Line dance instructor, 83, inspires many before retiring

By Teresa Stowell of the Daily Times staff
Friday, December 26, 2008 12:41 PM CST

Rita Ensminger, 83, of Watertown, is pictured above teaching one of her last line dancing classes before retiring. She started the class in 2004 that expanded to classes offered in Lake Mills and Jefferson. (JOHN HART/Daily Times)

With fast tunes flowing from the radio, Rita Ensminger, 83, of Watertown, moved her feet rhythmically in a line to the sound of the music. She's spent many hours in her kitchen practicing the moves to line dances preparing for her classes, but this week was her last preparation as an instructor - she's retired.

Ensminger is perhaps one of the oldest dancing instructors Madison Area Technical College Watertown has ever had. She's credited with starting up a line dance class at the Carl Fischer Center at Marquardt Manor in 2004 that became so popular that the class expanded from Watertown to classes in Jefferson and Lake Mills.

Although she's in her 80s her quick feet still out do those of her students who are mostly in their 60s. She says it's an excellent activity for the young and the old.

“It's important for people to line dance,” Ensminger said. “Line dancing has so many benefits including exercise, physical coordination, stamina, style, balance and social activity. It's proven that dancing is the best thing to do for your health.”

Ensminger grew up on a dairy farm near Brighton. During her teen years dancing was a social event that almost everyone took part in. After working as an administrative secretary for a number of years she took a few dance classes at the Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Madison. Eventually she decided teaching dance was her calling and became an accredited dance instructor.

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“I realized I found my niche. Dancing was so much more interesting than sitting behind a desk,” she said.

For seven years she worked as a dance analyst and counselor for Arthur Murray Dance Studios teaching ballroom dances such as the fox trot, swing, cha-cha, quick step and rumba. From Madison she traveled to other states through the dance studio teaching in Rockford, Ill., Des Moines, Iowa, and Omaha, Neb. Eventually she met her husband Ralph “Bud”, gave up teaching dance for awhile and moved to Texas. After Bud passed away Ensminger decided she wanted to get back into teaching and began choreographing her own dances.

“At the time I didn't know anything about line dancing and here I was creating my own patterns,” she said. “Then I learned there was a line dancing class and I took some classes and decided to teach.”

Ensminger taught line dancing in Dallas, Texas and Garland, Texas, for 15 years before she returned to Wisconsin to be closer to family. When she moved to the Marquardt Village in Watertown, she decided to offer her dance teaching skills and through MATC started line dancing classes.

“She had a real knack for teaching and people really did learn to like her and her style,” Joan Genz, Karl Fischer Activity Center activity director, said. “She's a very dedicated and sincere person about her line dancing.”

Ensminger takes the activity seriously and enjoys educating as many people as she can about the hobby that entertains people throughout the world

“It's an international sport and many people don't realize it,” Ensminger said. “A group of us from Watertown attended a weekend workshop in Chicago in October with thousands of others from throughout the world where professional instructors taught different line dances.”

Ensminger said there are 72,000 line dances available for people to learn. She has created and choreographed eight of her own line dances. She subscribes to the World Line Dance Newsletter that comes via e-mail daily. Another little fact about line dancing that she says many may not realize is that it's not just for country music lovers and is not for just senior citizens.

“Line dancing has become popular for all different types of music particularly Latin music,” Ensminger said. “You can really line dance to any type of music even rock or rap. Music is music and rhythms of music give a different feel and let you do different line dances. Many people probably know how to do the electric slide, which is one of the original line dances.”

With so many line dances available to learn, Ensminger is not only constantly teaching her students but she's also always learning new line dances. She said dancing helps keep her young at heart.

“Line dancing is not only great for physical activity it is also a great memory activity,” Ensminger said. “I always tell my students that there's an imaginary basket outside the door and they need to drop off all their problems at the basket because they're going to need to remember patterns and focus on their steps.”

Leaving their problems at the door to focus on dancing was just what Rita Wachowiak, of Johnson Creek, needed after her husband passed away. She took Ensminger's class as a way to get out of the house and try something new. She's stuck with it ever since.

“When Rita told us to put all of our troubles and worries at the door and just come and dance it was just what I needed. It was good therapy for me,” Wachowiak said. “I didn't think I'd go more than once but I just loved it. Rita makes everything such fun.”

Ensminger not only started the classes but she also formed a group that did performances at nursing homes, hospitals and other special occasions. Wachowiak also became a member of the performing group.

Although Ensminger is retiring from teaching line dancing she doesn't plan to hang up her dancing shoes. She's signed up for a number of line dancing classes in Lake Mills taught by one of her original students Carol Brubaker, of Lake Mills. Ensminger's first class in Lake Mills has now expanded to six classes being offered some of which are attended by young people.

“She has taught me everything I know about line dancing. She's my mentor,” Brubaker said.

Current and former students of Ensminger's threw a retirement party for her that was four hours of food and dancing.

“I couldn't have done any of this if it wasn't for my students. They deserve the credit,” Ensminger said. “I just wanted to share what I know about dancing. I believe people who are the happiest are those who are involved in music and dance.”