FOR Joy Tull of Stroud, age is just a number.
At 86, she’s still leading a group of line dancers at Stroud Road Hall.
“I started line dancing groups 33 years ago, one at Stroud on Monday nights and in Gloucester on Tuesday mornings,” Joy told News Of The Area.
“Anyone is welcome to join us at Stroud Hall on the first, third and fifth Tuesdays of the month, but they need to know a few basic steps, as I’m not doing a beginners class.
“Newcomers watch and it’s not all that difficult to follow,” she added.
Joy’s daughters, Gail, aged 73, and 63-year-old Kaylene, decided to join in the exercise in 1995 and now form part of a team of line dancers.
They dance at the Stroud Lodge once a month on the second Tuesday.
They also danced at Narraweema in Gloucester Hospital from 2018 till it closed three years ago.
They were then asked to dance at Mirrabooka Place in Gloucester, which they do on the fourth Tuesday of the month.
“Residents at Stroud Lodge and Mirrabooka Place enjoy the music and talking with us; we make a point of talking to each of them at the end of our session,” said Carol Bennett, one of the team.
“I’m a relative newcomer, and joined in 2006, after we moved here from Sydney.
“Bethany started at the same time; Yvonne’s been with us for about eight years.”
Former Gloucester Shire Council mayor John Rosenbaum is the latest to join the line dancers, 18 months ago.
“My wife Diane was at Mirrabooka Place and we would watch the line dancing as we love music and used to dance when we were much younger,” he said.
“I thought it wasn’t too hard to learn the steps and joined the line dancers.
“My wife passed on but the team members were wonderful, encouraging me to continue.
“Line dancing has allowed me to do something personally, without having a partner.
“Family and friends came along too, so it’s not only exercise, but also social benefit.”
“The line dancing team values their companionship.
Joy said, “We hold monthly lunches so that everyone gets to know each other better. It’s not just for exercise, we have all become great friends” With music, movement and mateship, Joy and her dancers show that age is no barrier to staying active.
By Kim TEOH
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