Dance, relationship classes brighten winter

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Dance, relationship classes brighten winter

Seven couples from the church and community learned ballroom dancing and relationship-building skills in a six-week seminar at Peoples United Methodist Church in South Portland, Maine.

The Revs. Gwyneth and Jamie Arrison used evenings that combined lessons in ballroom dancing and relationship building as date nights.

My husband and I both love to dance and wanted to use our love of dancing for ministry, explained the Rev. Gwyneth Arrison, who co-pastors the church with her husband, Jamie. Providing a relationship-enrichment class in such a fun way seemed to be what the church should be about, she added.

Ann Smith, a local dance instructor, taught the foxtrot and the waltz during the first hour to one engaged and six married couples.

The instructor made it a lot of fun, said Tom Nelson, who has been married to Barbara for 37 years. She knew the purpose was introductory; that we're not going on Dancing with the Stars'.

Smith also connected the dance partner relationship with positive communication skills. "She taught that no dancer is perfect and that we might step on our partner's toes and to think about how we could have done something more helpful, Arrison explained.

During the second hour, she said, breakout practice sessions followed the presentation of communication tips reminding us to be Christ-like in our conversation with our partner or spouse.

A community Valentines Dance ended the seminar. Next years program will offer fresh educational material and additional dance steps.

It was almost a date night with us to update our dancing skills, said Dan Doughty who participated with his wife, Ruth. The winters are long in Maine, and its always nice to get together with friends.

Diane G. H. Kilmer