Ballroom Dancing…
Steps to Ecumenism and Much, Much More

By Sister Rita Wenzlick, OP,
Director, Office of Pastoral Planning
Diocese of Lansing

Have you ever watched the television program “Dancing With The Stars?”

If you have, then you probably realize that ballroom dancing can be very elegant, a great stress reliever, and a good cardio workout! But did you know that it can also become a religious experience as well? A group of people from Sacred Heart Parish, Flint, didn’t know that at the outset, but they are convinced that it can have that kind of impact and they have the experiences to prove it. Their interest in ballroom dancing has grown into a wonderful ecumenical activity and a very creative way of reaching families, youth and young adults of all ages!

How did all of this come about?

A handful of Sacred Heart Parishioners and a like-minded group of other Flint natives were looking for a way they could learn ballroom dancing. They quickly discovered that they had an outstanding resource right in their own parish. They approached Brenda Caldwell, a fellow parishioner, and sought her help in recruiting her husband, Tony, to teach a ballroom dancing course at Sacred Heart Church. Tony knows a great deal about such things since he teaches dancing, among other art forms, at Mott Community College and at University of Michigan – Flint. In the face of such enthusiasm and with the urging of his wife, Tony could hardly decline the opportunity.

One of Tony’s specialties is teaching Detroit-style ballroom dancing, a nuanced form that came about when some folks in the Motor City blended the more formal, sedate Arthur Murray-style with some fancy turns and incorporated such diverse elements as Cha Cha steps. According to Tony, the modifications enhance the elegance of the dance and have helped to make it more popular with the younger set all across the nation. It has made a hit too with the 20 or so folks who gather every week at Sacred Heart Parish.

From the outset, this group, which included parishioners and non-parishioners as well, made some good choices. Tony, who claims he can make a dancer out of anyone in only an hour, was certainly a wise choice to provide the instruction. The wisdom of the other decision they made… where to hold the classes… wasn’t quite as obvious at the outset but it set the stage to reap some very valuable outcomes. Those in the group from Sacred Heart felt their parish was the natural site for their class. The others supported the choice because they simply felt very comfortable in the welcoming atmosphere of a church setting. For Sacred Heart, it was a good fit; the parish welcomed the dancers with open arms.

Ethel Hooker, pastoral manager at Sacred Heart, explains why the parish eagerly embraced this activity, “Evangelization happens in the everyday events of our lives. It puts faces on us as Catholics. People see us as Christians and it gives a better understanding of us.”

The classes run for about two hours every Saturday afternoon, with a break about midway through the session. Ethel points out, “Although the participants are of different faiths, when they gather here, they are all believers. During the break, people have the opportunity to talk and relax. Quite naturally, the talk often turns to discussions about the dancers’ faith, beliefs and practices. There is no formal introduction to faith conversation. It just happens.” Ethel is convinced that it happens because of the church setting in which the activity takes place.

Future Edelen, a parishioner and regular participant, says that, among the local community, sometimes there is a stigma to being Catholic. The stigma, she feels, can be best described as that the Catholic Church and Catholic schools are elitist. Participating in a program such as ballroom dancing brings a special shared spirit and enthusiasm which breaks down that stigma. Everyone is embraced in an interdenominational way. The experience shows that Catholics are like everyone else. In this type of environment, all relate to each other quite well.

A number of unanticipated dividends have come about as a result of this program.

Dyanna, although married, always came to the classes alone. When pressed, she admitted that she and her husband, as a couple, didn’t go out very much. One day her husband showed up with her. As they learned to dance together, their relationship grew stronger because of the common activity they shared. According to Ethel, “The strengthening of the relationship was fostered by the trust they had to have in each other while on the dance floor. They are partners. When you are in a partnership like this, the activity fosters togetherness. They have to work together and they are in sync with each other. That harmony has carried over into their daily lives together. From this perspective, ballroom dancing has been very fulfilling for this couple.”

Robin Johnson has come to look on the Saturday sessions as providing strength of a different type. She’s the girls’ volleyball coach at Flint’s Northwestern high school. At the beginning, she came for her own personal development. After a while, she began incorporating into her team practices some of what she had learned at the dance classes. Not long after, some of her student athletes wanted to learn about dancing first hand. Robin brought six girls to class. At first the students were quite surprised that Catholics could use church halls for something like dance class. When they were comfortable with the classes, the coach used the breaks to expand their Catholic exposure a bit.

Robin took the girls who were not Catholic into the worship space of the church. She explained about the statues… who the saints were and why they were saints. When the girls wanted to know why Catholics stood, knelt and sat in church, Robin taught them about Catholic liturgy.

As the student athletes returned to their school and introduced ballroom dancing in their own school dance classes, others joined the group for Saturdays at Sacred Heart Parish. Now, even some of the football players have been coming to the sessions. Tony Caldwell feels dance classes are a natural benefit for athletes. “The exercise is good in its own way, but the half-turns and full turns enhance their agility and their ability to pivot,” he claims. Anyone who watched Emmett Smith, the former Dallas Cowboy running back, twist and turn his way to victory in last year’s competition on “Dancing With The Stars” wouldn’t argue with Tony on that point.

While a number of Coach Robin’s student-athletes are not Catholics, they are Christian believers. She knows they will benefit from exposure to religious cultures and customs that are different from their own. The catechesis she has done with the students has helped rid them of negative images they had held about Catholics. She says they have found the Catholics to be warm, embracing and nurturing.

Building on their dance experiences at Sacred Heart, the students have gone on to become involved in area service projects. Ethel underscores their participation in the Angels Outreach Ministry which provides outreach to impoverished children and teens. The ministry is led by Deacon Anthony and Susan Verdun of Sacred Heart Parish. The ministry provides a safe place for children to play while, at the same time, keeping them off the streets. The student athletes have become role models for these children. Ethel credits the students with raising the children’s self-esteem and strengthening vulnerable families in the community.

This past Thanksgiving Holiday, a fund-raising event was held at Sacred Heart Parish for Robin’s volleyball team. The dance students came and decorated the hall. When it came time to buy tickets, some of the adults were skeptical about attending because of the event’s location. Bolstered by their own experiences at Sacred Heart Parish, the team members were able to dispel the adults’ concerns and, when the big evening came, the hall was filled to capacity.

Summing up parish support for this activity, Ethel Hooker says, “The first goal of evangelization – according to the USCCB’s document, Go and Make Disciples – is to have people become so familiar with their faith that they freely share it with others. Only then can they begin to reach out to those who are inactive, alienated and unchurched.
This is how we change social stigma – one person at a time! Remember how Jesus did it in his time. What we have learned, others will learn if only we show them the way.”

The dance classes at Sacred Heart may not go on forever, but the end is not yet in sight. You can find Tony and his students there each Saturday afternoon. For the younger ones, he continues to show them how to move around the ballroom floor at their Junior-Senior Proms with an elegance that will match the tuxedos and gowns they’ll be wearing. For the older ones, the benefits are a bit more diverse. For all, unquestionably, the classes are a step in the right direction.

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Person to Contact:
Ethel Hooker, Pastoral Manager
Sacred Heart Parish
719 East Moore Street
Flint, MI 48505-3997
Phone: 810.789-8579