercise DVDs by mixing and matching clips from multiple sources, such as YouTube videos, fitness DVDs and downloadable workouts that are on trainer and magazine Web sites. For example, people can create their own video workout on www.fitnessmagazine.com."There's more access to personalize the exercise video clips into an amalgamation of something that really meets your needs," she says.

THE TREND: Suspension training
From Jeff Halevy, personal trainer and fitness coach
Halevy predicts suspension training will continue to catch on. While many pro sports teams and fighters use suspension trainers, such as the TRX, regular people are working out with them, he says.A suspension trainer is essentially a pair of straps with handles that you attach to any overhead point, such as a beam, tree limb or door. Part of your body is off the ground on every exercise. For example, you can do push-ups or squats holding the handles or put your feet in the handles and do crunches."It's part of this whole functional training movement," says Halevy. "Why athletes like it so much is because it replicates real life activities."

THE TREND: Basketball
David Zinczenko, Editor-in-chief of Men's Health and editorial director of Women's Health magazines
Zinczenko predicts president-elect Barack Obama will bring basketball back to the forefront after several dark years."You have a group of high-profile basketball players in the White House, and you're going to see Obama and his team playing ball the way you saw Bush clearing brush and Clinton jogging the streets," he says.
Basketball will be seen as an upscale, sophisticated sport played by accomplished people, as it was in the early 90s, he said. Back then, there were high-profile stars like Michael Jordan, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, and people like Clarence Thomas and Al Gore played the sport.

Gotta Dance!

From the Dane County Lifestyles Magazine:

By Angela Mihm Nigro

Health is one of those things we miss most once it’s gone, and such was the case for Sue Kennedy. Twelve years ago, Sue’s life came to a grinding halt when excruciating pain and extreme fatigue ruled her every moment, seemingly overnight. Kennedy recalls, “One day I was running and the next I couldn’t even walk.” She was only 50 years old.

Active and healthy her entire life, Kennedy was a nurse, a recreational runner and an involved mother and grandmother. At no point in her history had there been any indication that she would need a cane and narcotics simply to function, but for nearly two years that was her reality.

Finally, answers

Blood test after blood test came up negative and doctors were perplexed as Kennedy battled depression and struggled simply to get out of bed. Finally, through specialized tests, the answer came.

Kennedy had lupus, an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints and tissues. Kennedy’s body was mistakenly
attacking itself, causing severe damage. While there is no cure for lupus, Kennedy soon discovered that medications greatly reduce the symptoms. Through a strict drug regime, exercise, healthy diet and adequate rest, Kennedy found herself pain-free for the first time in years. She resumed many of her favorite activities, including walking and hiking. Internally, though, the medications were taking a toll.

One of the drugs Kennedy was taking can affect the hipbone, and by May, 2003 she was experiencing severe pain in her right hip. An MRI revealed the damage: Her hip socket was disintegrating and there was nearly nothing left. A hip replacement was the only option.

Although she was frightened, Kennedy underwent the procedure at the hands of Dr. David Rolnick, orthopedic surgeon, UW-Health. The replacement worked, Kennedy says. “I was ecstatic and the pain was gone.”

She celebrated, appropriately enough, by hiking in Olympia, Washington only 12 weeks post-op.

When pain appeared in her left hip in 2007, Kennedy recognized the symptoms and didn’t delay seeing the doctor. She had a second hip replacement, again with tremendous results. She was finally “living life to the hilt.”

Let’s dance

While wintering in Florida, a friend mentioned ballroom dancing to Kennedy, who loves to dance. Kennedy thought it might be just the thing to add variety to her fitness routine, plus it sounded like a great deal of fun. In March 2008, she enrolled in ballroom dancing lessons in Florida and worked with her instructor to reach the beginner level.

When spring arrived, it was time to return to Madison, but Kennedy was determined to keep dancing and quickly signed up for lessons at the new Fred Astaire Studio, owned and operated by Peter and Linda Goethche.
Kennedy describes the partnership as a match made in heaven from the day she entered the studio and the instructors jumped into teaching her competitive material. Soon they suggested that she enter a Dance-A-Thon held in Oconomowoc at summer’s end. That was in May and the trio got to work. Kennedy had only about three months to learn numerous moves, including the smooth ballroom dances like the waltz, tango and foxtrot; as well as Latin-inspired dances like the rumba and the cha-cha.

To prepare, Kennedy took lessons twice a week, practiced every day at home and listened to the music repeatedly in order to memorize the perfect positioning of her arms, feet and head for each patterned dance.

At the studio, preparation was truly a group effort as Linda Goethche assisted with costuming, hair and make-up. Kennedy felt so cared for that she channeled all her energy into dancing her best— with astonishing results.

And the winner is…
At the Dance-A-Thon, Kennedy entered as a newcomer student, and had to perform in 72 two-minute heats over the course of two days. It was grueling, but fun and exhilarating, too. Kennedy says that with each step she thought about how far she had come and “what a miracle it was to be dancing competitively.”

Kennedy was completely shocked when judges announced the competition winners and her name was read for “Top Female Regional Newcomer.” Equally rewarding, she says, was the studio’s recognition for “Most Enthusiastic.” Of the trophy, Kennedy explains, “It is just the icing on the cake of an incredible five-month journey.”

Not one to rest on her laurels, Kennedy continued to dance through the summer, adding new steps along the way and she quickly reached the second level of competition.

In October, 2008, she competed in the open division exhibition with three
new dances in choreographed routines and garnered numerous first-place prizes.

Ballroom dancing gives Kennedy inspiration and motivation to stay healthy and active. Since she started dancing, her anti-inflammatory markers, a measurement for lupus, are the lowest ever, which doctors attribute to her high level of activity.

Only a few years ago, Kennedy was clawing her way out of bed to soak in scalding hot water before she could muster the strength or ability to move around. Now, spinning across the floor, the pain is gone, replaced, she says, with pure euphoria.

10 Benefits Of Dancing

From Dancescape (http://www.dancescape.org/), Barbara Craddock writes about 10 benefits of dancing:

1. Forever young. Dancing is tremendously beneficial in keeping us young. It retards the aging process. It benefits our heart, cardiovascular system and increases our lung capacity. The muscle exertion and breathing rates of dancers performing in one dance competition is equivalent to those of cyclists, swimmers and an Olympic-level 800-meter runner.
2. Strong bones, lubricated joints. Dance aids in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, which is a major concern for women, especially during post-menopause because of the significant drop in estrogen that occurs at this stage. A decrease in our estrogen levels stops calcium from being absorbed into our bones. Dance also keeps joints lubricated, which helps prevent arthritis.
3. Calorie blaster. Dance exercises our bodies to allow for increased circulation. It helps us burn calories while improving our stamina. Dance burns from 5 to 10 calories per minute depending on speed and intensity. For example, swing and mambo burn more calories than a slow waltz.
4. Better blood. New research has discovered that it is necessary to measure both good and bad cholesterol levels when determining our health. Dancing aids in lipid control, which raises our HDL (good cholesterol), and lowers our LDL (bad cholesterol). Dancing is also great for diabetics because it aids in blood sugar control.
5. Mental mastery. Dance improves our memory by making us recall steps, routines and dance patterns making it a great mental exercise for our brains. The big benefit is that increasing mental exercise keeps your mind young, quick, alert and open.
6. It's all about balance. Balancing yourself in one position may be easy, but balancing in the numerous types of positions involved in dancing is much more difficult. Dancers have mastered the ability to balance themselves in a number of positions. This strengthens our stabilizer muscles, while protecting our core and keeping us less prone to injury in our daily lives. Dancing also aids in coordination and helps strengthen our reflexes. It is a great way to keep our central nervous system in tip-top shape by improving the connection of our bodies to our mind.
7. Socially satisfying. Dancing is recreational and entertaining. It creates a social life for us, while affording us the opportunity to make new friends. Friends helps us grow, make us laugh and support us as we learn.
8. Culturally diverse. Dancing has no cultural barriers. People from all parts of the world, with different ideologies, meet on the dance floor. Cultural interaction improves our health by expanding our mind and sharing our spirit!
9. Groomed to perfection. Dancing is not only fun and romantic, but it helps promote good grooming because everybody wants to look his or her best while they dance.
10. A happy self. Dance elevates our mood by raising our endorphin levels. This is what allows us to heal stress and depression — two of our immune system's biggest enemies! It helps us establish our self-confidence and self-discipline. It improves the harmony between our mind and body, giving us a sense of well-being.

24 Years of Pain until…I started Dancing

At the age of 8 I was diagnosed with Osteo Arthritis. Normal childhood activities were always painful, but I kept going, dealing with the pain afterwards.

As a young adult in my late teens to early twenties, I used to go to the dance clubs when I wasn’t working as a chef. Disco was the rage and I loved it!!! Then, at the age of 27, my life was turned upside down when I was diagnosed with reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. My left leg, from my toes to my hip swelled to 4 times its size and turned a bluish gray color! The pain was horrific; it felt like my entire leg was being crushed with a 2 ton weight while viciously being stabbed with a razor sharp saber! The external skin temperature was 103 degrees, I was on fire, and the slightest touch was unbearable! I started getting strong muscle spasms around my rib cage, making it difficult to breathe and impossible to straighten up. All I could do was cry, just cry!!!

No medication at the time eased my pain. I lost everything, my job, friends, health insurance and at times my mind. All the joy in my life was gone and I slipped into deep depression. I could not walk or even put my foot on the ground.

I went to many different doctors and pain specialists, tried medications, physical therapy and electronic nerve stimulation, NOTHING worked! One specialist decided to try sympathetic nerve blocks. He was to insert a long spinal tap needle between the vertebrae and into the spinal column. He needed to inject a numbing agent directly in to the sympathetic nerve. This procedure was to be done once a week for 4 weeks. It was an extremely painful experience. During the last of the series I suffered a stroke. My body was in full tremor, my eyes rolled back and I couldn’t speak. The doctor removed the needle as quickly as possible and opened the I.V. line to release sedatives into my body. 15 minutes later I came out of it. The stroke had impaired the motor functions and feeling on the left side of my body. My muscles could no longer hold my hips in alignment; I could not move my leg, foot or toes. It took 2 years of therapy to learn walk, but walk with a limp I did. I could not walk more that 5 feet without swelling and pain, but I did walk. I gained a lot of weight from the 6 pills a day I had to take combined with the inactivity. I tried to joke saying “I am twice the person I once was”, but in truth, I was living a life of depression filled with pain. I could no longer do the things that brought me joy, long walks, or dancing to name a few.

Over the next 18 years all the medication took a toll on my immune system, I was sick all the time. After talking with my doctor, I decided to get off all of it. The pain became more intense, however, over the years I learned to live with it.

One evening, while watching television, I saw someone who inspired me to do something that would change my life for the better. I decided to try ballroom dancing. I began in late April 2008. The first few weeks were painful to say the least. By June, however, for the first time in 24+ years, I am completely pain free. My toes are moving, I’m getting motor function and feeling back and I’m losing weight!!! Everything seems brighter, depression a thing in the past. I’m so happy!! I feel healthier then I have in years! I won’t say dancing is a cure, but it has worked a miracle for me. Hurray I’m dancing again!!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank a few people. To Maksim Chmerkovskiy for unknowingly inspiring me to try; Gabriella Bodocs, Babette and Warren Brown, Lisa Haber, and Pierre Gider for their encouragement, support and extra coaching; and most of all to Vladimir Velev for his patience, humor, kind heart, expertise, support encouragement and for not giving up on me.

Your Very Grateful Student,

Cheryl Bazar

P.S. Fred, wherever you are, thanks for creating these studios!

Ballroom Dance Helps With Age-Related Memory Loss

According to a recent article, if you're tired of forgetting where you put your car keys or forgetting the name of a recent book you've read, there is something you can do about it...take up ballroom dancing! A study of 469 New Yorkers identified 4 pursuits that seemed most successful in fighting age-related memory loss: reading, playing a musical instrument, playing games, and ballroom dancing. Each reduced the risk of developing dementia by 63% with dancing offering the most benefit! Dr. Joe Verghese, one of the study's co-authors, is quoted in the article as saying: "There is a lot of mental effort in ballroom dancing. It requires coordination with your partner, it requires remembering steps. You have to follow the music." Click here to read more.

Sure, Dancing Is Fun...But Is It A Good Workout Too?

Most people think dancing is something you do at weddings or in clubs with friends. You might work up a sweat and have a lot of fun but is it really a workout? The answer is a resounding...yes! Just ask any dancer and they will agree! In this article by Sheri Reid, Associate Executive Director of the Mid-Shore Family YMCA, the various physical benefits of dancing (ballroom, line, and zumba) are explained in detail.