Age UK Class held on
Monday 9th December
at the Southbury Leisure Centre 1-3pm
is cancelled
The Evening class at EHCC
will be running as usual on that day
All other classes are running as usual and will
continue to do so until further notice
COMING UP:
Christmas
Party Night
Friday
6th December
All to be
held at our usual venue
Enfield
Highway Conservative Club
Hertford
Road
7.30-10.30pm
Tickets £8
and £5 for non dancers
******************************************************************************
*******************************************************
Update: 30th December 21
2021
kicked off with lock down No 3! or was it No 4? It was rather a
grim way to start the year with so much uncertainty, but being the
optimistic people we are, we soon adapted as we do and carried out
our classes on Zoom
In
May, we were given the go ahead to resumed our classes, all be it
with restrictions in place which meant split classes, but finally,
in September we were allowed to merge our classes and share the dance
floor. What a wonderful moment that was when we all got to see each
once again and it felt just like old times.
To
all of my Saddle Baggers and my Age UK class members from Southbury
and St. Aldhelms, thank you so much for working with me during these
crazy and confusing times .
And
as always, I am so so grateful for all the beautiful cards and
amazing gifts you gave me. I hope you know how much I appreciate
you all.
I
very much hope you had a wonderful Christmas with your families and
wish you all a healthy and happy New Year with lots more dancing ….
*******************************************************************
Updated 20th December 21
I am so
sorry to have to say that I will be cancelling the class this
evening!
This was
not an easy decision to make as I hate to let anybody down but I
don't think I could forgive myself if anything were to happen! I
truly believe due to the rapidly increasing cases of the omicron
variant; it is the right thing to do for our safety.
I also
know that some of you are feeling most uncomfortable and don't wish
to take the risk at the moment as I have already received messages
from dancers who have made the decision not to attend this evening.
We have
been incredibly lucky so far in that we have been able to dance
continuously since we were allowed to return in May and haven't had
to cancel any classes due to class members catching covid. So, let's
not push our luck, let's try and stay as safe as we can before we
get together with our families for Christmas.
Once
again, a huge apology and I would like to thank you all for your
understanding and support.
I will of
course keep you posted of any changes at the beginning of 2022 with
regards to our return.
I wish you
all a very Merry Christmas and a hopeful, positive and peaceful New
Year
************************************************************************
Update- 18th August 2021
Coming up..........
Yeeehaa! at last a party night to look forward to and the timing couldn't be more perfect as we will be celebrating our 25th Birthday this year.
We are all so excited - so much so that all the tickets have been sold.
Theme 'Back to the start' in other words, western style, but of course I'll leave it up to you as to how far you go with it, you may wish to go full on cowboy/girl or simply just wear a hat.
We're going to have fun going down memory lane with some really old classics but we'll also mix it up with some of our favourite modern ones of all levels.
here are the details:
25th Birthday bash!
'Back to the start'
Friday 17th September 2021
Enfield Highway Conservative Club
652 Hertford Road
EN3 6LZ
7.30 - 10.30pm
Tickets £7 - bring your own nibbles
Bar available - no drinks from outside
Don't forget your cowboy hat!!
ALSO..............
At long last we are now permitted to return to our Age UK class on Monday afternoon at Southbury Leisure Centre from Monday 6th September
Please note the new times are from 1 - 3pm
We are unable to serve drinks for the time being, so please bring a drink along with you.
For full details go to 'lessons page'
***********************************************
Update: 29th July 2021
Due to the rising numbers of the variant,
all covid-19 restrictions will remain in place for the time being.
AGE UK
I am very happy to announce that we will be returning to our
Age UK class at
Southbury Leisure Centre as of
Monday 6th September. 1-3pm.
***********************************************
Update: 11th May 2021
Finally, the news we have all been waiting for!
It is with great pleasure that I announce our return to line dancing classes as of
Monday 17th May 2021
please see 'Lessons' page for details
Unfortunately, the only class we are unable to return to at present is the Age UK mixed ability class on Monday afternoons at Southbury Leisure Centre. In the mean time we are going to carry out a one hour session on zoom every Monday from 1.30-2.30pm which is free of charge, so if you haven't already tried zoom and wish to participate, please ask for details.
We have come such a long way with regards to vaccinations but in order for us to return with complete confidence and positivity, all Covid-19 restrictions must apply as previously.
By now, you should have all received a notice from me with all the details of our return, but if you have any queries, please feel free to call, message or send me an email.
This is so exciting! I can't wait to see you all for real!
Angie
07950 493048
akiddle3@hotmail.com
**********************************************************************************
Update10th January 2021
A very
Happy New year to you all. I hope you are all keeping well and you
managed to enjoy Christmas. Once again, thank you all so much for
your beautiful cards and gifts..
Not
surprisingly, we find ourselves back in lock down, let's hope and
pray that it makes a difference. Thank goodness for the
vaccinations! It's definitely the way forward.
Luckily
enough, we still have Zoom and I will be resuming the Age UK class on
Thursday 14th January, 1.30 to 2.30pm. This class is free
of charge and is a mixture of absolute beginner up to improver level
dances only, but if like me, you consumed a huge amount of mince
pies and chocolates over Christmas, then you'll be glad of the extra
exercise. Please let me know if you are interested and I will
forward details to you.
Monday
intermediate/advance class will resume on Monday 18th
January at 7.30pm.
I will
email you the link on the day as usual.
Until
then, please take extra care and let's try and step into 2021 with
hope and positively. I very much look forward to seeing you all on
Zoom.
Best
wishes Angie
07950 493048
akiddle3@hotmail.com
**********************************
Update 18th December 2020
Here we are again at
the end of another year, but a year like no other!
Let's hope we
don't have to experience another one like it!
This year we have had
to get used to a completely new regime with so many restrictions;
split classes, one way entry systems, temperature checks, staying
apart, no hugs, music not too loud, no parties and not to mention the
dreaded face masks!! By the end of the pandemic, we will get so used
to wearing them and then we'll have to do it all in reverse and get
unused to them!
Having said all that, I
do know how incredibly lucky we are to still be healthy and well
enough to dance and for that I am truly grateful. We did manage to
get back to classes for a while which was wonderful and it gave us all
the boost we needed to keep going. Admittedly, we only learnt one or two new dances, but we did recap many of our favourites.
We were even lucky enough to fit in a sparkle/request evening. It was such a lovely evening, for a moment, it almost felt like normal!
Some of us also enjoyed
the benefit of Zoom - it was a challenge at first and it took a
while to get used to, but it has proved to be a godsend.
I'm sorry to say I very much doubt that
we will be permitted to return to classes in January as families and friends will be mixing which will probably cause another spike, but thank goodness, there is now some light at the end of the tunnel with the vaccine already being administered.
We have managed to
come this far, we just have to be a little more patient and carry on
doing what we've been doing to stay safe even if it is on Zoom.
I honestly feel that life will return to normal once again.
As always, I would like
to say a huge thank you to all of you for your patience and support
throughout this crazy year and a very special thank you to Maureen, Joyce,
and Chrys for all the help with the cleaning/door duty. I really
would not have been able to do it without you.
Christmas will be a sad
occasion for those who have been affected by this dreadful virus and
my heart goes out to you. To those of you who are lucky enough to be
healthy and well, I wish you love and happiness and hope you have a wonderful time at Christmas with your family and friends.
Here's to a happier 2021.
I will be in touch with
more information with regards to our return as soon as I am able to.
Can't wait to see you all in the New Year.
Love and best wishes to
you all Angie XX
************************************************************************************
Update - 16th December 2020
Due to tighter restrictions, the final class for this year for Age UK will be carried out on Zoom on Thursday 17th December 2020 from 1.30-2.30pm. This is a mixed ability class from absolute beginner to improver level.
Please ask for details if you wish to participate
************************************************
Update - 1st December 2020
Wonderful news for Monday evening intermediate/advance line dance class.
We have a temporary home and can meet on:
Monday 7th, 14th and 21st December.
The Enfield Highway Community Association,
117, Herford Road EN3 5JF
(Entrance via car park)
All other details remain the same as before.
Thank you all for your prompt replies.
I have now signed on the dotted line,
so I will look forward to seeing you there.
Sadly, I have been unable to find a venue for our Wednesday afternoon class. Fingers crossed, we will be able to meet in January.
As mentioned in the previous update, Tuesday morning absolute beginner classes and Thursday afternoon Age UK Class will also be running.
Please see 'Lessons' page for full details
*****************************************************************
Update - 27th November 2020
Great news!
I have been given the go ahead to resume our Tuesday morning
absolute beginner class at the
Enfield Baptist Church Cecil Road.
We have two weeks before the Christmas break
Tuesday 8th and Tuesday 15th December 2020.
The good news is that both groups can attend on both dates (one after the other), as the Hall Manager has kindly allowed us to hire the hall for a further hour. See time table below.
GROUP B, please note the time change.
Tuesday 8th and 15th December 2020
Pre-booked GROUP A - 10-11am
(30 minutes for Group A to vacate the premises.
Clean as necessary and welcome Group B)
Pre-booked GROUP B - 11.30-12.30pm
I hope you can make it, please pre-book your place as before.
Age UK
We will also return to our Thursday afternoon class at
St. Aldhelm's Church Hall,
1.30-2.30pm on 10th December 2020.
We will have one more class on Zoom on Thursday 3rd December.
On a sad note, we are unable to return to the Enfield Highway Conservative Club as they are not permitted to open at this time.
However, I am currently looking for a temporary venue we might be able to use for two weeks in December.
I haven't given up yet. Watch this space.
*******************************************************
UPDATE: 6th November 2020
ZOOM
Hello my
lovely Saddle Baggers,
I know how
sad it feels to be in lockdown once again, and not to be able to attend
our line dance classes – but thank goodness we still have ZOOM!
Let's not
waste any time and begin this Monday 9th November at
7.30pm
As previously, I will email/text you the details about an hour before we begin.
If you are
new to Zoom, it is a simple app to download. Once you have created
your account, please feel free to contact me and I will be happy to
explain how to join a meeting and have a trial run with you.
I very
much look forward to seeing you on Monday.
I will also be holding a zoom line dance class, hosted by Age UK
Every Thursday afternoon from 1.30 - 2.30pm
for beginner to improver level.
Please get in touch if you would like details
**********************************************
UPDATE: 2nd November 2020
Second National Lockdown!
Due to the second national lockdown starting from Thursday 5th November, I am sad to say, we have no option but to once again put all classes on hold from that date.
I know this feels rather disheartening right now, but it is for the best and before long, we will be back on the dance floor and having fun.
*****************************************
UPDATE - 19th October 2020
Exciting News!!
All classes, with the exception of Monday afternoon at Southbury Leisure Centre,
are still permitted to continue to operate
PLUS!
At long last we can recommence our
absolute beginner class.
To will be held at our new venue:
The Enfield Baptist Church,
Cecil Road
Enfield Town, EN2 6TG
Tuesdays from 10 - 11 am
£5 per session
Just a reminder that I am operating on a pre booking system - no walk-ins allowed and, for now, we have two groups who will attend on alternate weeks.
So, please help to keep each other safe by continuing to observe all the safety rules so we can continue
***************************************************************************
UPDATE - 28th September 2020
Despite
the recent government announcements and changes to the guidelines, I
am so happy to announce that, for now, we can continue with our line
dancing classes on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Enfield Highway
Conservative Club.
We
don't need to be reminded that COVID-19 is still very much a huge
presence in our lives and safety remains a key priority. Fortunately,
The Club have been incredibly supportive and we have been able to
work together in order for us to continue our much-loved line
dancing.
Due
to the changes (from 24th September), it has been
necessary to introduce some additional safety measures to enhance the
level of protection.
MASKS
It
is absolutely essential for us to KEEP OUR MASKS ON AT ALL TIMES!
EXCEPT, of course, WHILST WE ARE DANCING or HAVING A DRINK AT OUR TABLES.
So, this means masks to be worn when entering and leaving the club
and going to the toilet.
DRINKS
It
is a now a legal requirement for the club to adhere to table service,
so please order your drinks on arrival and Diane on Monday or Carla
on Wednesday will deliver your drinks to you at your table.
NEW
CLOSING TIME
All
clubs, cafes, bars and restaurants must be closed by10pm.
Therefore, we have made a slight time adjustment to our Monday
evening classes - please see 'Lessons page' for details
Wednesday
daytime classes will remain as is.
NHS
QR
The
club is also displaying the NHS QR poster if you have the
facility to scan, in order to collect test and trace contact details
Thursday Age UK Class at St. Aldhelm's Church Hall is also able to continue
and, again,
FACE COVERINGS MUST BE KEPT ON UNTIL WE DANCE
I have, as yet, NOT been notified as to when we can begin the class at Southbury Leisure Centre, but you will be notified as soon as we have been informed.
I feel a huge responsibility and keeping you all safe
whilst we are enjoying our dancing is a top priority during these
strange times. I think you will agree, it's a small price to pay to
help keep our physical and mental health well.
Thank
you everybody for your support and understanding and let's hope we
can work together to keep going.
Absolute Beginner Class
I am still waiting to hear from our new venue with regards to a starting date for this class.
I will contact you as soon as I hear anything
********************************************************
UPDATE - 4th September 2020
Best news ever!
Most of you already know by now, that we are resuming line dancing at the Enfield Highway Conservative Club on
Monday 7th and Wednesday 9th September 2020.
As you know, it has been necessary for me to put in place a pre booking system and those of you who are already on the list should have received an email from me regarding our return which includes adjusted timetable, list of groups and safety measures in place.
A maximum of 21 dancers are permitted at any one time so if you are not on the list, and would like to attend, please contact me to discuss.
This is a great start -
a new way of doing things,
but we'll all become used to it quickly enough.
I can't wait to see you all and get going again!
ZOOM
We will no longer be meeting for our intermediate/advance
class on Zoom on Wednesdays - (Just when we were getting used to it)!
BUT,
for the time being,
I will continue with the
ABSOLUTE BEGINNER Zoom class
every Tuesday morning at 9.30am.
Please contact me for details if you wish to participate
******************************************************************
UPDATE - 4th August 2020
THURSDAY MORNING ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS LINE DANCE CLASS
I would like to inform you that when we return to line dancing, we will no longer be meeting at St. Andrews Parish Centre.
We had eight very happy years meeting at St. Andrews and it
was very sad receiving the news, but I am informed that the Centre will be used as a much needed special needs school.
I am, however, very pleased to announce that we will be relocating to:
Enfield Baptist Church
Cecil Road, EN2 6TG
Enfield Town (behind the Library)
(See 'contact us' page for exact location)
New class time 11.30 - 12.30pm
Finding the right premises on the right day in the right location and at the right time has proved to be quite a mission. I feel incredibly lucky to have found such a beautiful venue in the same area with a very large hall which will suit us perfectly but unfortunately I had no choice but to take the only time slot available - I do hope that we can adapt to this new time.
I will, of course, inform you as soon as I have been given a start date.
ZOOM
In the meantime - seeing as our intermediate line dance class on ZOOM is proving to be so much fun, and after having received a few enquiries, I have decided to begin an absolute beginners class also.
This will take place every Tuesday morning from 9.30am. Starting from Tuesday 18th August.
Please get in touch with me if you are interested and I will add you to the list.
**********************************************
UPDATE - 10th July 2020
I have been informed that the Enfield Highway Conservative Club is due to re-open on 10th August! However, although this is a step in the right direction towards a little normality, the club is still not permitted to play music or allow any form of dancing at the moment.
I will be making arrangements to meet with them sometime during mid to late August to discuss our return.
As you probably know, the social distancing rule has gone from 2 metres to 1 metre plus, which is great news, but in order for us to stay safe we will have to return in stages. It might be necessary to reduce the class numbers, so for example, on Monday evening we may have to split the class and run two identical classes one after the other for one hour each. This will also also apply to Wednesday afternoon classes held at EHCC.
On 25th July, gyms, swimming pools and sports halls are also due to re-open. Fortunately, our Age UK class on Monday afternoon is held in the large hall at Southbury Leisure Centre, which is spacious, but again, to ensure our safety I will run two smaller classes for one hour each.
I gather that church halls are also beginning to open their doors for activities to resume and I am told that it will be the responsibility of the instructor to put safety measures in place. I would like for us all to feel confident and safe when we return and for this to happen, I think the daily figures of new corona virus cases/deaths will have to reduce somewhat.
I have been liaising with Age UK and will very much be guided by them and the government as to when it will be safe for us to return.
For me, this is positive news and I am beginning to feel that I see light at the end of the tunnel. I will, of course, keep you updated with any news as I receive it.
ZOOM!
In the meantime, as some of you know, we have been experimenting with Line Dance classes on Zoom! There have been one or two technical hitches (to say the least), but over all - with some very much needed help from a few young people! and poor Debbie who has endured many 'practice Zoom' calls - it has been great fun and we have managed to do a little dancing.
Its a very different way of doing things and we can't always rely on the internet but I'm sure it will improve as we go along and as we become more confident we can cover some of the harder dances. 'Most of all, I love seeing you all and being able to say hi. It's definitely a great way to stay connected and I'm sure you will agree better than doing nothing.
For now - I wish you all well and I look forward to posting news of a start date.
***********************************************************************************************************
EXCITING NEWS!!
Despite what I said in my last post I have since been giving it a great deal of thought and as you know, I have contacted many of you about the possibility of carrying out a class on zoom.
I am so thrilled to tell you that I've had the most amazing response from so many of you - thank you - therefore, I will begin the first class on
Tuesday 23rd June 20 from 7-8 pm
This is all very new to me, but hopefully we can work it all out together as we go along. For example, it might work better if we run two identical classes, so that there are fewer people at one time, or for anyone who is not free on Tuesdays. Or, maybe a daytime class. We have options, so lets see how we go. The main thing is that we get to do some dancing together to keep us going until we get back to some sort of normal.
I will be running through some of our favourite dances and I'm sure we'll have a bit of fun while we're at it.
I will message you again with all the details
I can't tell you how excited I am
I'm very much looking forward to seeing all your faces.
Until then, I'd better go and get practising!
***************************************************************
Hi everyone,
my apologies for not posting anything for so long, but I was rather hoping to have some news by now. I don't need to tell you that it has been so long since we danced together - far too long in fact! Our last class before
Covid-19 took over the world was on Monday 16th March. I have really missed you all..
The truth is, I have no further news to report as to when we will return. It does, of course, all depend on what happens over the next month or so and what the government allows us to do.
Due to the 2-metre distancing rule, and no vaccine as yet, dancing classes will probably be the last social gathering places to reopen. The good news for us, however, is that as you know, line dancing doesn't require you have a partner, therefore no physical contact is made, which means it might not be as long as we think! We will however, have to exercise our control when greeting each other (that's going to be a challenge, especially for me and on the first day back)!
I am a little confused as to why there are so many new dances being released at the moment! I believe there some classes running on line.
I have considered the possibility of posting on YouTube or carrying out zoom classes, which is extremely popular at the moment, especially for exercise/yoga classes but apart from the fact that so many of you don't have internet - here's the thing - I have reached the conclusion that what I miss the most is seeing you and the social side of it. I love the interaction and the banter between us, the fun and laughter whilst teaching and the atmosphere we all create together. So, whilst I am still going over dances and making sure I don't forget the steps - It's just not the same!!
Adding to that, when we do finally return, it would be good to start off by learning new dances together from the beginning. I hope you will agree.
So, what have I been doing you might ask? well, I have, like most of you, been catching up on all those jobs I've been putting off and never getting around to doing. I have done some decorating, thoroughly cleaned the house (several times), the garden is looking lush and all my precious photographs are finally in order or in an album! Yaay! I've even managed to do a 1000-piece puzzle (Thank you Maureen).
What have you all been up to? I have spoken/exchanged messages with many of you, and from what I hear so far, you are keeping as active as possible and you are healthy and well (thank goodness). Unfortunately, I don't have everybody's telephone numbers, so please feel free to call me or drop me a message just to let me know how you are. Like I said before, I am aware that lots of people don't have internet access so if you have and you're reading this, I would appreciate it if you could please pass on my contact details to anyone you might know who doesn't have internet. It'll be wonderful to hear some news.
I promise you I will be back as soon as I am able to and I will keep you posted with any developments. In the meantime, let's stay positive, this isn't going to last forever. Until then, keep active and remain healthy and well.
ANGIE 07950493058
******************************************
I regret to tell you that following the latest information and Boris's advice I have taken the decision to temporarily CANCEL ALL CLASSES
as a health and safety precaution, with the intention of reopening when it is once again safe to do so.
This is very difficult situation and I feel this is the correct thing to do.
I will, of course, keep you updated and hope to get back to normal as soon as possible.
I will miss you all but for now stay home as much as possible and keep well.
**********************************************
Announcement to all Saddle Bags class members
(DECEMBER 2016)
It is with huge sadness that I (Debbie) announce that I can no longer continue to teach, and after 20 years it is really difficult to tell you all that I finally have to hang up my boots - well, my dancing ones anyway!!
As you have all been aware, it's been a bit of struggle for me to keep up over the past few years and I have decided to concentrate on things that I can still do, rather than those I can't. Luckily for you all, the cute one (Angie), is still more than happy to continue to carry on teaching certain classes. I know she will not be alone because you are all so amazing and loyal to us, and have been for many years - which is what made it all the harder for me to make the final decision - and that you will all continue to give her your support for as long as she continues to dance with you, and teach all those wonderful dances you love so much.
Although I will, of course, miss you all on a weekly basis - I will still be around, I will come back to irritate Angie on the odd evening when the withdrawal symptoms get too much!! I will be there to help on party nights also, so we will not lose touch altogether.
As I said, it was a difficult decision to make, 20 years is a long time, we have so many memories with so many people, they have been incredibly happy years, but I know that Angie is still there to give you more of the same.
So let's make this Christmas Party another one of those happy occasions, and the New Year will be a new chapter for The Saddle Bag(s). Thank you, and love to you all, Debbie xxxx
Due to the above it is with even greater sadness we have to announce that we will be cancelling Monday evening Beginners and Thursday evening classes.
To each and everyone of you who have supported us for all these years, we are truly grateful and thankful for your loyal attendance, but as you can appreciate, it is no longer feasible for Angie to continue to run these alone.
It is an end of an era for us and is a decision that we agonised over and did not take lightly. We apologise profusely to you all and only hope that some of you may be able to attend other classes that Angie will continue to run.
************************************************
Angie: 07950 493058