‘The high point of our week’

Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.

The skirt of her dress fluttered as Kiara Langan twirled under the arm of her fiance, JJ Mazur, and then settled back into the one-two-three beat of a waltz step.

It was near the end of their most recent Tuesday evening ballroom dance class at the Gather Community Space in downtown Wilkes-Barre, where the couple had been taking lessons in preparation for their wedding.

If you’re reading this later in the day on June 30, Langan and Mazur may have already exchanged vows, and perhaps are dancing their way through their reception at Edgewood Country Club in Drums.

“We took private lessons, too,” in addition to the group lessons, Langan said, noting that their instructors choreographed steps for them to perform to “All of Me” by John Lennon, which they have claimed as their song.

Elsewhere on the spacious dance floor at Gather, several other dancing couples used the waltz step to “travel” around the room — the waltz is a “traveling” dance, as is the foxtrot — occasionally stopping to watch a demonstration from instructors Amy Zavaskas and Andy McGee.

“This is our butterfly turn,” Zavaskas told the attentive students. “This is our promenade.”

Just as Langan and Mazur wanted to learn to dance for their wedding reception, it was another wedding that prompted the two instructors to learn to become better dancers.

“I was a groomsman and the bride told me I had to learn to dance,” McGee said, remembering how, years ago, “I could barely do that awkward, high-school thing where you sway back and forth.”

“We were pretty much beginners,” said Zavaskas, who was invited to the same wedding and agreed to take lessons with McGee.

Those lessons helped, to the point where the dance partners took over a class when their instructor retired. They’ve taught at other locations but are happy and grateful to be at the Gather Community Space. “Everyone here is so helpful,” Zavaskas said.

The instructors teach ballroom dance lessons every other Tuesday from 7 to 8 p.m. at Gather, where they usually devote three consecutive classes to each dance.

They’ve just finished their third class on the waltz, and after a vacation break, will likely teach a Latin dance starting July 23.

Meanshile, their students have been enjoying their Tuesday evening sessions.

“This is the high point of our week,” said Maribell Ricko of West Nanticoke, who was dancing with her husband, Robert. “It’s just beautiful.”

“We were talking about taking lessons for years and now we’re finally doing it,” said Nancy Witko of Kingston, taking a break from dancing with her husband, Norm.

“It’s a perfect setting,” Norm Witko said, adding the admission price of $10 per person is “certainly reasonable.”

Also taking the recent class were Tom Sarnoski of Wilkes-Barre and Carolyn Stachyra of Plymouth, whose favorite dances are the waltz and foxtrot; and Rose and Jim Zavaskas, who are instructor Amy’s mom and dad. Did they teach her to dance. “No, she taught us,” Rose Zavaskas said.