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Professional dancers teach bachata dance lessons on Tuesday nights at 24e Pelham. (Reporter photos/Barton Perkins)

By BARTON PERKINS | Staff Writer

PELHAM – It’s been around a year since Pelham’s 24e started having professional dancers teach Bachata to locals, and the program has proven incredibly popular with Pelham residents. The dance lessons are the brainchild of 24e Pelham’s Community Outreach Director Libby Schropp, who wanted to add something new and different for people to do at the gym.

“I love doing things that the other gyms don’t have,” said Schropp. “So, I started thinking, and I found this professional dancer couple. They are amazing. They’ve taught us swing, salsa and now bachata.”

The classes started in the summer of 2022 and have been successful in attracting a large variety of attendees.

“I started going after I went to my brother’s wedding,” said one regular. “I was watching people dance and was too embarrassed to go up myself because I didn’t know how to dance. I promised myself I’d start attending a dance class after that, and it’s been a great experience coming here.”

The class is taught by IV Motion founders, and professional dancers, Victor Williams and Irene Naranjo.

“They really, really are very patient and fun instructors,” said Schropp, who regularly attends the classes with her husband.

Each class is started with a basic warmup, with students gradually learning increasingly elaborate steps as the class progresses. The classes are open to all experience levels and are usually attended by 15 or so people of many different ages and backgrounds.

“We’ve just been able to learn and grow and be friends with people within our church and also there in the community,” said Schropp.

As part of her role as community outreach director, Schropp hopes to one day expand the dance classes outside the gym and into the community even further.

“We’re planning on taking our dance company out to nursing homes and assisted living facilities and do some line dances with them,” said Schropp. 

Dance classes at 24e take place every Tuesday starting at 7:30 p.m. Classes are $10 per person and open to anyone 18 or older; for more information, be sure to visit:

24ehealthclubs.com

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