COUNTRY DANCING CLASSES POPULAR IN JACKSON

'ROUND AND ROUND THEY GO: Members of The Country WEestern Dancers, Inc. demonstrate a round dance during class Sept. 28. New classes start Oct. 5.

Ever wanted to "boot scoot?" How about learning the "rebel stomp?" And what about needing to know the "electric slide" for that next wedding reception?

The Country Club Western Dancers, Inc., have just the answer. They are opening a new beginners class at Stroder Country, Hwy. 72 across from Pioneer Orchard, on Oct. 5. The class will meet every Monday night from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. They will teach partner and line dancing to singles and couples.

"What we normally do at the beginning of class is teach the basic steps and do round dances and partner dances," said Mark Vomund, organizer of the new class. "As the evening progresses, we work on improving the steps and raising the difficulty. You can even step in behind the experienced dancers and pick up some of the steps."

Vomund and his wife, Tammy, have been country dancing since 1997.

"It's really easy," said Vomund. "My wife begged me for years and years to go dancing. After about 12 years of asking me, I secretly took a ballroom dance class at the university where I got hooked on dancing. It's really enjoyable and very simple."

Vomund then began looking for advanced ballroom classes in the Cape Girardeau and Jackson areas. After coming up empty in his search, The Country Club invited him to come and learn a not so entirely new way of dancing.

"A lot of the dances in country dance are the same steps in ballroom dancing," Vomund said. "The fox trot is really similar to the two-step. The country waltz is the same as the ballroom waltz. The East Coast Swing is nothing more than the Lindy. Even the cha-cha can be done, but you stay in one spot when doing it in a country style."

"I'm taking a ballroom dance class now, too," said Irene Reynolds, choreographer for the group. "To me, there's not that much difference in country and ballroom dancing. You dance closer together in ballroom dancing, but you can't do that as easily in country dancing because we change partners often."

Reynolds was nominated into the instructor's position three years ago and knows greater than 300 dances. She states that though she had never taught before, she really loves it.

"I worked up to the level I am now," said Reynolds. "I pick up my dances from videos and dances that someone hands me. I try to teach them and give a variety of dances. I don't teach 'one song, one dance.' Many don't like that, but I want to give a variety of songs and dances to the students so they can enjoy themselves wherever they go."

Vomund, a full-time college student, and Reynolds, a nurse at St. Francis Medical Center, both said that the mixture of people who come to learn to dance is what also makes the classes special.

"It's a very social, open, family-oriented class," said Vomund. "It's a mixture of people like business owners, school teachers, farmers, and your regular blue- and white-collar workers. We just want everyone to feel comfortable and welcome."

The group is even looking into the concern many parents have that they say is the reason why they don't get out to learn -- child care.

"My wife and I bring our son with us on Monday nights and it works out really well," said Vomund. "We think it's perfectly acceptable for people to bring their children so they can learn."

The reasons for wanting to learn to country dance vary as greatly as the population of the class. Many want to have another option besides sitting on the couch and watching reruns while others say it's a great way to get out and enjoy the company of others.

"It doesn't cost much and is cheaper than a video," said Vomund. "On Saturday nights it costs a little more, but you're out of the house and socializing with friends. Some couples even use it as a reason to get out together without the kids."

Reynolds stated that country dancing is easy to learn and that she tries to help and make sure that the beginners understand the steps involved in the class.

"I try to take it as slow as I can and work with the group," said Reynolds. "It can take as few as five and up to as long as 10 minutes to teach a new dance. They usually learn it and go away remembering it for a little while. Sometimes it takes as long as six months to a year to put all of the steps together with the dances with the names of the dances."

Her advice is for anyone want to learn is to "Just get out there and try it."

"You won't remember all the steps to begin with, but we repeat the steps over and over in the dances with different arrangements," Reynolds said. "It can be done and anyone can do it. It just needs dedication and a willingness to practice."

"Stroder Country has been really great with us," said Vomund. "They have the best dance floor I've seen. On Saturday nights, there can be up to 300 people here and it gives you a great way to practice what you've learned. There's a live band every Saturday night and it's an enjoyable social atmosphere."

Vomund said that many people are intimidated by the large numbers at clubs into not trying out country dancing.

"People are very forgiving," Vomund said. "If you mess up, just slip back into the groove and keep going. Most people aren't paying attention to what you're doing anyway unless they're the ones envious that they don't have the guts to get out and dance like you. All of the experienced dancers are watching people better than them to try and pick up new steps. So beginners shouldn't be too concerned that someone will 'critique' their dancing. We just want everyone to come out and have fun."

The new class begins Oct. 5. The Country Club offers a package of $10 per person for four weeks of instruction. For more information, contact Vomund at (573) 243-0552, or Reynolds at (618) 833-3159.