All ages encouraged to step it up with line dancing

Posted Feb 16, 2012 By EMC News

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The Mississippi Hy-Liners have entertained in a variety of public venues. They welcome new participants.

Courtesy Hyacinth Chatterton

The Mississippi Hy-Liners have entertained in a variety of public venues. They welcome new participants.

EMC Events - The Line dancing program offered by Mississippi Mills Recreation and Culture Department is proof-positive that all participants - whatever their ages - can have a lot of fun while keeping fit.

Just ask the Grade 3-4 class from Pakenham Public School, or some Grade 9 students at Arnprior District High School, or the adults and seniors from the Almonte Community Centre/and Pakenham's Stewart Community Centre, who all line dance on a regular weekly basis with instructor Hyacinth Chatterton of Arnprior.

/They will/give you an idea of what attracts them to this dance form, and why they keep returning for classes/week after week.

The elementary students say they like the/different kinds/of music, the neat new steps they learn and the assignments/they have requiring them/to teach dances to/others/at home.

The high schoolers enjoy the 'cool music' and the chance to add individual touches to the dances after they have mastered new routines.

And the adults appreciate/the mixture of dances - not only do they review the standard, familiar dances, but in addition they have a chance to learn the popular new ones.

/The Mississippi Mills program participants, known as 'The Mississippi Hy-Liners', have logged many extra hours practising for, and performing at, fundraisers and other local events.

For example last fall, led by Chatterton, they linedanced at St. John Chrysostom Church Hall in Arnprior,/for a fundraiser, Down Memory Lane, on behalf of the Galilee Centre./Those who attended that function/still/recall/the fun they had when they/accepted the group's/typical/invitation for the audience/to join them/in the event's closing dances.

These enthusiastic line dancers have also brought Christmas cheer each year to the residents of the Almonte General Hospital,/as well as to the senior citizens who reside at Fairview Manor adjoining the hospital.

After their most recent performance in December 2011, Gerry Huddleston of the hospital/spoke for the staff and residents when he/thanked/The Hy-Liners for "providing such great entertainment for everyone", and looked forward to/their/next visit./

The group plans to continue this tradition and have already been requested to perform again in December 2012.

/It is recognized/by many/professionals that when aspects of fun/and relevancy are/added to any routine,/the participants receive increased benefits./With this in mind, Calvin Murphy, the recreation co-ordinator of Mississippi Mills Recreation Department/and/Chatterton both work together continually to 'tweak' the program,/so/that/it continues to offer options/for everyone wishing to participate./

Firstly,/all levels of dancers/are welcome - Beginners, Novices and Intermediates./Next, those whose schedules do not permit them to sign up for a complete/session can still reap the benefits of the program by taking advantage of the 'drop-in' system, available for the sessions at both sites - Wednesdays at the Almonte Community Centre and Thursdays at the Stewart Community Centre.

In addition, the timing has evolved so/that it is now/identical at each centre, from 1:30 to 3: p.m. This offers an easy transition for those who might need make-up classes for ones they have missed, or for those who simply wish to attend in both places.

Finally, the fact that participants/do not need dancing partners in order/to join the programs (as some other dance-forms do) makes this activity more accessible to more individuals. The program attracts people from various communities, including Arnprior, Pakenham, Kinburn, Kanata, Carp, Carleton Place and Almonte.

Any adults and seniors/interested in joining the Mississippi Mills Linedance Program can still/attend the current winter session, which/continues into March.

Registration is also/open/for the/spring session, which runs from the beginning of April to the end of May.

For both sessions, participants are invited to contact the Town of Mississippi Mills at 613-256-1077, ext. 21, or Chatterton at 613-623-0976.