Dancing with heart
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Tillsonburg residents of all ages came out for the Dance For Heart fundraiser Saturday afternoon at the Tillsonburg Community Centre.
“Dance For Heart is a large fundraiser put on by the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Our goal today is to host a community event that creates awareness for heart and stroke as well as bring everyone together,” said Jodi Aspden, program coordinator with the Tillsonburg Community Centre.
“It’s a great way for the community to stay healthy, to stay fit and to learn what is available in our community when it comes to dance or fitness activities, where you can go and what classes you can take.”
The Tillsonburg Community Centre partnered with the Tillsonburg Seniors Centre, Imagine Dance and Fitness, Indigo Lounge and the Heart and Stroke Foundation to provide an afternoon of fun, dance and physical fitness.
Approximately 100 residents took part in activities that included hip hop, ballroom dancing, clogging, line dancing, zumba, yoga dance and bounce fit.
Donna Burditt, also with the Tillsonburg Community Centre said Dance For Heart is an event that is returning to Tillsonburg after some changes several years ago.
“We had Dance For Heart many, many years ago here at the community centre in the 1990’s,” she said. “Then it turned over to Fit For Heart, but we wanted to get all the other groups involved to bring back the Dance For Heart.”
Partnering businesses and organizations, provided participants with demonstrations and instruction, as well as information on maintaining a healthy lifestyle and resources for dance and fitness activities in Tillsonburg.
Pam Brown, area manager for the Brant, Haldimand, Norfolk and Tillsonburg areas with the Heart and Stroke Foundation, said that Dance For Heart is an enjoyable event for everyone and helps share an important message.
“This is one of our fit events and it’s events like this that bring awareness (about heart and stroke),” said Brown. “It’s a fundraiser and money raised goes towards research, education and advocacy.”
Brown said it’s good to see the amount of support both the Heart and Stroke Foundation and an event like Dance For Heart receives in Tillsonburg.
“We appreciate the Town of Tillsonburg and all the support we have here. We have our door-to-door campaign in February and we have our Big Bike event coming up next month – they’ve always supported us very kindly,” said Brown.
“It’s a great time to come out and experience all the different types of dancing they have today and support a great cause.”