Image Up Advertising & Design

14 | OHCC LIVING | MARCH 2026 | We kicked off the year by welcoming over 50-line dancers to our free beginner class on Jan. 13! As Club President Drora Oren shared, it was full of fun and good energy. This month, we're spotlighting the person behind that energy — our instructor, Christine Alesiani. Although Christine earned her degree in organizational communication from the University of Texas, her career has been rooted in fitness. She joined OHCC in 2008 as a cardio-dance/aerobics instructor and later stepped into line dancing when the opportunity arose. She "jumped in blindly" but filled with curiosity and dedication — learning as she went and developing a deep respect for beginners that still shapes her teaching style today. Christine's main goal in teaching line dance is simple: for everyone to have fun and feel joyful. She believes dance is "nature's joy," with physical benefits as a bonus. Her classes are welcoming and supportive, with dances broken down into easy-to-follow steps. She encourages dancers to "give themselves grace" as they learn and grow. Christine's most time-consuming aspect of teaching line dancing is researching new and appropriate dances across music genres, difficulty levels, and number of walls or turns used. Each class features a thoughtful mix of dances and music — from Latin and pop to country and big band. Christine carefully chooses dances based on the class size, experience level, and number of newcomers. She teaches steps without music first, listens (she can hear the missteps) and watches closely, then adds music when dancers are ready continuing to call out steps (e.g., grapevine, Lindy hop, shuffle, coaster) to keep everyone on track. When asked how she maintains her consistency, clarity, and enthusiasm Christine said, "it feels totally effortless to her" and that she feels authentically herself in these moments of teaching. Class Schedule & Fees (Abravanel Hall) • Level 1 (Beginner): Tuesday, 10:30 – 11:30 am, $5 • Level 2 (Improver): Monday, 12:30 – 2 pm, $7 • Level 3 (Intermediate): Tuesday, 12 – 1:30 pm, $10 New participants are always welcome! You may attend up to two classes (with fee) before deciding to join the club ($10 annual fee). For questions or more information, please contact Drora Oren at (801) 673-0140. Written by Jane Pimentel, Line Dance Club Publicity Director Line Dancers

• Cover