Maggie started Love to Dance at Whitehill, Welwyn at the very beginning. She was there the very first session 11 years ago. Maggie said, ‘Our dance teacher was brilliant – welcoming, enthusiastic and eager to teach us beginners – some, including me, with little or no dance experience, Her fun lessons inspired us all and for me Thursday dance classes were the highlight of the week’.
Not content with just Thursday Maggie joined Tuesdays at Ludwick too.
Maggie heard about Love to Dance through a leaflet drop in the village of Welwyn where she lives. She was keen to go along from the start but hesitant because of the lack of dance experience but it was something she had always wanted to do. Maggie said ‘I was always one of the first ‘strutting my stuff’ at parties and weddings! I remember being very shy and nervous at the first session, but we were quickly put at our ease by the Love to Dance teacher. It was the beginning of many new friendships and fun and even performances at Christmas parties and Wembley stadium, Allianz stadium and London stadium, proudly wearing our Saracens t-shirts!’
During Lockdown Maggie found it hard not being able to attend her Love to Dance classes and see her family. Having a son and 3 grandchildren who live in Australia who she usually visits once a year was not possible, and also a daughter who lives in Kent Maggie has felt quite lonely. But on the positive side she is a keen walker and enjoys this with her partner doing lots of walks and keeping bust with her allotment.
Maggie found our online classes quite hard to do due to poor hearing and impaired eyesight due to a cataract but Maggie did take part in some of our pre-recorded #TogetherActive sessions classes which helped her keep in touch and she did some of the fitness classes which she really enjoyed. During the lockdowns, Maggie kept in touch with some of her Love to Dance friends who she was able to see and chat and phone calls which helped her stay in touch. Maggie said ‘Everyone has been so thoughtful about keeping in touch and looking forward to a return to classes’.
Maggie was a little nervous and apprehensive about mixing in a group again when returning after the lockdown and felt this was dealt with in a very cautious way – well distanced and with open doors and windows for ventilation, which gave her the confidence to return. Maggie enjoyed seeing her so many smiles, such happy faces and even some newbies.
Maggie said ‘Love to Dance has brought fun, happiness and such pleasure into my life and is such a fantastic way to hopefully stay fit in body and mind. I remember Arlene Phillips on my treasured visit to Pineapple studios acclaiming dance as the top exercise for both’.
If you, like Maggie loves to dance and would like to join a class, please contact clarebellchambers@saracens.net to find our more information.