Molly PavlovichDance has graced Amy Ramser’s life since childhood. When she was five, her mother enrolled her in classes—tap, ballet, modern, a little bit of everything. Though she paused formal training in early adulthood, she never lacked the desire, nor did she ever decline the chance to dance.
In the early 2000s, ballroom dancing piqued her interest with the release of the popular show “Dancing with the Stars,” but her then-husband didn’t share her enthusiasm for learning, so she put a pin in it. When they later split, she decided to stop putting her life on hold—using a difficult time as an opportunity to reclaim her life and return to what has long brought her joy: dance.
She began taking private lessons at Arthur Murray Studios, and nearly 10 years later, she still does. Two times a week, she saunters into the studio space in downtown Lemoyne for two back-to-back 40-minute ballroom lessons. “It’s the greatest way to stay fit and healthy without feeling like you’re exercising,” said Amy, who is a future resident of our upcoming Fernecrest campus. “I experience such joy in the movement.”
Even if you don’t know Amy, you can likely tell she is a dancer from across the room, solely by the way she carries herself—a poised posture shaped by a lifetime of dance and an intertwining commitment to well-being. To equip her body with the strength and stamina needed to dance well and often, she strength trains several times a week, with a focus on core conditioning. She also walks her dogs three to five miles every day, no matter the weather—a daily rhythm that keeps her moving and energized.
Currently, she’s training for the Arthur Murray Flamingo Dance-O-Rama, taking place in Florida this September. She was asked to perform with the “pros”—a category reserved for the most skilled and seasoned performers. “It feels like such a big honor,” she said.
When asked how she has evolved as a dancer since she began taking ballroom dancing lessons, she paused before thoughtfully replying, “That’s a big question, because it’s also asking how I have evolved as a person.” Upon further reflection, she shared, “I’ve found better balance [and] I’ve learned to channel my energy—moving and pausing purposefully, in a way that has impact.” In other words, she found a joy and reclaimed a passion that nourishes both body and spirit.
