COMMUNITY News:

Every Monday, except County holidays, 7-9 p.m. everyone is welcome to free ballroom dancing and lessons at the Betty Ehart Senior Center. It is a Los Alamos County Activity organized by Terry Goodwin and Selmo Jarmillo.

Every month they focus on a particular ballroom dance, and in June the focus is Jitterbug. From 7 to 7:15 p.m. they will be playing swing music so that as folks arrive they can dance or  watch. From 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. Amy Mills will teach a lesson. Then from 8:15 p.m. until closing at 9 p.m. they will play a mix of music for various ballroom dances.

Wikipedia says that “Jitterbug” describes swing dance variants that all originated in the African-American communities of New York City in the early 20th century. Mills will teach a six count version that is fun and easy to learn. It’s a good dance for beginners. Generally dancers choose new partners at the beginning of each song.

Both the instructors and the dances change every month. Mills, the instructor for June, was born in Los Alamos and started dancing almost immediately. She has studied dance from ballroom to belly dance, two-step to tango and has master’s degrees in folklore and anthropology from the University of Oregon. She is now the program coordinator for folk arts and accessibility in the State of New Mexico.

While beginners are always welcome, the lessons will build on each other. So the best day to start is Monday June 3. If you can’t make it on the third, you can try on June 10, 17 or 24.

Here are the details:

• What: Jitterbug dance lessons and ballroom dancing
• Where: Betty Ehart Senior Center (1101 Bathtub Row)
• When: Mondays 7-9 p.m. June 3, 10, 17 and 24
• Instructor: Amy Mills
• To Bring: Yourself. No partner necessary. Shoes with leather soles if you have them