February Student of the Month – Annette Potnick

At times life changes causes us to put our passions on hold. Whether they were pursued as an adult or during childhood, when those passions are for dance they never fade away.

Meet Annette Potnick who has decided to revisit her passion for dancing after many years off the dance floor.

Annette became a Fred Astaire student about a month ago but she has enjoyed dancing since she was a child. In high school she went dancing often on Friday nights during the summer, while in college she enjoyed going out with friends to hear live bands and dance. When she and her husband married they took Disco dance lessons as a couple. Shortly after, they started growing their family and working long hours which made them unable to continue the dance lessons. Although the years went by, Annette’s passion for dance remained strong in her soul. For the past seven years Annette has been line dancing, which she decided to take up once she retired after 35 years as a middle school science teacher. After her husband’s recent passing, Annette decided she wanted to expand her dance repertoire and learn ballroom dance.

Annette takes four private lessons and three group classes a week. She loves how dance makes her feel while being introduced to new and diverse dance patterns. It is important to be educated on what rhythms, patterns and techniques go with which dances but there are many other life-enhancing benefits to be gained by taking lessons. Learning to ballroom dance has helped Annette to relax, smile more, and build confidence.

“Not only is it great exercise, it stimulates the mind and it’s fun, she said. You also get to make new friends who share the same passion for dance,” she added.

Annette is a prime example of how it is never too late to pursue the things that you are passionate about and pursue your dreams. She credits the Westerville instructors as the experts who make it easy to learn the steps and gain more confidence as one blossoms into a ballroom dancer.

Off the dance floor, Annette enjoys traveling, reading, exercising, riding bikes, going out to eat, and playing board and card games. She has a son, daughter, and 4 grandchildren who live in Columbus.