After 15 years as a line dance instructor in The Villages, Jean Brewer is retiring to start a new phase of her life.
Many of her devoted followers call her the “Energizer Bunny.”
Brewer taught a four-hour class on Thursdays, each hour geared toward a different skill level and a two-hour class on Tuesdays.
In addition, she planned monthly dance socials, arranged for guest choreographers of international acclaim to hold workshops and often scheduled her travel time around her class schedule – all as a volunteer.
Brewer will now divide her time between Hendersonville, N.C. and The Villages.
Brewer’s student Hallie Deutsch organized a surprise going-away party.
On Sunday, Sept. 27 more than 200 of Brewer’s current and former students gathered at Colony Cottage Recreation Center to say good-bye and wish her well. Brewer’s students presented her with a Pandora bracelet, a scrapbook and other mementos of their times together.
“Dedicated and very patient” is how student Donna Theeck described Brewer, commenting that she must have drawn on her experience as a former first-grade teacher to help all the beginning students.
“I did it because of the enthusiasm of the dancers and seeing the smiles on their faces when they got the steps,” Brewer said of her long career as a volunteer.
Brewer and her husband have decided to divide their time between North Carolina and The Villages in order to “create lasting family memories with our children and grandchildren.”
Leaving her classes was the hardest part about making the decision to move.
Brewer has been in The Villages for 19 years, back when Spanish Springs was the only town square. After watching folks line dance on the square she decided to try it herself and started taking classes. At that time there were three classes to choose from, now there are almost too numerous too count. After a few years she was approached by an instructor to teach a class and she was hooked.
Brewer’s classes have grown along with The Villages. Starting at La Hacienda Recreation Center, then on to the Savannah Center once it was built and then to Laurel Manor Recreation Center. The day of her first class at Laurel Manor she wondered why there was such a crowd in the lobby. She was stunned to learn that 387 students had shown up for the new line dancing class. Quickly she divided into two classes, then three and eventually to her current four.
In addition to teaching, Brewer attends other classes. Touting not only the physical but also the mental benefits of line dancing, Brewer dances between 20 and 30 hours each week.
Although Brewer’s leaving is the end of an era, she is leaving her program in very capable hands. Sandy McDonald and Marlyn Marszleck will teach her classes and also plan to continue the monthly socials.