Lesly Holness

Happy New Year! Now is the time to put on those dancing shoes and take off those pounds! Good things happen to those who sweat and you don’t even need a partner! I dance because there is no greater feeling than moving to some hot Latin beat and letting the rest of the world disappear.

Did you know dancing makes you smarter? The 21-year study of senior citizens, 75 years and older, was led by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, funded by the National Institute on Aging, and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Percentage of reduced risk of dementia:

Bicycling, swimming or playing golf – 0 percent

Reading 35 percent

Doing crossword puzzles at least four days a week 47 percent

Dancing frequently 76 percent

Yeah, we knew that! So come on and join us. The steps are easy to follow and the music is crazy fun. A little Latin, a little hip hop and some ol’ ‘50s and ‘60s thrown in for good measure. I teach two classes at Cottonwood and two classes at Sun Lakes Country Club. The room at Sun Lakes Country Club is big so we have lots of space to shake it. I have added an extra half hour after the Thursday morning class to just stretch. For free! So bring a mat to that class.

Dance with your heart and your feet will follow.

Classes are held at Cottonwood Room 6-A Monday at 4:00 p.m. and Thursday at 11:30 a.m.

Sun Lakes Country Club Mirror Room Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. and Saturday at 9:30 a.m.

If you have any questions please call 480-883-8269.