Dancing the night away
Published 9:41 pm Monday, February 12, 2018
About 40 to 60 people dust off their dancing shoes the second Friday of every month at the Active Life Center of LaGrange. Dance instructor Cody Foote said people of all ages come to the monthly dances and lessons.
“We get students from 19-years-old to 85, or maybe older in some cases,” Foote said. “As long people are over 18, they can come and take lessons.”
The dances were originally started by Alan and Margee Keeble. The two started dances in LaGrange before giving it to the Active Life to host last year.
“We started a club here called the Moonlight Ballroom Dance Club that lasted for about 25 years. We were kind of running out of leadership, and the Active Life Center stepped up and took it over,” Alan said.
Foote teaches different styles of dances each Thursday from swing to line dances. There’s always a free lesson on Friday before the dance.
Dance lessons for couples are $100 for five weeks, according to director Dan Wooten.
This Friday, Foote taught mambo.
David and Sally Traylor said they have been attending for three years.
“I don’t step on her toes as near as often as I used to, but I still do every now and then,” David said.
Sally joked he only kicked her a few times.
“We are in the class every week and we look forward to coming every Thursday,” Sally said.
Will and Louann Hood came to their first dance at the center on Friday.
“We’re not very experienced but we’re having fun learning the mambo,” Louann said. “The exciting thing is dance is just an expression of joy so this is joyous no matter what level we’re on.”
Margee said the dances are mainly for the community to have fun.
“A lot of people see Dancing with the Stars, and they’re intimidated. They think that you have to look like that, wear clothes like that, wear little bitty clothes,” Margee said, “We’re really laid back, we’re not here to judge anybody, critique them, rate them 1 to 10, whatever that is.”