FREE Salsa Classes Resume at Warriors Beyond War

4355 North Western Avenue,Chicago IL 60618

17 June, 2021

Description

FREE Salsa Classes Resumes at Warriors Beyond War WELCOME BACK!! it's been a long year and we are excited to commence our program. For those of you joining us for the first time, welcome! Please make sure that you register and enter the names of your guests. Space is limited, dance partners or previous dance experience is not required. Arrive the hour before class begins or staying after the class ends, is encouraged, but optional. CLASS SCHEDULE: 6:30-7:30 - Arrival time and an opportunity to warm up and get to know each other. 7:30-8:30 - Dance Class begins 8:30-9:30 - Cool down period and social hour. or practice your new dance steps after class. Who Qualifies for a FREE class? Military veterans, active duty, reserve, Gold Star families ,First Responders, their guest and their families are eligible to take this FREE dance class. If you do not meet the above criteria, but would like to join us in the class you can volunteer as a dance partner. Click on the volunteer option on the registration. There will also be a section to donate to our program in the registration. _______________________________________________________________________ Of course you might notice some changes to the manner in which we teach our classes and hope you understand and follow our guidelines to ensure everyone's safety. As these guidelines are constantly changing, we will send out a email with the appropriate safety precautions that we will take while attending class. Although some people may feel that it is not typical to restart a program with all the aspects that have affected us during this pandemic, Veterans have been fighting a battle on two fronts. Of course, there is COVID, which has affected us all in one way or another. But there is something in addition, veterans and first responders face detrimental that is plaguing our community... social isolation. This can severely and negatively affect those experiencing PTSD, anxiety and other health concerns such as depression which is prevalent within our community. To ensure we do not continue losing our brothers and sisters on both fronts, and as the vaccine has begun to do its job, we feel it is our responsibility as a veteran organization to reopen our program and provide those we serve with a place to safely decompress, socialize and re connect to the camaraderie that we once felt while in service. I want to assure you that we have and will take all the precautionary measures in all aspects to create a safe and fun environment for our members. We follow the guidelines suggested to us by the appropriate authorities at that time and will email you with the latest guidelines 2 days prior to the class. We look forward to seeing you on the dancefloor. Warriors Beyond War is a 501(c)3 filed non for-profit organization aimed at not only saving veteran lives by reducing the staggering 22 veteran a day suicide rate, but also to enhance and enrich the lives of wounded, ill and injured active duty and veteran service members of the U.S. Armed Forces, wounded and injured first responders and the surviving family members of our heroes and warriors that were killed in the line of duty. We provide a unique program incorporating therapeutic dance instruction, social dancing, life lessons used on and off the dancefloor with a variety of music and professional instruction.  Serving 14yrs in the United Sates Marine Corps and being a combat veteran, Foujder and CEO David Murcio understood the needs and struggles that many veterans and first responders may face after experiencing a traumatic event. As a Latin dance instructor and dancer of more than a decade, he recognized the therapeutic value that can come from dance and music. Merging both his military experience with his dance experience has enabled him the ability to help change many lives by providing therapeutic dance instruction to wounded in need. First working as the Executive Director for the San Diego based (now dissolved) Soldiers Who Salsa nonprofit organization where he worked with many ill and injured veterans and active duty military he was able to provide his therapeutic dance program to veterans and active duty members of the armed forces from across the country in places like Hawaii, Colorado, California, Pennsylvania, and Maryland among others. Once the organization dissolved, he founded Warriors Beyond War making the program more inclusive by including injured and ill first responders and the surviving immediate family members of service members killed in the line of duty.  Additionally, a stronger emphasis was placed on the therapeutic value gained from the program to include building a base of alumni (those who have gone through the program) to provide alternative activities, events and gatherings made available at no cost to them. This would encourage and combine the sense of family and tribe that many of our nations veterans look for combined with the power and benefits of our recreational therapy programs to combat some of the challenges our veterans and first responders may face such as the "per day" 22 veteran suicide rate that plagues our nations veterans.