As if raising three children and working full-time as director of public relations for Bethesda Hospital Foundation isn’t enough, Kristin Calder has added rigorous dance training to her already overflowing plate.
But it’s not just for the fun of it. Like the other seven dancers from the community who will participate at this Friday’s Boca Ballroom Battle to benefit the George Snow Scholarship Fund, the Boynton Beach resident is on a mission—one for which her family, at times, has had to clear the room.
“There’s a lot more dancing in the house,” says the Boynton Beach resident. “The kitchen, the family room and all the areas in between actually make great mini ballrooms.”
Outside of cotillion classes in sixth grade, Calder, 39, never has had formal dance training. “It’s more than just learning a dance, it’s learning the choreography,” she says. “Making sure your foot is the right way and that all your weight is shifted to the right place.”
Calder’s training began with group dance classes in May. In June, she was paired with her professional dance partner, A.J. Molter, with whom she meets two to three times a week for 40-minute lessons. “He’s always on and ready to dance,” Calder says of Molter, who instructs out of Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Boca. “We’re very reflective of each other. There’s lots of energy bouncing back and forth.”
Keeping this busy is par for the course for Calder, a former president of theJunior League of Boca Raton. But the practice time for Friday’s Battle has been especially challenging given that she and husband Glen have a 5-month-old. Calder says that the hectic schedule has been worth it.
“This is going to be one of the most entertaining and engaging [Ballroom Battles],” she says of the movie-themed competition, which will feature one group dance and the eight individual numbers. As for her theme, Calder remains mum. “It’s going to be a surprise. But the audience will be impressed.”
Since her training began, Calder has learned the importance of enjoying the moment. “Olympic athletes train for four years and then they have three minutes,” Calder says. “For us, it’s four months and three minutes.
“I’m going to enjoy every minute and embrace every aspect.”
For more information on Friday night’s Boca Ballroom Battle at the Boca Raton Resort & Club, visit www.ballroombattle.com or call
561/347-6799.
