My life has changed dramatically since I opened a phone book and looked under “dance” in the yellow pages nearly five years ago I had just realized how much I loved moving around the room to music and was struggling to get through the loss of my husband of 27 years over a year before.

When I located an Arthur Murray Dance Studio in my area, I picked up the phone and made an appointment with Tony. That first “introductory” lesson was a confirmation. I knew this was what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be. I felt dancing had everything I needed: exercise, getting me out of my house, meeting people that have my same interests, a direction for my energy and my new passion.

The teachers at my studio make lessons fun and instructive. With several group lessons in addition to private lessons there are ample opportunities to get in as much dancing weekly as even the most dedicated dancer might want. Four and a half years later, I am still dancing and working toward new goals.

Much of what I do when I am not dancing is designed to improve my dance performance and how I look while dancing. I work with a personal trainer and am generally in the gym five days a week, either before or after teaching at a local high school.

Dancing has brought me relationships with wonderful dance instructors and other dancers. From that first introductory lesson, I have responded to the “hug” of the dance hold. As Tony coined the phrase for me, at the point when I was making that first monetary commitment to dance lessons: “the fun is back!”