Healthy, Happy People
Line dancing promotes healthy mental health
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Step, Hold, Side Step, Coaster Step, Forward Lock Step, Rocking Chair, ½ pivot, Triple Full Turn R, Toe Strut R, Rock Back, Weave R, Side Rock, Touch, Heel Dig, Touch, Cross Rock …
These terms are not foreign to Mr. Ong Kee Lin who is very experienced in line-dancing. Mr. Ong, a line-dance instructor, has always love music and dancing since young, he picked up social dance in 1987 and switched to line dancing 9 years ago.
Mr. Ong is not the only exception here. Magdelene, a kindergarten teacher, also switches from social dance to line dancing in 1999. Why the switch? She shared that social dance needs partners, and with fewer guy partners, it was difficult to continue her favorite activity. One day, she came across a group of people who were dancing and her amazement is they were all dancing in a line! Line dancing solved her problem and she has been line-dancing these past 8 years.

“Line dancing is suitable for everyone, with or without partner, young, old, single, married with kids, married without kids. There are not many restrictions and we all can do line-dancing anywhere and anytime as long as there is music and space.” said the mother of two girls.
Line dancing is also a form of exercise and relaxation. Relaxation is good for the mind and the body. Life is not all about work and not having time to relax.
“Works is stressful sometime, so I took up line dancing to sweat it out and at the same, relieve some stress,” said Dolly, who is currently working in a trading company.
Dressed in comfortable attire, Dolly and with other sixty dancers could be found enjoying line-dancing in front of Singapore Post Office, next to Paya Lebar MRT Station every Friday night. Mr. Ong, who is the organizer for this event, shared that such line-dancing jams are organized to provide a venue for the students to practice their line-dancing steps outside classes. People who turned up at the jam are not entirely his students, but most turned up with their groups of friends or ‘kakis’. Some may even have a certain color code for their group.
This is also how line-dancing helps to create opportunity for bonding, keeping-in-touch, and meeting new friends of same interest. You can even try finding your life-partner here! A great example is Mr. Ong, who fell in love with his line-dancing student, Jane. Their love for line dancing has brought them together. They are now happily married and are still dancing together.
For Magdelene, line-dancing provides her more opportunity to interact and bond with her sister, Suzanne. Suzanne was introduced to line-dancing by Magdelene four years ago and there was no turning back. Now Suzanne, a housewife, checked up the new dance steps in the internet and shared her findings with her sister.
“My sister loves it! She said line dancing is her longest hobby so far! And look, she now knows the new dance steps, better than me!” Magdelene added with a smile. They now meet up weekly to attend the line dancing jam.
Though physical exercise is important, this year’s National Healthy Lifestyle Campaign also stresses the importance of mental health to our well-being. With mental well-being, one can have the capacity to enjoy life the fullest and deal with the normal stresses and challenges of life constructively.
So why not try Line dancing this time? After a fun and rejuvenating activity, you will feel refreshed and be ready to take on any challenges at work or at home.
Line dancing classes are charged normally for about $55 for 10-12 lessons. Go to your nearest Community Centre and sign up now for a healthy and happy you!
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