Shall we dance? Yes, let’s

Add comment October 24th, 2008

You’d never know to watch me do it, but dancing is one of my favorite forms of exercise.

My wife and I have taken lessons (more or less successfully) all over town, but now we — and you, if you’re a member of the YMCA of Rock River Valley — have a new place to dance. The YMCA’s downtown branch will be holding swing and ballroom dance lessons for seven Friday nights from  Nov. 7 through Dec. 19.

Swing runs from 7 to 8 p.m. and ballroom goes from 8 to 9 p.m.

Lynne Istad, the Y’s adult health and fitness director, is organizing the class and will be among the students, along with her husband Mike. She’s excited to be offering a somewhat different exercise program — especially since dancing can burn up to about 200 calories an hour for a 150-pound person.

“Dance is an awesome exercise and it’s so much fun,” Istad said. “You work on coordination but also body awareness, spacing and posture. It challenges you in a cardiovascular way without having to put on sweatpants and sneakers.”

The classes will be taught by Marla Kols and Paul Marek who, Istad said, “get paid big bucks all over town to teach, so we’re very lucky to have them.”

The cost for the seven-week class is $70 per couple and registration is required. Istad said registration will be available online at www.rockfordymca.org and the Y takes telephone registrations at 815-489-1252.

 Call 815-489-1290 for more information.