Local duo builds community through line dancing
McKenna Jaster (left) and Molly Anderson pose at the Volga City Opera House after their February line dancing lesson. In the past four years, the pair has hosted monthly lessons that have grown in popularity. They share lesson dates and videos on their Facebook page,”The Boogie Bandits.”
By Kaitlyn Kuehl-Berns | Times-Register
What started as fun with friends has turned into a monthly community night of line dancing. Molly Anderson and McKenna Jaster, the duo behind the steps, didn’t plan to be instructors. They just liked to “boogie.”
Their love for dance was sparked while line dancing at a friend’s Halloween party and grew after attending barn dances in Waukon and other locations around the area.
“It kind of just became our thing,” Anderson said. “Our friend group would travel to different towns to go dance. If we heard there was a barn dance somewhere, we were going.”
After about a year of dancing recreationally with friends, the opportunity to teach arose. The Volga City Opera House was looking for ways to bring more visitors downtown, and the idea of hosting local line dance lessons came about.
Jaster recalled the first lesson. “We didn’t know if anyone would show up,” she said. “But so many people came that first night. We were like, ‘Oh my gosh, people actually care and want to do this with us.’”
What began with about a dozen participants has steadily grown, with nearly 50 dancers attending their January lesson.
The pair is back dancing at the Volga City Opera House, where it all began, but they have also held lessons at Central State Bank’s community room in Elkader and at the Rodeo and Woods Edge Golf Course in Edgewood.
“Each night is different. You never know who will show up,” said Jaster.
“We definitely have a core group that comes almost every time, but there are new people all the time too,” Anderson added.
Highlighting guests who have traveled to participate, she shared, “We’ve had people come from Cedar Rapids and even a couple hours away in Wisconsin to dance with us.”
On a typical night, the pair teaches four dances. They take turns instructing, breaking down the line dances step by step.
“We’ll go through the moves slowly, add counts, put it together in sections and repeat until everyone catches on,” Jaster explained.
After practicing without music, they run through the full routine a few times before turning on the song. Having two instructors helps, especially when dances rotate walls or change directions.
Though they keep lessons beginner-friendly, they personally know many more intermediate and advanced dances. They are constantly learning new routines and sometimes new versions of routines to the same songs.
“We probably know five versions of ‘Boot Scootin’ Boogie’ at this point,” they laughed.
Crowd favorites include “Fireball” and “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” They are reliable go-tos when the energy needs a boost.
“If something’s not going well, we’re like, ‘You know what? We need a pick-me-up. Let’s do one of those,’” Anderson said.
While it may seem intimidating at first, they stress that no experience is needed and it is OK to “fake it ’til you make it.”
One participant at their February lesson shared, “I stumble around a little bit, but I enjoy it and it’s good exercise.” At 85, she wondered if she might be the oldest dancer. The instructors said they have even had a 90-year-old participate before.
“It’s not about perfection. It’s about participation,” Jaster explained. “Most people are nervous because they think others are judging them. But everyone is so focused on their own feet, they don’t have time to judge anyone else.”
Even the instructors make mistakes.
“We mess up sometimes too. It’s fine,” Anderson said. “Just keep moving.”
Beyond learning steps, the lessons provide exercise, socialization and a reason to get out of the house, especially during the winter months.
Over time, the instructors have watched friendships form. Small groups who attend regularly now socialize outside lessons, travel to other dance events together and even meet during the week to practice.
“We’ve made friends,” they said. “And I think other people have too.”
Seeing that impact keeps them motivated.
“It just makes you feel good,” Jaster shared. “People are willing to try something different and not expect to be perfect. When everyone else is having a good time, we’re having a good time.”
“When we take breaks, people message us asking when we’re coming back. That means a lot.”
The group primarily uses Facebook to promote events and share updates. About a year ago, they created their page, The Boogie Bandits, to post lesson dates and share demo videos of dances they’ve taught. Some videos have even gained thousands of views.
“Dancing has really taken off lately,” Jaster said. “We’ve traveled to Waukon, Dyersville and Manchester, and people from those places will come to us sometimes too.”
They have also noticed the generational connection.
“The older participants like to see the younger generations doing something they grew up with,” Anderson said. “We don’t have the local ballrooms and dance halls anymore. It’s something they miss and it makes them reminisce.”
After years of hosting structured lessons, the instructors are now hoping to host a full dance night.
“We’ve been doing lessons for so long,” they said. “It would be fun to just have an actual dance and let everyone show off.”
Their next line dancing lesson is scheduled for Thursday, March 19 at 6:30 p.m. at the Volga City Opera House. Additional information and updates can be found on their Facebook page, The Boogie Bandits.
