(NOTE: Written for a Winston-Salem Journal special section in the early 21st century.)
THIS VIDEO IS NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO THIS ARTICLE
HAVING A BALL
By Tom Gillispie
Most of the students in Allen Berryhill's ballroom dance class swirled joyfully; most smiled broadly.
The others, obvious newcomers, either looked at their feet as they learned the steps or concentrated mightily.
As the beginners class was starting at the South Fork Recreation Center on Country Club Road, Charles and Kay Goode of Advance said they got into ballroom dance so their son could dance with his mother at a wedding.
"We said, 'Can you make us Astaire and Rogers in six months?', and they said, 'Sure,' " Mrs. Goode said with a laugh. "They lied."
But they liked dancing and kept going.
"They say it's the best exercise; it keeps you sharp mentally and physically," she said. "The men have to lead, and we have to pay attention."
The Goodes -- Mr. Goode is 66; Mrs. Goode won't reveal her age -- are members of four dance groups. "We make time for the things we enjoy," she said. "We enjoy it, and it's something we can do together. I don't like golf, and he doesn't like my gardening."
She says Berryhill is the best dance instructor in the city.
"He makes it fun," she said, emphasizing the word.
Several advanced dancers were helping Berryhill teach the beginning class, including the Goodes. After the class, several people were practicing; several advanced students were teaching, including a white-haired man back-leading a young man.
Berryhill, one of many instructors in the Triad, teaches ballroom, tap and jazz dancing, movement and more at various sites around Forsyth County, including the North Carolina School of the Arts. He grew up in Raleigh and entered dance competitions in Winston-Salem in his youth. He danced on Broadway and around the country. He played Jesus in the play "Godspell" and worked for Disney Studios. He moved here permanently in 1979 and soon became a teacher.
"We have a very large group of ballroom dancers in Winston-Salem, and I've taught them many years," said Berryhill, who likes to keep his age a mystery. "The majority of them are seniors, but now more younger people are getting into it.
"One of the attractions," Berryhill added, "is the social aspect, getting to know people and to do things. It's active and very healthy. It's an opportunity to exercise that doesn't feel like working. You're dancing, listening to music and communicating with people. It's a social exercise program rather than going to the gym and sweating."
Berryhill says his oldest student was 90, and his youngest was 17.
"Everybody's getting very interested in it," Berryhill said. "At one time, there were people in their 50s, 60s and 70s, and a few in their 30s, in the classes. Now, there are more people in their 30s and 20s coming in. But there are still lots of seniors."
Berryhill says he has beginning, intermediate and advanced classes, and members of the advances classes are welcome to pursue dancing competitions. But he says he doesn't push students into competition.
"If they want to (compete), fine," he said. "I like to keep a competitive attitude out of the group. We don't criticize each other. We have a good time and relax. Several doctors come to classes, and they say it's cheaper than going to a psychiatrist. They can relax and get their mind off their busy day.
"An activity should be fun and not drudgery," he added. "Sometimes you don't realize you're exercising. I teach people to dance for their pleasure. It should be fun. Once it becomes work, they should find something else or loosen up."
Two of Berryhill's most ardent dancers can't dance right now. Dottie Heyle, 77, who owns and still works at the Beauty Shop in Clemmons, says she and her husband, Joe, were invited to ballroom dancing by a friend. They danced for about five years, until he had back problems and she had knee surgery. But she says she dreams of returning to the dance floor.
"We both still love to dance," she said, "and we're still hoping to get back into it. There are so many benefits for you. There's not much for senior citizens to do except sit around and get old. For a social life, there's church or some organization that doesn't do anything. With ballroom dancing, there's the social aspect and the exercise."
The Heyles took Berryhill's classes at South Fork, and they've taken classes at other sites. She says that Berryhill has gotten group rates to take dance groups on cruises to Alaska and Hawaii, and the Heyles went on the latter.
There are as many single people as married couples in the classes, she says.
"It's a good place for an older man or woman to meet friends and enjoy their company," she said. "And it's not an expensive thing to do. Ten weeks for the two of us was $75."
Berryhill has monthly parties, another favorite among his students.
"A lot of people lot come into the classes thinking about getting ready for (dancing at) a wedding, and they find that it's a lot of fun, so they stay," he said. "A lot of people have met their partners in ballroom classes and gotten married. It's very social."
Kathy Marino and Betty Wolfe, both in their 60s, tried ballroom dancing because of their daughters. Marino once was a professional dancer in New York, and she has her own dance studio in Clemmons. In fact, Berryhill teaches dance at her studio. But ballroom dancing is not her forte, so she considers herself a student.
Marino's daughter, Angela, got her into ballroom, but she says Berryhill has kept her in it.
"If it wasn't for Allen, I wouldn't be doing this," said Marino, who took dance turns with Berryhill and various students.
Unlike Marino, Wolfe doesn't have a long background of dancing. But she wanted to.
"I wanted to do this forever," said Wolfe. "I could always feel the music, but I didn't know what to do."
Then daughter Shannon gave her a nudge. Now she says her motto is "Life is short, so dance fast."
"I'm more coordinated than I was before," Wolfe said.
"This is like an extended family."
She paused.
"I wanted to dance so bad," she said. "People fear things they're not familiar with. Now, I come dancing once a week, and I come once a month for a party. It's my exercise, my social outlet, my family."
Phil and Susie Loftin, 75 and 72, respectively, said they've danced ballroom since 1984. Berryhill has taught them all that time, and they were among the advanced students helping the newcomers.
"This is a good outlet to get us out of the house and away from the TV," she said. "How many of us would get exercise if not for this?"
John Dorosk, meanwhile, was waiting in the hall for the advanced class. Dorosk, 77, said he's danced ballroom for "35 or 40 years."
"I know more steps," he said, smiling, "but when you know more steps, there are more steps you can forget."
Dorosk said he moved here from New York nine years ago, and dancing lets him meet people.
"I go to different places to dance and can go up to someone I don't know and ask her to dance, and we'll have something in common," he said. "And it's good for you."
Another student, Gail Sheehy, clicked off a list of good things she's done for herself -- quit smoking, joined an athletic club, learned to play bridge and taken up dancing.
"It's one of the
more positive things I've done with my life," she said.
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