Country Dancing

What I Have Learned

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During the past month I’ve had a lot of time to fill since my line dance classes have all been cancelled and I’m staying at home except for the occasional trip to the grocery store. In this article, I’ll go through a list of what I have learned while being socially distanced.

First, I work well under pressure; you would think that I might have taken several weeks to write this article. The fact is that today is my deadline; however, I’ve taken the whole month to generate ideas and thoughts to finally compose this on the final day of March.

Second, I’m amazed at the creative suggestions I’ve received from my line dancers on where we could possibly gather to have class. Unfortunately, I’ve rejected all their ideas because their health and safety is my top priority.

Third, since I don’t have the desire to personally teach an online/live lesson, I have perused social media to find an unbelievable number of dancers and teachers who are recording videos and watch parties. I sorted through the various pages and websites to find one that I suggested to my students; Dan Albro at the Mishnock Barn in Rhode Island does a Facebook Live lesson on Monday and Friday nights. You can also find him on YouTube at Mishnockbarn.

Fourth, even though I miss teaching and socializing with my classes, I enjoy being a student two nights a week with Dan and his family & friends, who he calls his “framily.” Dan offers beginner, intermediate, and partner lessons; dancers from all over the world watch and (hopefully) learn some dances they never would have had a chance to otherwise. I was familiar with Dan’s choreography; I’ve previously taught some of his dances and in last month’s article I included one of my favorites, Day of the Dead.

Finally, since I appreciate what Dan is doing to help maintain some semblance of sanity in the line dance world, I’ve decided that when social restrictions are lifted, I’m making a trip (hopefully with my travel BRAT) to the Mishnock Barn to experience the fun in person!

Here are some of the dances I learned from Dan’s lessons:

THIS BARN

WHAT WERE MADE OF

Once these establishments are permitted to open again, Dori Yez hopes to continue teaching Country Line Dancing on Mondays at Rolling Mills Bar in Girard, Ohio and at the Cortland Ohio SCOPE Center on Fridays.

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