In The News

Wednesday, Apri 13, 2011

CENTER FOLD OF GAITHERSBURG SENIOR SECTION
http://www.e-pages.dk/postnewsweekmedia/40/16

GLIDING INTO A GRAND OLE TIME BALLROOM Blitz

THERES NOTHING THAT WILL LIFT YOUR SPIRITS LIKE DANCING. THE MUSIC IS SUCH A MOTIVATOR; IT MAKES YOU FEEL YOUNG. AND IT SURE BEATS SITTING AT HOME LOOKING AT TV ALL NIGHT LONG. BY KAREN FINUCAN CLARKSON

They arrive early, giving themselves time to slip on their dance shoes and chat. Some have been dancing for almost a decade; for others, its their first ballroom class. Christina Vidovich, dance director at Two Left Feet Dance in Gaithersburg, welcomes the class, smil- ing, and hits the play button. As Al Martinos Blue Spanish Eyes envelops the dance studio, four couples take to the floor. Oh, Im so glad to have someone whos experienced, said newcomer Barbara Samels as Henry Meadows, who at 79 is the most senior member of the group, takes her arm. For the next 50 minutes, Vidovich leads the group through a series of movesa basic box step, fifth position break and crossoversas she introduces them to the rumba. Despite the intense concentration and occasional missteps, the mood is light and the seniors seem to thor- oughly enjoy themselves. Their reasons for taking the class vary. Meadows enjoys the camaraderie and music; Samels and her husband want to prepare for an upcoming wedding and bar mitzvah; Carole Storm loves the exercise, while her husband, Donald L. Storm, enjoys dancing with his wife and laughing with Christina, he said. Ballroom dancing will keep you young, said Lee Ann (Jackson) Wolff, owner of DanceWorks, Ballroom and Latin in Frederick. 16 GAZETTE SENIORS SPRING 201 1 Its something you can do at your own pace. It can be no more tiring than walking or it can be extremely strenuous. Because many of todays older adults grew up dancing, a waltz, foxtrot, salsa or tango is, for many, a delightful form of exercise. What seniors probably dont realize, say both Vidovich and Wolff, is that ballroom dancing may also help stave off dementia. HEALTH BENEFITS THAT SURPRISE A 2003 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that ballroom dance benefitted the brain as well as the body by memorizing steps, mastering timing.

SEE BLITZ PAGE 25 http://www.e-pages.dk/postnewsweekmedia/40/25 Lou Samels, left, of Rockville and Linda Wright of Rockville follow instructions for the basic box step from Christina Vidovich at Two Left Feet Dance in Gaithersburg. Inset: Henry Meadows of Gaithersburg and Barbara Samels of Rockville also learn the basic box step. TIN NGUYEN/THE GAZETTE

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

FRONT PAGE OF GAITHERSBURG GAZETTE
http://www.gazette.net/stories/05062009/montnew205118_32530.shtml

Laurie DeWitt/The Gazette

Henry Meadows of Germantown dances with instructor Christina Vidovich at the Active Aging Exposition at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg on Monday.

Baby Boomers are putting a new spin on the word "senior" and the Gaithersburg Upcounty Senior Center aimed to wow that crowd on Monday with an Active Aging Exposition.

"People feel better, people feel younger, people feel healthier, they want to stay active longer, said Grace Whipple, director of the senior center

The event at the Bohrer Park Activity Center, brought hundreds of upcounty residents to enjoy massage treatments, games, Brazilian line dancing, reflexology demonstrations, a laugh exercise class, theater games and more.

Laurie DeWitt/The Gazette

Yoshimi Meadows, left, of Germantown, and Carole Storm of Gaithersburg dance to "Tequila" with the Gaithersburg Senior Center Dancers at Bohrer Park Activity Center on Monday.

Back to School Wednesday, August 21, 2002
http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/articleprint.asp?article=301239&paper=70&cat=180

The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County (AHCMC) Board of Directors awarded grants to county artists, scholars and humanities organizations. Local recipients are listed below under the categories for which they received their funding.

Christina Vidovich, in conjunction with Robert Frost Middle School, in Rockville, will receive a grant for after-school ballroom dance classes.

Studio helps to dance across generation gap

July 7, 2004 by Jaime Ciavarra Staff Writer

http://www.gazette.net/gazette_archive/2004/200428/montgomery/news/224831-1.html

Rachael Golden/The Gazette

Lindsey Stinson, 16, and Elizabeth Ermolina, 69, both of Gaithersburg, waltz around Two Left Feet Dance Studio in the Kentlands.

Students at Two Left Feet Dance Studio in the Kentlands learned to promenade, fox trot and box step, but one lesson really stuck out for the 12 senior citizens and teenage girls waltzing around the room on Friday; age doesn't matter.

For the past two weeks, a summer teen dance camp and a yearlong senior citizen class have combined for hourly lessons. Instructor Christina Vidovich blended the groups together to avoid summer scheduling conflicts, creating a first-time, age-variety dance class, she said.

But closing the generation gap gave both groups exposure to more than just dance.

"Being around young people keeps you young," said Mary Lou Habib, 72. "You seem to feed off of their enthusiasm and good spirit."

Habib and her husband, Ed, have taken lessons from Vidovich for about a year and a half, and they welcomed the opportunity to share their class with the teens, she said.

"They help boost the energy," Ed, 77, added. "They can nail the fast motions while we're trying to keep up."

Vidovich steps behind the studio's curtain after a short warm up to turn on a tune. "How Much is That Doggy in the Window" blares through the small room as Vidovich counts ... one ... two ... three ... four, prompting the age-integrated couples to start waltzing.

"This is a great opportunity for the girls to get exposure to this type of dance," Vidovich said, noting that most of the teen camp focuses on fast, modern dance that the girls can do on their own. "It shows them that they can learn a lot from their elders ... including a particular dance style."

In between songs and sets, the teenagers bounce around the room, practicing other moves while the seniors wait for their next instruction.

"I don't think they ever get tired," said Elizabeth Ermolina, 69. Another song starts and all of the students scurry around to find a different partner.

"It's nice to dance with people that have experience," said another teen, 14. She and the other girls take the partnering opportunity to talk with the older women, she added.

"Sometimes we'll talk about any cute guys that pass the window."

"We can all really learn from each other," chimed in Jenny Tolbert, 13.

The groups have practiced everything from the Cha-Cha to swing dancing together, and the age difference helps to add a new style and flavor to old favorites, Vidovich said.

"No matter what age, they all have the enthusiasm to try new things," she added.

At the end of their last class together, waltzing aside, the girls turn on a pumping disco song and start a line dance. They pull the seniors in and most of the class struts from side to side, clapping hands and stomping their feet.

Vidovich laughed at the scene. "That's what makes it work."