**The Goddard Dance Club News**

November 2004 News

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# Ballroom Dancing Helps Prevent Dementia

April 2, 2004 -- Wilmington, DE -- The United States Amateur Ballroom
Dancers Association (USABDA) invites your attention to the results of
the Einstein Aging Study, summarized in the June 19, 2003 New England
Journal of Medicine. The results of the study indicate that ballroom
dancing helps prevent dementia.

In the study, a group of 469 men and women were studied between the
years 1980 and 2001. Each member of the group gave details about how
often they participated in six brain stimulating hobbies; reading,
writing for pleasure, doing crosswords, playing musical instruments,
taking part in group discussions and playing board games and 11 physical
activities including: ballroom dancing, team sports, swimming and
bicycling.

The research team developed a scale to assess frequency of activities
each week. For each beneficial activity, the risk reduction was related
to how often it was performed. For example, people who did crosswords
four days a week had a 47% lower risk of dementia than people who only
did puzzles once a week. During the course of the study, 124 people
developed dementia, 61 developed Alzheimer\'s disease, 30 vascular
dementia (strokes), 25-mixed dementia and eight had other types of
dementia.

The researchers found that people who took part in intellectually
stimulating hobbies such as reading, playing board games or instruments
demonstrated a reduced risk of dementia. The researchers found no
significant association between physical activities and the risk of
dementia -- except for ballroom dancing. The amazing 76% risk reduction
from frequent participation in ballroom dancing by 130 avid dancers was
the highest score of all hobbies and physical activities measured in the
study.

Dr. Joe Verghese, assistant professor of neurology at Albert Einstein
College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, New York, offered the theory
that the requirements of ballroom dancing: remembering the steps, moving
in precise time to the music and adapting to the movements of one\'s
partner -- are mentally demanding exercises. Therefore ballroom dancing
offers both physical and mental stimulation.

To read more about this subject visit the United States Amateur Ballroom
Dancers Association:

> http://www.usabda.org/press_center/press_releases/
> latest_releases/2944/index.cfm

#  Special Events

Our Holiday Dinner Dance will be December 4, 2004 and will feature music
by Tony Luciano. The cost for this catered dinner will be \$35 for
members (\$40 for non-members). You MUST prepay by Saturday, November
20, 2004. Because the Holiday Dance is catered, all monies must be
received no later than November 20th in order to attend the dance.
Please make checks payable to the Goddard Dance Club.

Just added to the schedule for 2004. The Goddard Dance Club will offer a
New Year's Eve Pot Luck Dance on December 31, 2004. The cost for this
dance will be \$10 for members (\$15 for non-members) plus \$10
additional if you do not wish to bring a dish. Contact Kate Perrie (h)
410-757-1185, kate.perrie2@comcast.net

# Special Events 2005

Pot Luck dances for 2005 will be held on first and third Saturdays each
month (except December) from 7:00 to 10:00 PM. Here is a list of
upcoming dances:

> January 15, February 5, February 19, March 5, March 19, April 2, April
> 16, May 7, May 21, June 4, June 18, July 2, July 16, August 6, August
> 20

Feel free to invite guests. Everyone is welcome. However, please make
sure that everyone you invite is included on the guest list. To pass
Goddard security, members and guests must be U. S. citizens and a
picture ID is required. Contact Kate Perrie (h) 410-757-1185,
kate.perrie2@comcast.net or Martha O'Bryan (h) 301-574-3349, (w)
301-286-1412, martha.obryan@gsfc.nasa.gov. The guest list will be
submitted to Goddard Security on the Tuesday before the event.
Unfortunately, we will not be able to add any names to the list once the
list is submitted to the Security office, so please make sure to contact
Kate Perrie by the Tuesday prior to the event.

# Club Officer Elections

Nominations for 2005 Goddard Dance Club officers are now being accepted.
If you know of anyone who would like to run for any of the club officer
positions, please contact the Goddard Dance Club Nominating Committee
Chairman, Paul McCeney 301-286-6499 by November 30, 2004.

Eligible members will receive a voting package in the mail. Voting for
Club Officers can be done by mail or by casting your votes at dance
classes in December 2004. All votes will be tallied by Goddard Dance
Club Nominating Committee Chairman, Paul McCeney. Eligible voters
include all badged GSFC employees (government and contractor) and their
spouses.

# Events Around Town

-   Goddard Dance Club, Goddard Space Flight Center, Building 8
    Auditorium, dances for 2004 are listed on page one of this
    newsletter. Contact Martha O\'Bryan 301-286-1412 or 301-574-3349, or
    contact John Barker 301-614-6610 or 301-431-2626, or visit our club
    web sites (Goddard internal web site and Goddard Dance Club
    instructors public access web site)
    http://gewa.gsfc.nasa.gov/clubs/dance/goddard.htm or
    http://www.chipatwood.com

-   Davidsonville Dance Club, Davidsonville, Maryland. Ballroom dancing
    on 2nd & 4th Saturdays, Contact Curt Barrett 410 326-1668.

-   Wheaton Ballroom Dance Club, Saturday night dances with live bands,
    8:30 to 12:30 PM. Contact Ralph Krause 301-530-4790.

-   Hollywood Ballroom, Silver Spring Maryland. Ballroom dancing on
    Sunday, Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday. Call 301-622-5494 or
    http://www.hollywoodballroom.com/.

-   The Promenade Baltimore\'s Premier Dancesport Facility, 2605 Lord
    Baltimore Drive, Suites L-P, Baltimore Maryland, 410-277-0234,
    http://www.mddancesport.com/

-   Special Dance Weekends are offered several times per year. For more
    information and for brochures contact Shirley Gamber
    spgamber@starpower.net.

Visit the Goddard Dance Club web sites at

http://gewa.gsfc.nasa.gov/clubs/dance/goddard.htm

http://www.chipatwood.com

# Goddard Closing Status Codes

To find out the Goddard Space Flight Center\'s current status call
301-286-news (that would be 301-286-6397). ***Unless otherwise noted,
the Center stands at Code Green status (center is open - normal
operation).*** The only time dance club events will be canceled will be
if the center is in CODE RED status.

If you wish to be removed from this mailing list please email a Club
officer or respond to:

> Goddard Dance Club
>
> PO Box 173
>
> Glenn Dale, MD 20769

#   {#section .unnumbered}

# Goddard Dance Club Classes with Chip Atwood

# All Classes in Building 8 Auditorium 

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# Basic Ballroom Class

2-Month Wednesday series, November 3 to December 29, 2004 featuring
Foxtrot and Cha Cha

Next Series: Wednesday, January 5 to February 23, 2005

Other dances include Salsa, Waltz, Swing, Rumba, Hustle, Mambo,
Merengue, Tango, etc. as requested by participants

Rep.: Sam Floyd (w) 301-286-1683, Samuel.R.Floyd@nasa.gov

Asst. Rep.: Billie Byard, (w) 301-429-2581, (h) 410-757-9433,
bbyard@qssgroupinc.com or billiebyard@comcast.net

7:30 -- 9:30 Wednesday, Building 8 Auditorium

\$60 per person for 2 hours for 2-Month series

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# Intermediate-I Ballroom Class Intermediate-II Ballroom Class

2-Month Monday series Nov. 1 to Dec. 27, 2004 2-Month Monday series Nov.
1 to Dec. 27, 2004

Next Series: January 3 to February 28, 2005 Next Series: January 3 to
February 28, 2005

7:30 -- 8:30 Monday, Building 8 Auditorium 8:30 -- 9:30 Monday, Building
8 Auditorium

\$40 per person for series (Intermediate I only) \$40 per person for
series (Intermediate II only)

\$60 per person for both Intermediate-I and Intermediate-II per 2-Month
series

Rep.: Ed Gaddy (w) 301-286-1338, (h) 301-390-5115,
Edward.M.Gaddy@nasa.gov; egaddy@comcast.net

  ------------ -------------- -------------- ------------- -------------- ----------- -----------
  **Monday**   **November**   **December**   **January**   **February**   **March**   **April**

  **7:30**     Cha Cha        West Coast     Mambo         Swing          Waltz       Hustle
                              Swing                                                   

  **8:30**     Bossa Nova     Cha Cha        West Coast    Mambo          Swing       Waltz
                                             Swing                                    
  ------------ -------------- -------------- ------------- -------------- ----------- -----------

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# Sunday Night Ballroom Practice and Dance Variations Class

Sunday class instruction will include all levels of dancers

Sunday class will start with beginning material and include some
intermediate material later in the class

2-Month Sunday series, November 7 to December 26, 2004

Next Series: 2-Month series January 2 to February 27, 2005

> **Classes feature:**
>
> 11/7/2004 Review Disco
>
> 11/14/2004 Triple Swing
>
> 11/21/2004 Triple Swing
>
> 11/28/2004 Rev Fox Trot

12/5/2004 Mambo

12/12/2004 Mambo

12/19/2004 Rev Triple Sw

12/26/2004 Merengue

Dance Variations Class 6:00-7:00 PM

Dance Practice 7:00 --9:00 PM

Rep.: John Barker, (h) 301-431-2626, (w) 301-614-6610,
barkers@earthlink.net, John.L.Barker@nasa.gov

Asst. Rep.: Kathy Bennett, (h) 410-923-6778, KBenn26@aol.com

\$60 per 2-Month Class and/or Practice

For badged GSFC employee or member of another class (50% discount) \$30
per 2-Month

\$10 Single Night Class and/or Practice (\$50% discount for badged GSFC
employee - \$5 Single Night)

2-Hour Practice discounted prices for members taking other Goddard Dance
Club dance classes:

\$30 for 2-Month Series and \$5/night for 7-9 Sunday Practice

**For more information visit:
http://gewa.gsfc.nasa.gov/clubs/dance/goddard.htm**

**Or visit: http://www.chipatwood.com**