If you ever wonder where the active 55 or 65 and up crowd hang out in St. Louis – on Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the hour or so before lunch you may find dozens of them dancing at the Monsanto YMCA.
And never underestimate the resourcefulness of people because there is another use for nylon knee-highs. Read on and it will make sense.
Steppers in Jonnie Butler’s line dancing class are not just participants. They are performers.
“We perform for nursing homes, sororities, churches, health fairs, family reunions, high school reunions – anyone who wants us to perform, we perform for them” said Butler, the 78 year-old leader of the pack.
Butler started teaching the class as exercise in 1993 when it started off with only four people. Most days, she has 40 to 60.
“People like to dance and line dancing – you don’t need a partner. And so, they get out and they dance and if they make a mistake, we laugh at each other and have fun,” Butler said.
The Y eventually opened up a simultaneous beginner class held at the same time for newbies.
“The thing about it is, people were coming and I couldn’t handle all of them in the room. There was one girl here – she’s got a class of beginners. Mine is the more advanced class,” Butler said.
One man who looked like he was in his late 50s turned out to be 81 year-old Alvin Brown of St. Louis, who has been coming to the Y since he retired in 1989 and has been a Monsanto line dancer for many years.
“It’s just camaraderie, that’s the main thing and plus, I’m learning something,” Brown said.
Looks can really be deceiving in this group. The 50-something woman in red turned out to be 78 years old. Louise Nicholson summed up what she found great about the class.
“Our socialization, the music and learning something new – something that we thought we could never do,” Nicholson said.
They dance to plenty of blues songs, such as the “Booty Scoot” by Chuck Roberson and other types of “old people music,” as others may describe, like “Soul Finger,” a Bar-Kays jam from back in the day. Contemporaries get their fair share of play also, such as “Green Light” by John Legend, “Down South Shuffle,” by R3 and “Looking for You” by Kirk Franklin. Not only is the genre a mix – each song brings forth a particular step.
“And then we’re using the music the other step dancers are using. We have to dance what the people want,” Butler said.
“I have dances that I put our music to and they like that – some blues – it’s a variety and we do – I guess you would call it Merengue – we do Latin – we mix it up.”
The Obama Shuffle (yes there is such a dance – and it was posted on You Tube before the election of our nation’s first black president) is fittingly paired with “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” by Stevie Wonder, which was then Senator Obama’s presidential campaign theme song.
Butler’s niece, 67 year-old Loretta Seals gets the music together during class as others occasionally request their favorite dance tunes.
Men and women ease on and off the dance floor depending on if they know most of the steps, like the song or need a quick break.
While some people may opt to observe, be observed or otherwise pretend to be wallflowers waiting to be watered at their favorite entertainment venue, Monsanto line dancers come in early to sit with each other and engage in conversation or get on the floor to catch up with of the steps. All the interaction, minus the alcohol.
“I just saw the class and I came in and watched them – observed and got up there. The music draws you,” Nicholson said.
“No one does it the same way. We are not all equal and are not all able to do it the same way. But then, we are able to exercise and enjoy.”
Brown is one of a few male line dancers.
“They don’t know what they are missing. It’s comradeship, you got exercise, learning all the steps and Jonnie is an excellent teacher,” Brown said. “We go places – we go to affairs and everything.”
And the best part of it is, dancers in their 60s, 70s and 80s are getting in three hours of physical/aerobic activity per week.
The beginning of the story mentions there is another use for nylon knee-high hosiery. Back in the day, some of the older ladies would wear nylon hose balled up somewhere around the knee for long socks. In this class, some of men and women line dancers wear knee-highs on the outside of their shoes to allow them to slide on the floor easier.
After all, socks are “old school.”
How much physical activity do older adults need?
Regular physical activity is one of the most important steps to take for your health. Being active can prevent many of the health problems that seem to come with age. It also helps your muscles grow stronger to help you maintain your day-to-day activities without becoming dependent on others.
If you are age 65 or older, generally fit with no limiting health conditions, the CDC recommends:
2½ hours (150 minutes) of moderate intensity aerobic activity every week and muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days per week that work all major muscle groups.
-OR-
1¼ hours (75 minutes) of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity and the muscle-strengthening activities described above.
-OR-
An equivalent mix of moderate-and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity and the muscle-strengthening activities described above.
Want ideas on how to break that into more manageable chunks?
Got to http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity.
