Put on your dancing shoes for Dancing for Wellness, a free cultural dance class for Chenango County adults at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12 and Wednesday, March 26 in the library Meeting Room. (Sun file photo)

NORWICH — The Guernsey Memorial Library, located at 3 Court Street in Norwich, will be hosting Dancing for Wellness at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 12 and Wednesday, March 26 in the Meeting Room.

The free, one-hour classes are led by Martha Ryan, who will lead participants through different ballroom dancing styles from various cultures. Classes are open to adults of all experience levels, and no pre-registration is required to attend.

"Every month we pick a dance theme, because it's also meant to be a cultural experience. So every month we pick one dance and they talk about the origin of the dance, some of the stories of how the dance started, and then we practice some steps, and we add them to the group of steps and dances we do every month," Ryan explained. "Most of them are Latin dances. They get an idea of the cultural part of it and then we learn the steps. Very simple steps, we don’t do any acrobatics."

Individuals who attend the classes should bring water bottles and wear comfortable clothing and either ballet or dance shoes. Ryan said open-toed sandals and sneakers will not be allowed, as they increase the risk of falls and injury while dancing.


Ryan said the classes are not meant to make perfect dancers; instead, her aim is to provide a no-pressure environment that brings the joy of dancing to Chenango County community members.

"They can solo and follow our position and we don’t have any mirrors. Oh my god, that is so cool, no mirrors in the library, so nobody sees themselves dancing, I don’t look at them, and nobody gets called on. Everyone is allowed to make 22 mistakes in one night," she said. "We laugh a lot. I think we laugh just as much as we dance, because we keep it very light, very humorous."

"If you like dancing, all you need is just the desire to enjoy music. Music is so therapeutic, and Latin dance is so jumpy and happy," she added. "I think we come with the weight of the world on our shoulders, and we walk out light like a feather."

Ryan created the Norwich Dance Club in 2007, which held classes nearly every day of the week in the "Renaissance Building" in Norwich. Unfortunately, due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the group had to stop meeting.

She said she's very grateful to the Guernsey Memorial Library Board of Directors for providing a venue for the group to begin hosting classes again.

"We are incredibly grateful for the gift from the board of directors at the library who have given us this new home. Our heart is really filled with gratitude," said Ryan. "I am very grateful. We will start with this and take it as far as we can, and enjoy this gift."

For more information on the Guernsey Memorial Library and their programs, visit GuernseyMemorialLibrary.org or the Guernsey Memorial Library Facebook page.