Posted on: August 16, 2018

People of all ages love to dance. Kids enjoy learning ballet, tap, hip hop, and a variety of other dances when they’re young, trying to determine their favorites. As they reach adulthood, the ones who don’t choose to dance competitively tend to move on to other pursuits.

Many adults who enjoy dancing aren’t aware of local opportunities to dance in a recreational (as opposed to a competitive) forum. The Glen Ellyn Park District is introducing a new option in their dance class arsenal for ages 18+. “We’ve been offering popular dance classes, including Swing Dance, Ballroom, and Not Your Mother’s Line Dancing classes, for years,” said Jessica Marquez, Recreation Supervisor for the Glen Ellyn Park District. “New this fall, the Glen Ellyn Park District will offer a Latin Dance class, where participants learn to master the Salsa, Merengue, Cha Cha, and Rumba, four of the most popular Latin dances, from instructor Diane Smith. We’ve seen a lot of interest coming back for Latin dancing, so we wanted to make it available to the community.”

Diane Smith, owner of Dancin’ Feet Dance Instruction, teaches dance lessons at multiple park districts in the area. “A couple times each year, Diane invites all her students for a “Sock Hop” dance, held at the Lake Ellyn Boathouse,” added Marquez. “It’s a great way for her students to meet new dancing friends, and to practice the skills they’ve learned.” Learning to dance is also a great form of exercise, helping to build endurance, strength, and balance.

Attendees can come alone, with a partner, or with a group of friends; all participants will be paired up in the class. “Our dance classes are perfect for date nights with your partner, and also offer an opportunity to meet new people,” said Marquez. “Many adults take dance lessons to refresh what they’ve already learned, or to learn some new skills to prepare for a wedding or other elegant occasion. We have a number of parents and their children wanting to prepare for a father/daughter or mother/son dance at their wedding. A lot of them stick with the classes because they’re so much fun.”

The first Latin Dance session begins September 12th, and runs through October 17th. Session two begins October 24th, and ends December 5th. All classes are held at the Spring Avenue Recreation Center on Wednesdays from 7:00-8:00 pm. Swing and Ballroom classes are on Thursdays, from 6:30-7:30 (Swing) and 7:30-8:30 (Ballroom). Registration is currently open for both residents and non-residents.

For more information about the Glen Ellyn Park District’s dance classes, contact Jessica Marquez at [email protected], or visit www.gepark.org/register to register for classes.