Sescil - In Sync With Seniors And Their Exercise Needs In 2009

Feb. 8, 2009 - PRLog -- SESCIL's exercise programs are comprised of Yoga, Chi Kung, Tai Chi, Chair Yoga, Stretch & Flex, Aerobics and Belly Dancing. These groups are all led by certified instructors with a variety of life experiences, and this press release should help all those seniors, who are interested in keeping fit, to learn more about each of the classes, their respective instructors, and the particular expertise of each of them

Margaret Shapiro, whose praise is sung by all who take her class, is a registered Yoga instructor RYT500. Her class incorporates three types of yoga, Asana, breathing, Pranayama, posture and Meditation Techniques. Margaret has studied yoga for 15 years and taught for five. Her passion for Yoga began when she took a lesson while her two children were in nursery school; they are now 16 and 18 years old. Margaret says that she loves teaching the seniors at SESCIL because of their dedication and spirit.

For those not able to undertake the more strenuous Yoga regimen, SESCIL offers Chair Yoga, led by Jack Dionisio, a certified Yoga instructor for the last 10 years. Prior to his contracting Parkinson's, Jack was a transporter of antiques in NYC to clients such as the Rockefellers. Jack has volunteered to lead our Parkinson support group and has developed Chair Yoga, suited to those unable to do regular yoga, which necessitates floor work. He leads a Chair Yoga class for non-Parkinson members.

If you were to enter Norman Blagman's Chi Kung class, you would be met with loud laughter, followed by participating members' hugging each other warmly. And soon, everyone is embracing everyone else, and the room is filled with good cheer. That is the philosophy behind Chi Kung, Norman says. Positive thinking increases and feeds positive energy; negative thought depletes it. Norman has been studying with leading Chinese masters for many years and continues to do so - it's a way of life for him! Mr. Blagman's career was as a song writer and record producer. He's composed songs for Elvis Presley, and wrote for the movie The Producers to name a few of his accomplishments.

Prior to retirement, Bruce Locklin, SESCIL's Stretch and Flex instructor,"chased crooks". He had been an investigative reporter for The Record for 25 years and was the recipient of many prizes and awards as a journalist. He has been taking classes in aerobics for many years, and has been a certified instructor and specialist in exercises for seniors for over 10 years. Bruce loves to dance and starts one of his sessions with impromptu Lindy lessons, partnering all who feel like dancing. He has been a positive force at SESCIL for all his 10-plus years and has been helpful in finding many of our best instructors.

Two aerobic classes are offered at the Center, the more intense one led by Bobbye Sawatzky and a slightly milder version by Leslie Zoldan. Bobbye was born in Mississippi, lived for a while in Minnesota and then settled in Texas, where she still divides her time between New Jersey and Dallas. She was a professor of Choral Music, teaching and leading choir groups in high schools as well as colleges. Bobbye's husband was a commercial airline pilot with Continental Airlines, which enables them to travel between the two parts of the country with ease. Bobbye has been a certified aerobic teacher for the last 15 years and has been with SESCIL for over seven. In 2008 Bobbye ran and finished the NYC Marathon. Rather than take the car to the Met opera or Yankee stadium, Bobbye and her husband prefer to bicycle there from Fort Lee - she is indeed an awesome lady!!

Leslie Zoldan became involved with aerobics as a young mother of five, when feeling a little overwhelmed with life. Her enthusiasm led to her becoming a certified teacher, wanting others to also benefit from exercise. She is now the young grandmother of 11 children, five of whom she helped raise. Leslie loves teaching her senior class and seeing how aerobics has improved their quality of life.

As a young woman in her early twenties Sandi Cohen happened into the dance studio of Serena Wilson, a well-known dancer, specializing in Belly Dancing as an art form. Sandi said she was too shy to become a professional performer and soon moved to Israel where she married, adopted three children and continued her love affair with Belly Dancing, but now as a teacher. She has been with the Center for about four years and has seniors flocking to her class from far and near. Belly dancing is not only fun, but it's a terrific form of exercise.

Sheila Mason, SESCIL's Tai Chi instructor, has been practicing Tai Chi for over 25 years. This is in harmony with her work as an acupuncturist for the goal in acupuncture, as in Tai Chi, is to create a state of balance within the body, mind and spirit.

For more information on any or all of SESCIL’s comprehensive programs and services, you may visit its Website at www.sescil.org.  Once there, go ahead and explore its many interesting features on, among other things, regular exercises and activites especially designed with seniors in mind.

SESCIL's exercise classes are held in the spacious annex to its Landmark home at 228 Grand Avenue, Englewood, NJ 07631.  For more details about joining the FREE exercise program, contact Frieda Wells, Assistant Director, at 201/569-4080.

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Southeast Senior Center for Independent Living (SESCIL), a non-profit social services agency for seniors, provides a broad range of services and programs that maintains and restores the physical, emotional and social health of the elderly so as to achieve self-sufficiency and independent living.