Dance instructor: Two bosses doesn't work

Don Harpst gives Jan Wiemers a few pointers on the rhumba. Harpst has taught ballroom dancing for years and is now offering classes once a month for couples. (Courtesy photo)

MCCOOK, Nebraska -- This is the one time when the guy is always right.

"There can't be two bosses," explained Don Harpst about ballroom dancing. Harpst, along with Liz McCarty, should know: once a month, they give lessons to couples on how to navigate dances like the rhumba, jitterbug, cha cha and tango.

The key to gliding smoothly across the floor is the man, who must be in the lead, McCarty said.

But the woman must also be able to read the lead's signals, she said, whether it's a footstep or even a look. This helps the pair anticipate the next move and not stumble over each other in the process.

"It's fun to see how the couples improve and really find each other," she said, as they start out learning the basics and then master tougher steps.

But it doesn't always begin that way.

"The first time, you see a lot of tire tracks," joked Harpst, left by the heels of men dragged reluctantly to their first lesson. But the guys soon gain confidence, he said, as they learn the difference between sliding versus stomping across the floor.

Dick Woolwine and Jan Wiemers are avid devotees of the classes and rarely miss an opportunity to attend. In fact, Woolwine once insisted on coming to the class just five days after a hernia operation.

"We did great and had a ball," he recalled, listing the jitterbug as one of his favorites. "It's two hours of exercise and fun."

Part of that has to do with the relaxed atmosphere, he believes, where everyone does their own thing at their own speed. At a recent lesson, some women dressed up in high heels while others wore flip flops.

"It's so low-key here," he said. "We all laugh at our mistakes."

For Mike and Tami Pochop, the class offers a respite on Saturday night from teenage children and 4-year-old twins.

"It's a good excuse to be in my husband's arms," Tami said. "And we're going on a cruise so we need to learn this."

But what if you have two left feet? It's like life, McCarty said.

"You get over it," she said "You use what you have. We can't teach rhythm but we can get couples to dance better than before."

Cost for the lessons is $10 per person, which goes toward rent and other expenses. Meeting at the Parish Hall at St. Alban's Episcopal Church, the group hopes to accumulate enough funds to hire a live band in the future.

To attend the next lesson, call Don Harpst at (308) 344-5303.