Written by Dani Edmonson Filed Under VIP Jackson Magazine
“When the music is good, I just have to dance,” says Melissa DiFatta, an attorney with the Mississippi Children’s Home Services.
Years ago while living in Pascagoula, a friend suggested they take some dance lessons to learn a few new moves, and their social life came to revolve around music and dance.
Later, she met Tony DiFatta and when they graduated to fiancé status, they took more dance lessons. “The two-step and jitterbug are always useful in a bar or nightclub,” she explains.
Several more years passed, and when Dancing with the Stars began to air on television, “I was dying to dance,” she exclaims, so she and her artist husband took more classes to learn an entire dance. They loved it.
“What I love about it is using my mind. I can use a combination of moves and hit them just right with the music. It’s a terrific workout, and I love the way I feel when I move to music,” DiFatta says.
Margee Wohner lives and breathes a combination of art and fitness. She dances at Ballet Mississippi in Jackson and Dance Connection in Pearl, both for fun and exercise. “I take classical ballet at Ballet Mississippi and ballroom dance at Dance Connection,” she said. Wohner shares her love of dance with her husband, Collins. “My husband takes ballroom and salsa dance with me, and I am fortunate he has a desire to dance, too,” she added.
Dance Connection, run by husband and wife Lisa and Mike Day, offers social dancing classes. Mike has been teaching dance since 1982 and met Lisa at a studio, proving the social benefit to the pursuit. Mike promotes the fitness benefits, as well. “Social dancing has been proven to manage dementia because you are constantly thinking and changing directions and challenging muscles to get where you want to go and not bump into someone else,” he said. He said dancing is much more interesting than walking on a treadmill for 45 minutes. “When dancing, you constantly have new moves to learn, which requires thinking. It is so much fun and effective.” In fact, he said, “I had a student yesterday tell me it was much better than going to the gym.”
He concluded, “The most difficult steps in dance are the ones coming in the door.”
At 54, Wohner is neither the youngest nor the oldest in her exercise and dance group. “We have dancers from their teens to their seventies,” she said. Although new people come and go, she said there is a core group that never misses a class. “Some are professionals; some have always wanted to take ballet and learning technique for the first time, and some have danced since they were 5 and are thrilled they can continue this training as an adult,” she said.
Having enjoyed dance at a younger age, Wohner missed it in adulthood and rediscovered her love through Ballet Mississippi. “It’s fun to have dance back in my life. Dance is for everyone. It keeps you fit, and the challenge of learning the technique is fun in any style of dance,” she added.
Ballet Mississippi Artistic Director David Keary emphasizes that ballet is an art, not a sport, but it still has numerous health benefits. “It lowers blood pressure, you lose weight in a normal fashion, and it’s a great stress reducer,” he said. He has worked with professional athletes who were blown away at the intensity of the training involved. “One athlete told me that this was harder than any two-hour work out he knew of.”
Kay Martin, 67, is another student of Ballet Mississippi under Cherri Barnett, associate artistic director and instructor. Martin said, “Each student is at a different ability level in class, but Cherri does a wonderful job of making us all feel comfortable.”
It is no wonder Cherri has that effect on her students. She danced professionally for a decade, and in 2007 joined the staff of Ballet Mississippi with a fierce determination to lure new and veteran dancers back in the studio. Her plea is, “Go back to the barre. Don’t be someone who used to dance.”
Catherine Bishop has been a fitness instructor for nearly a decade. She teaches both Pilates and ballet fitness at the Baptist Healthplex in Belhaven. “We use the term ‘ballet’ in describing the class because there are a few warm-up, stretch and balance moves that are similar to those used in ballet training.” She encourages fitness-minded people to consider taking the class because it is a complete workout using muscle groups you might not use in a standard fitness class. “It is just very important to switch up your workouts,” she said. “Do not replace a class with this one. Simply add it to your workout week.”
Salsa Mississippi Studio and Club in Fondren is another option for the adventurous dancer. In a club environment, they offer dance classes for salsa, hip-hop, the flamenco, tango, foxtrot and break-dancing among many other exhilarating options. Co-owner Himanshu Dave said that they really promote salsa because, “No matter where you go in the world, you can find a place to dance the salsa.” He added that the studio creates an environment to make people unfamiliar with dance feel safe in trying something new and leaving having a new skill, new friends and a new love for dance. “Salsa or Latin dance is an uplifting, low-impact cardio activity for an hour, non-stop. You are really working it out,” he said. For those who don’t think they have what it takes, their motto is, “If you can walk, you can dance.”
Jim Frechette, owner of the Applause Dance Factory in Ridgeland, says ballroom dancing is all about fitness, friends and fun. “Ballroom dancing is a very fun hobby that is a great form of exercise. What could be more fun than to go out for the evening and get your exercise while dancing at a party and socializing with friends, meeting new people, maybe that special person?”
Frechette, 51, began his training at a Fred Astaire dance studio in Virginia Beach, Va., in 1989. “I have trained with many teachers, coaches and world champions over the years, but there is always more to learn.”
Frechette’s students range in age from teens to those who are in their eighties. He said the goals of every student differ. “We have new people coming and going all the time. Most of them have short-term goals: Learn to dance for a wedding, prom or high school reunion. Then we have the long-term students for which dancing has become a hobby,” he said. “We have a very loyal group of dancers in their mid-to-late 70s who could easily be mistaken for 50- or 60-year-olds. Dancing really does keep you young.”
Married 58 years, Barbara and Philip Reeves, 76 and 78, respectively, of Jackson are two of Frechette’s students who swear by dancing’s fountain-of-youth benefits. They have trained under Frechette for 14 years, and it all began with a simple Valentine’s gift. “My wife was brought up dancing, but I always had two left feet, so we didn’t dance much,” Mr. Reeves said. “So on Valentine’s Day in 1999, I gave Barbara a card that offered ballroom dancing lessons. She nearly flipped!” he laughed. It was not an easy process for Philip, but they stuck to it because they realized it was something they could do as a couple. “It’s better than eating a bunch of fried catfish and watching TV,” he said.
Philip had bypass surgery in 2000, and a recent check-up reports he is in excellent health. “The first thing my doctors ask me, when I see them, is if I am still dancing,” he said. “We all agree it’s great exercise and that I should keep it up.” Philip said he knows a person with Parkinson’s disease who dances and is determined dance helps with the symptoms because it works both the body and the mind.
Barbara Reeves admits she suffers from depression and that dance has been a major factor in combating the illness. “When I dance, it lifts my spirits a lot and gives me a good mental outlook. We look forward to it every Friday night,” she said. In addition to feeling happier, Barbara said they both have maintained their weight, have good blood pressure and very good balance for people their age.
Frechette touts the physical benefits as abundant. “Ballroom dancing is a fun, low-impact activity that tones and strengthens muscles while burning 200-450 calories per hour. It also improves flexibility, coordination, endurance, balance and posture. Dancing can also slow age-related muscle and bone loss, build strong bones and improve joint function,” he said. It can also improve one’s state-of-mind. “Ballroom dancing builds confidence and self esteem, reduces tension and promotes emotional self-renewal. The social aspect of ballroom dancing can relieve loneliness and depression and enhance your mood. It’s been said that it is impossible to be depressed while dancing.”
Go ahead, put your little toe on a dance floor. Your whole body will thank you.
Applause Dance Factory's Blog 