By Reginald Allen
Special to The Birmingham Times
The Sixth Avenue Sliders, a local line-dancing ministry, celebrated its four year anniversary with a special cardio and ballroom dance workshop Saturday, Sept. 1 at Sixth Avenue Baptist Church. The festivities featured special appearances from music and film producer DJ Maestro, recording artist Kyle Simpson and international ballroom instructor Mr. Smooth.
Held in the Fellowship Hall, the event drew more than 200 attendees and was more than a commemoration of the group’s anniversary. It also promoted wellness and alternatives to supplement basic workout routines.
“Line dancing is a great way to exercise without really realizing how much energy you’re exerting [and] having a good time,” said Kimberly R. Lavender-Jones, a rotational instructor for the Sliders.
Throughout the celebration, DJ Maestro demonstrated various line dances, or choreographed dances with repeated sequences, while Mr. Smooth demonstrated simple ballroom style moves.
“Today is just a day of fitness and fun. It’s a lot of cardio that we’re going to be doing,” said Lois Germany, President and Founder of the Sixth Avenue Sliders dance ministry. “We want everyone up and moving. The reason I partnered with [DJ] Maestro is because . . . he keeps it simple. A 10 year-old can do a line dance.”
The Sixth Avenue Sliders meet every Saturday from 10-11 a.m. in the church’s fellowship hall. Classes are free and open to ages 3 and up. For information email Lois Germany at Lsgrm@aol.com.
