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Think you can dance?
It was Saturday night at the senior center and the Boots and Slippers Square Dance Club of Simi Valley was hosting its monthly event. The club, which got its start way back in 1959- before there was a city of Simi Valley- welcomes all levels of participants, offering classes for beginners, dances throughout the year, and advanced dances on the fourth Saturday of every month at the senior center. "Square dancing takes over your life. It opens up a whole new world," said member Kay Pushman. The dancers twirl, dip, clap and step in time to the beat of the music and the directions of the caller. The dances and songs are the same at clubs worldwide, enabling participants to enjoy their passion almost anywhere. "We hosted a square dance group from China awhile ago," Gayle Hodnefield said.
Although the routines are universal, it's evident in the smiles, warm embraces and laughter of the club members that Boots and Slippers is something unique. "The people here are so friendly and caring. We are one big family," said new member Clare Sluke, who moved to Simi Valley after retiring from her job in New Jersey. "We plan everything around dances. I was supposed to be a docent for the Reagan Library, but when I learned that the volunteer meetings conflicted with square dancing, I told them I couldn't do it," Sluke said. Everyone has a story about how they were first introduced to square dancing. "When I was in college, a square dance club needed males to join," said member Paul Stevenson. "They fed me, let me dance for free and it was a nice break in my studies. For a kid with no money, it was a great deal." Stevenson said he met his future wife on the dance floor. The club's monthly dances attract square dancers ranging in age from 30 to 90, from all over Ventura County and the San Fernando Valley. According to Dick Hodnefield, the activity, besides being a lot of fun, is also a good way to stay healthy. "Square dancing is great exercise for both the mind and body," he said. "People who get into it thrive on it." While beginning dancers may feel overwhelmed as they enter the square dancing subculture, experienced Boots and Slippers members encourage first-timers to be patient. "The main thing is to have fun and not to worry if you make a mistake" said Cindy Mowerwho's been square dancing for 30 years. Christine Villalovos recommends that new dancers "take a class and don't rush into anything. Everyone is really friendly and makes an effort to welcome you in." The relationships among the Boots and Slippers often go beyond the dance floor, said Gayle Hodnefield, with members planning camping trips, meeting for dinner and traveling on cruises together. They also come together to serve the club's philanthropy organization- Guide Dogs of America, which provides the dogs free of charge to blind and visually impaired men and women throughout the United States and Canada. Boots and Slippers raised $9,500 in a single benefit dance this year for the organization. Beginners learn the essentials of square dancing during Monday night classes from September through June, starting 6 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Simi Valley Senior Center. For information on how to enroll, contact Lea Veronica at (800) 386-4255. Boots and Slippers rents out the dance room at the Simi Valley Senior Center on the fourth Saturday of each month for its advanced dances.
For more information on Boots and Slippers, visit their website at www.bootsandslippers.com. |
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