THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, March 13, 1996 TAG: 9603120117
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY ALEXIS M. SMITH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 131 lines
THEY DO A LITTLE side step called a ``twinkle,'' tap their toes, swing their arms and wiggle their hips.
Some call it Wednesday night therapy. Others claim it's more fun than aerobics. But it's best described as country line dancing.
And when Nita Chunn calls them to attention looking like so many rows of corn, the 165 country line dancers start ``horsin' around'' to strains of ``Boot Scootin' Boogie.''
For five years, Nita and Gene Chunn of Norfolk have been active members of Boots and Bows, a country dance group. Nita teaches beginner and intermediate classes of line dancing on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights at Pembroke Elementary and Bayside Middle schools.
For $2 and two hours a session, participants can dance the night away or at least learn to shuffle across the floor in style.
On a recent Wednesday night, Nita Chunn was on stage at Pembroke Elementary ready to instruct her pupils. Dressed in a blue denim skirt, white blouse and white fringe boots, she was about to teach them the ``four corner waltz,'' the ``J walk'' and ``horsin' around.''
All eyes watched as she called the class to attention. ``OK now, it's 1-2-3-4-5-6, cross 2-3, cross 2-3, cross back 2-3, twice.''
``Let's put on a little music and give it a try,'' Chunn said.
With looks of confidence and confusion the class began to move together to the beat.
``Oh no,'' groaned a woman in the front row. ``I can't get this right.''
``Look back this way, I hear that groaning,'' Chunn said, leading the group through the moves.
After a few more practice runs most everyone appeared to scoot in sync.
Kitty and Tom Porath moved like pros.
``This is a good winter thing to do and cheap,'' Tom Porath explained. ``I'm in the Navy, and when I'm out to sea this is a safe place for my wife to come.''
Every week Chunn chooses a few line dances to teach her class. ``There are thousands of line dances,'' she said. ``I subscribe to `Step By Step,' and `Country Dance Lines,' and every month new ones are introduced.''
Lorraine Patterson, proud of the fact that she is a 70-year-old dancer, attends Chunn's weekly line dancing classes with her three daughters - Sue Stamm, 49; Sandy Hardy, 48; and Linda Charlton, 50.
``I started in July and it sure beats sitting at home,'' Patterson said. ``It's good exercise and you meet lots of really nice folks. I'd dance seven nights a week.''
Scott Beach, 8, was there with his mom, Georgia. With hands in his pockets and an intent expression on his face, he did his scoot step in perfect time to the music. ``I know all these dances,'' he said proudly.
Line dances are one form of country dancing. Two others are square and round dancing.
The Riptides, one of several area groups, meet every Friday night at Bayside Presbyterian Church to practice their squares and rounds.
The evening starts with round dancing, which is more like ballroom dancing incorporating steps like the fox trot. The music is paced slower while the dancers move in a circle around the dance floor.
But square dancing has a curriculum to follow. It takes about a year to learn, and the full course costs about $100 depending on the club.
Some of the women's brightly colored dresses, puffed out with crinoline, are created from satin or gingham. Some of the men dress in western shirts that match their partners' skirts.
``There's a lot to learn,'' said Sandy Allen of the Riptides. ``But one thing about it, once you get the costume on you don't know the difference between a doctor and a garage mechanic, and we have both in our group.''
Another difference between line dancing and the round and square variety is that the latter requires a caller to lead.
Two of the callers this night were Matt Worley and Elbert Harrison.
Worley, 28, learned calling around age 4 listening to his father and traveling to the dances with him.
Worley, a Virginia Beach resident, is employed by Brinks Inc., but hopes to make calling a full-time career.
Since he and Harrison have teamed up doing something a little different, called harmonizing, the demand for their time has increased.
``It's something different that not many callers do,'' said Sandy Allen. ``When they do their calling, they harmonize their calls together.''
Claudia Harrison travels with her husband, Elbert, who is 50.
``Elbert calls to all the songs on the radio. It's impossible to listen to the radio at home without him adding his calls,'' she said, then laughed. ``I don't know the words to some songs, but I know the calls.''
Eric Jaworski, a full-time Spanish teacher in Virginia Beach, also calls and dances. Since age 13 when his mother had to drive him from place to place, he was calling squares and rounds.
Now 26, he teaches round and square dancing during the evenings.
At the mid-point in the dancing a break was announced for a pot-luck chili supper with all the fixin's.
With everything from chili to side dishes to dessert, the line formed to the right - the food line, that is.
Lottie and Dewey Murray, 72 and 76, were among those who queued up to the buffet. They have been married for 50 years.
They square dance around the country and into Canada hauling their trailer behind.
``We've been in every state but Alaska,'' Dewey proudly admitted. ``We've even been to Bermuda.''
``I'd say it keeps me in shape except for the pot-luck suppers at every dance,'' Lottie added with a laugh. ILLUSTRATION: [Cover, Color photo]
COUNTRY DANCING
Staff photos by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
Lou Waintright, Dick Rice, Pat Rice, Alice Wainright and Sharon
Burkholder take a break from the dancing to partake in a pot-luck
chili supper with all the fixin's.
Phyllis Mausolf of Norfolk, a member of Boots and Bows Country Line
Dancing group, takes part in the fun during dance classes on a
Monday night at Pembroke Elementary School.
The Riptides, one of several area groups, meet every Friday night at
Bayside Presbyterian Church to practice their squares and rounds.
Round dancing, with its slower-paced music, is similar to ballroom
dancing.
WANT TO DANCE?
For more information about country line dancing, check out the
DANCE listings in today's Beach Break on pages 6 and 7. Also, the
Virginia State Square and Round Dance Convention will be held May 9
to 11 at the Founders Inn with the Virginia State Callers
Association. To register, call Bill or Carol Lloyd at 479-2665.
On the cover: Anne Thompson of Virginia Beach, a member of the
Riptides, dances at the Bayside Presbyterian Church
by CNB