Thank
you to all our line dance instructors. We are aware of all the time
and effort you put into teaching us the latest fun dances. We are
also aware of your extreme patience when teaching us. We want to take
this opportunity to thank all of you for what you do. Thank you for
all your hard work - it is "much" appreciated.
Susi
Akers
Susi
Akers
grew up as a U.S. Marine Corps “brat” and has
lived
and worked across the globe, teaching middle school math and language
arts for 20+ years followed by designing and troubleshooting
internet-basMarine Corps. Sued training for the Marine Corps. Susi
and her husband Chris Helme moved to The Villages from northern
Virginia after her retirement in May 2016. Susi is convinced that her
passion for music and dance began even before birth as her talented
parents jitterbugged right up to her delivery date! Susi was hooked
from her very first line dance class in June 2016 and now teaches the
Absolute Beginner and Beginner classes at Laurel Manor on Thursday
mornings and Saturday morning’s Beginner and Beginner Plus Workshop
at SeaBreeze. She is a member of the National Teacher’s Association
for Country Western Dance and is certified in Dance Fundamentals 1-3,
but she has truly learned the most effective teaching techniques from
the many amazing line dance instructors right here in TV. When she
isn’t dancing, Susi enjoys visual arts and crafts, sailing,
visiting kids and grandkids back in Virginia and Maryland, traveling,
social and volunteer activities with her neighborhood, and, of
course, spending time with beloved husband Chris.
Val Bragg
Val
moved to The Villages in 2016 after her retired, avid golfer husband
fell in love with The Villages. She continued working full time until
retiring in 2018. In 2019, Val was introduced to line dancing and
attended various classes. In October 2021, she began honing her
instructor skills as a guest instructor. After listening to many
students’ comments, she put her teacher skills to work developing a
specialized 3-month steps program for dancers struggling with
transitioning from Absolute Beginner to Beginner Level dances,
entitled AB Plus. Val teaches this class on Thursdays at Burnsed
Recreation Center as well as guest instructing for other instructors,
and supporting organized AB/B line dancing on the squares.
Jean
Brewer
Details
Available Soon.

Teresa Bucciarelli
Line
dance instructor since 1997. Taught at Renegades Country Western
Dance and Nightclub in West Palm Beach, JR’s Buckwild in Palm Beach
Gardens and various other venues. Originally from South Jersey,
Florida resident for 38 years. Moved to The Villages full time in
October 2022. “As music and dance are my passions, I look forward
to sharing them with others in my classes. I am sincerely thankful
for this opportunity”.
Darlene
Burdin
My
husband, Carl, and I moved to The Villages from Maine in Sept. of
2011. Initially we returned to Maine for the summer months, but after
three years decided to make this our full-time home. In my "Pre-Villages/Pre-Retirement" life, I enjoyed a 33-year career in education serving in two Main school districts in roles as classroom teacher, school principal, and superintendent of schools. Once
here, I began taking line dance classes and have been “hooked”
ever since. I initially started subbing for other
teachers, and then took over the Lake Miona class on a regular basis
from another instructor in 2016. I currently teach 4 classes weekly
ranging from beginner through intermediate levels. When
not dancing, I enjoy playing cards, doing puzzles, shopping,
traveling, and spending time with Carl and our golden retriever,
Brinkley.
Diane Ellis
When
she was in her twenties, Diane ran an Arthur Murray ballroom dance
studio in Rhode Island. She met her husband, Chris, while he was
taking dance lessons. But, Diane never loved ballroom dancing the way
she loves line dancing. Shortly after being introduced to this
wonderful activity, she began teaching anyone who wanted to learn and
realized that she was passionate about teaching, and specifically,
making it accessible to everyone -- even those who think they have
two left feet. Diane teaches a 2-month Introduction to Line Dance Steps class (Pre-Level 1, 1 p.m. ) at Rohan on Tuesdays. That course runs for two
months, then begins again the first Tuesday of Jan, March, May, July,
Sept. and Nov. Upon “graduation,” attendees will feel
well-prepared to attend any of the Absolute Beginner classes.
Diane
and Chris moved here full-time in 2018, where she continued to work,
remotely, as a grant writer for an inner-city school in Providence,
R.I. She retired in December 2020. She enjoys pickleball, bicycling,
Texas Hold ‘Em poker, and golfing with Chris.
Sue
Enzmann
I'm
originally
from Long Island New York, we moved to Colorado in 1991. My
husband Doug and I retired to The Villages in 2012 and I started
taking Line Dance Classes. As
the years went by and I moved along with different instructors I
found myself going back to the AB levels to help others. During
Covid, while practicing with friends in my garage, I started inviting
my neighbors. Our
little group kept growing. We
danced in the street all summer long and in September I was able to
reserve a room at Water Lily Recreation Center and opened the class
to others. I teach AB Level 1 Monday
at Water Lily from 8:30
- 9:45. Tuesday
at Lake Miona from 12:00
- 1:00.
Helen
Hamlett
Details
available soon.
Sue
Heller
Sue
Heller grew up in Maryland and moved to Indiana as an Adult. She and
her husband moved to The Villages In 2013. Sue retired from a 44 year
nursing career working in a variety of positions including
Medical/Surgery, Oncology, Hospice, and working with computers and
teaching people how to design and use medical software in hospitals.
Sue and her husband have 7 children and 13 grandchildren. Sue started
teaching line dance classes in 2017 right after retiring. She teaches
an Absolute Beginner through Improver at Canal Street Recreation
Center on Wednesdays and Beginner through Improver at Truman
Recreation Center Fridays.
Silvia High
My husband Scot and I retired to The Villages in March of 2017 from Illinois where we owned our own business. My introduction to line dancing was at the town squares where I frequently went to watch the bands playing. Then in July of 2018, I went to my 1st line dance class and fell in love with it. I was all in as I explored the higher levels being taught and began dancing at the squares. I
stepped into another instructors time slot on Fridays at Canal in
October, 2020 for the intermediate level. Then I added a new
beginner/improver class at Aviary on Mondays in March, 2021. I
try to incorporate dances with unique steps and offer a wide variety of
music. My teaches are at a bit faster pace than the norm.
Jan
Hilgenfeld
Dennis
and I moved to The Villages full time in Nov. 2005. We have two boys
living in Winchester, Virginia. I started teaching line dancing in
2006. And over the years have acquired more classes. I enjoy golf and
games, as well as the dancing.
Sherry
Kemp
Details
available soon.
Bob
Mast
My
wife and I were looking for activities that we could do together in
the evening to keep our body and mind active – we looked at a lot
of dance forms and ended up finding that line dance suited us both.
Not only does it provide physical and mental exercise, it is also
social. We developed friendships with other dancers which we still
maintain to this day.
I
began my line dancing in the mid 90’s. Started my own club
and evolved into competition dancing with the UCWDC including
competing in the 2003 Worlds and qualifying for the 2004 Worlds. An
accident and bad back surgery ended my competition days but did not
end my ability to teach and pass on what I learned as a competition
dancer to new people who wish to get involved with a sport which I
think is the best for people of all ages. Before coming to the
villages, I taught at the adult school in Morristown, NJ and gave an
accredited class in line dancing under the phys-ed department at
Fairleigh Dickinson (our local university). I look forward to
passing on my enthusiasm and knowledge to new people who wish to
learn this sport. My focus is to give the new (or confused) dancer
the basic tools necessary to achieve whatever level they
wish in this excellent sport.

Micki MacCumbee
Micki
MacCumbee is from Towson/Parkville, MD. Micki and her husband Mac
moved to The Villages in 2008 and live in The Village of Hemingway.
We have two sons, two grandsons and two granddaughters. Son Scott
(and his wife Rachel) are both Captains in the USCG and live in
Alameda, CA with grandsons Anthony (19) and Reed (17). Son Cory is a
Commander in the USN and lives in Chesapeake, VA with his wife Liz (a
project analyst) and granddaughters Emma (6) and Raye (4). Moving to
FL so Mac could play golf and other outdoor sports, Micki had two
prerequisites: 1) that they do the patterned partner (line) dancing,
and (2) that she have her sewing room. Right away they started
learning patterned partner dances and still enjoy dancing at the
squares together, especially to the country music bands. Micki line
danced every day with all the wonderful instructors here, learning
and loving line dancing for its memory and fitness benefits. Micki
is absolutely happy to share her knowledge and enthusiasm now as a
line dance instructor! Micki got her sewing room and started a
sewing club, Fabric Fun, in 2009 Fabric Fun meets every Saturday
at SeaBreeze 1-4 pm.
Lisa McCammon
I attended my first line dance class in 2002. I
started writing dances and competed my first choreography at a UCWDC
event in Dallas, where it won first place in its category and best dance
overall. My dances also won 2nd and
3rd place at the UCWDC World Championships, and Don't Stay,
co-choreographed with Brenda Shatto, won first place at the Las Vegas
Dance Explosion. At last
count I have published more than 100 dances, some of which have been
taught at events by prominent instructors and in classes locally and
internationally. I saw a need and began posting simple tutorial videos,
which now number more than 300. Peter and I moved to The Villages in
July, 2010, and I began teaching two 3-hour mixed (AB through I-A)
classes in August. As of August 2021, my only line dance class is
through the Enrichment Academy. Throughout my eleven years of teaching
rec department classes in The Villages, I always emphasized the “dance”
in line dance. Late in 2020 I also began teaching a class in cardio
drumming. Click here to view Lisa’s website.
Sandy
McDonald
My
husband, Duey and I moved to The Villages in 2002 from a little town
in Michigan called Vermontville. We have 3 sons and just
celebrated our 60th anniversary. I have an addiction
and it’s called “line dancing”. I always tell my
class to “learn the steps and you can do the dances”. I
teach easy dances that people can dance on the square.
Darlene
Miller
My
husband Jeff and I moved to The Villages in1999 from Rochester New
York. In my life before. The Villages, I was Postmaster in Marion New
York. I fell in love with line dancing when I moved here and started
taking classes. By 2002 I was subbing for instructors, and from
2004-2018 taught with the Villages Lifestyle Program (recreation
dept). I have taught at
workshops, on cruises, for senior programs and in other retirement
communities. I currently teach for Prestige 55, the senior program
for Advent Health (formerly Munroe Regional Medical Center). I am now
teaching classes with The Enrichment Academy. My philosophy is that
it doesn’t matter what level you dance at, just as long as you
dance. It is all good. Dancing makes your feet smile.
Lola Miller
Lola
teaches a beginner/beginner plus class on Monday’s at Captiva
Recreation Center and a Beginner Plus/Improver class on Saturday’s
at Truman Recreation Center.
Dean
Ouellette
Details
available soon.
Bonnie Schnelle
Bonnie
moved into the village of Richmond in October of 2022. She moved here
from Hamilton, Ohio, a town just north of Cincinnati where she was
very active in the line dance community for 12 plus years. She worked
one night a week in a dance studio and attended classes twice a week
where she learned all levels of dance, from ultra beginner to
advanced. “We had a very strong line dance community. Several times
a week a large group of our line dancers would find somewhere to
dance, either dancing to somewhere with a band or attending a local
Saturday night dance for line dancers in the community”. After
moving to the villages she wanted to continue line dancing but
noticed most of the classes were offered during the day. Bonnie
still works full time remotely as a Business Analyst, so she really
wanted to find an evening line dance class through the week to
accommodate her schedule. “I felt evening line dance classes were
very limited here in the Villages. That’s when I decided to teach
an evening class for us residents who are still working during the
day or just wanted an evening class. The response has been wonderful.
My students have been very appreciative and positive. I have enjoyed
teaching and have had so much fun. I love that the villages has a
strong line dance community like back in Cincinnati. I’m excited to
be here and excited to share my love of line dancing with others”. Click here to view Bonnie's Facebook Page.
Carol
Simmons
Carol
Hails from UK her mom an American has Lived in UK & Orlando. She
danced ballroom/Latin/ jive/tap/ etc. She’s a Certified member of
BWDA (Best Western Dance Academy ) and UKA (United Kingdom Alliance
(Dance Drama Exercise). She first started teaching line dancing some
30+ yrs ago– in their community in Orlando. When her mom was sick
and Carol covered the Class and after a few sessions realized she
enjoyed it and opened a few classes. Carol moved to the
Villages when there were just 3 other instructors who taught through
the college. She Applied for a room –and was given Southside pool.
After a while the group grew too big for the room and she was given
Pimlico where she teaches Wednesdays starting 6.30 pm 1 hr
beginners & progresses to Improver/intermediate. A short time
after that she was asked to teach Mondays at Hibiscus same format.
She also hosts (DJs’) Fridays socials mainly at Pimlico.
When not dancing Carol likes to play Golf/Bowls /socialize/ &
eating out! Carol spends November to May here in Villages and May to
November in the UK where she has classes and hosts Monthly socials.
Ruth
Ann Strickland
Ruth
Ann Strickland was a teacher of public administration, American
national government and state and local government at University of
South Carolina and later Appalachian State University. Teaching
traditional and adult learners how to pursue public service careers
was the joy of her life, until she found line dancing. After moving
to the Villages with her husband in October of 2015, she looked for
clubs and activities, and her lifetime love of dancing made line
dance a natural choice. She learned everything she knows about line
dancing from the wonderful instructors at The villages. She offers an
Absolute Beginner/Beginner class every Saturday at Rohan Recreation
Center from 1:00 pm until 3:20 pm (beginning June 15th, 2019).
Jim
& Mary Stuart

Jim
and Mary Stuart retired in March 2018 and moved from Anderson,
Indiana to the Village of Fenney. Jim retired as a Trust Investment
officer at First Merchants Private Wealth Advisors. Mary retired from
Medical Technology from Point of Care Lab Oversight at St Vincent
Anderson and four satellite labs. Jim and Mary met at DePauw
University in Indiana. They married while Jim was at the University
of Illinois in law school. They have two sons, Phillip a reporter
with The Villages Daily Sun and Jeff. Phill graduated from Ball State
University then spent 5 years in the Navy. Jeff and his wife Ash are
PhD graduates from Purdue and work at the Jet Propulsion Lab for
NASA.
Jim
and Mary started Line Dancing soon after their move to The Villages.
Both are thankful for the training they received from Fran Whitman.
When Fran was unable to teach she reached out to us. Our class
has been very supportive and are glad that the Beginner Wednesday AM
class at the Fenney Recreation Center is continuing. Like all
who line dance each step, sequence of steps, and dance is a learning
experience. Our goal is to make it fun and enjoyable to all who come.
Jan
Walter
Jan
Walter grew up a cowgirl in Colorado Springs, where she danced
country and western dances. She and her husband Jim moved to The
Villages from Denver in 2005. Jan retired from a 35-year career as a
global project manager with IBM in 2013. After retirement, she
started taking line dance classes four days a week. In 2014, she
began hosting an informal practice class. She teaches an absolute
Beginner and Beginnerclass and a Beginner Plus / Low Intermediate
class at Laurel Manor Recreation Center. From May to November, she
teaches Absolute Beginner through Low Intermediate at Pimlico. Jan is
a member of NTA (National Teacher’s Association for Country Western
Dance) and is certified in Dance Fundamentals 1, 2 & 3. She and
Jim have one son and daughter-in-law who live in Colorado.