Art Barber likes to say he doesn’t see many joggers with smiles on their faces.
But that’s not the case in his dance classes, where having fun and getting fit go hand-in-hand with the beat.
“Dancing is one of the greatest expressions you can have toward music if you can’t play an instrument,” said Barber, who moved to Petoskey with wife, Vickie, four months ago. “And dancing is fun, if you know how.”
The couple moved north from Sterling Heights and recently began teaching their passion, swing and ballroom dancing, at North Central Michigan College’s Student and Community Resource Center. The two were encouraged to begin leading classes after a group of ballroom dancers caught their skills at the Rustic Ballroom in Walloon Lake. They also held a ballroom dancing exhibition at the Odawa Casino Resort to demonstrate their talents.
“We’ve been teaching for more than 20 years together,” said Art, adding that when teaching in the Troy area they had more than 400 participants at one point during the disco craze.
Classes at the college are held noon-1:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. The Barbers teach ballroom and swing, plus “street hustle” style that incorporates Top 40 hits into the movements. Latin, salsa, mambo, cha cha, tango, rumba and other styles are incorporated as well.
“We have a program that starts with the fox trot, then leads into swing, and then we start swinging over into Latin, and of course Latin has a very infectious beat,” said Art.
Not only do they enjoy teaching the dances, but the added healthful benefits are important, too.
“Dancing is a good form of exercising, and people don’t get depressed when they’re dancing,” said Vickie. “They’re just dancing and happy all the time.”
The classes are informal and don’t require a partner. Cost is $7 for singles, $10 for couples and $2 for college students and staff. For more details, call 439-6370.
The Barbers also offer private lessons in homes and for groups. For more information, call (586) 873-3234 or (586) 489-6025.
Numerous activities offered at the college
Maggie Daniels, director of the college’s SCRC, said the dance lessons are the latest initiative to increase exercise and healthful activities communitywide.
“We are initiating new activities that can be done during the week days to utilize the gym and also give students and community members options during the week,” Daniels said. “It is my opinion that if people can find activities to do as a family or a couple, activities that require movement and thinking, and they like the activity, it is more likely to become a regular part of their lives. Many new swing dancers come out of the first lesson sweating and remarking what a workout it is.”
Along with the swing dances, the gym area of the resource center offers open court space during the day time, and the college rents out space for activities like Zumba (also a dance program) and swing dance.
Also among the community offerings, “Tot Time” provides moms and/or dads, grandparents, nannies and caregivers the chance to bring little ones out for fun and socializing on Friday mornings, from around 9:30 a.m. to noon. Tumbling mats and a variety of toys “make for some very happy, busy kids and happy moms,” Daniels said. (The charge is $2 per adult, and free for kids 6 years and under.)
“So, for anyone interested, we now have basketball, volleyball, soccer, ping-pong, Zumba, swing dance, karate and Tot Time as indoor, non-acaemic activities, and yoga, Pilates, core conditioning, physical conditioning, basketball skills, theory of coaching and personal wellness as academic classes available to community folks,” Daniels said.
