To gear up for line dancing, Linda Mines took the microphone and gave instructions: “Step, one, two, three, four! Walk back, one, two, three, four. Now to the side…” 

Mines had the crowd, many in their purple “Dancing Squad” T-shirts, up on their feet on Martin Square in downtown Homewood Saturday, June 11. They kept time to the thumping beat provided by DJ 610 (Byron Love) as they moved their hips, waved their arms, clapped and followed the steps Mines taught them.

This was a special dance party, “Dancing Away Domestic Violence,” hosted by Anew: Building Beyond Violence and Abuse. Organizers called the second annual fundraiser a success. 

The event included Zumba dancing with Yvette Roberts. Dawn’s Dancing Divas came out to get the line dancing started, and new this year was cardio-drumming with Marla Dillard-Lemon of Lemon Zone Nutrition who brought 75 buckets, pairs of drum sticks and exercise balls to get participants going to a new form of exercise.

Darryl Scott of Harvey was the only man line dancing. It didn’t matter to him. “I just love dancing,” he said. “I’m here for a good time!” He stayed for the full three hours, and partnered with Roberts for cardio-drumming.

Jennifer Gabrenya, executive director of Anew, said the first year the group held the dance party it didn’t go off as planned.

“We had a tornado that day, and so we had to reschedule it and we lost part of our crowd,” she said. This year, despite the overcast sky, the party went off as planned. About 80 people were registered, although walk-ins were welcome.

Dawn’s Dancing Divas were recruited by Marydale Donald, a member of the Anew board of directors and the event organizer. Dawn Avery said her dancers go all over the South Suburbs. 

“We love coming out and doing stuff like this,” Avery said.

A line of chairs was set up for those who chose not to dance, or for those who needed a break. One dancer said she was trying to psych herself up because dancing on pavement is harder than dancing on a floor, and dancers had to watch out for the curbs.

Despite those impediments, everyone was enjoying the event. Carol Gsell,  Anew associate director, was drumming away on the exercise ball.

“That was a lot of fun,” she said afterward. “It really was a workout.”

Anew had a host of sponsors that helped them put on the event: Jassac Charitable Foundations, Inc.; Serendipity Yoga; Asian Harbor; Oil of Joy Wellness & TC, LLC; The Saucy Crab; First Savings Bank of Hegewisch; Intoxicating Styles; Thomas Photographic; and Wendy Peyton (Sherden), as well as assistance from the Village of Homewood.