Seniors still line-dancing, just outside and a little farther apart

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- A lot of things have changed during the past few weeks amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. With social distancing, there are a lot of things we can't do, but one thing we still can do is have a little fun dancing six feet apart.

Rebecca Walker line dances at the Passmore Center every week. In 11 years, she's never missed two weeks in a row until now.

"It's hard," she said. "It's hard because you get so close to the people. We miss the dancing, of course, but we also miss our friends."

"It just seemed like a really good thing to do at this time," Smith said. "We've got plenty of space out here so we're practicing social distancing and we're doing virtual hugs and just so happy to be together again."

It's a hit with Walker.

"I think with our age, a lot of us being at home are by ourselves and sometimes it's hard to stay home and not get a little sad or down," she said. "It's really nice to be able to get out."

It's also essential.

"It's absolutely necessary," Smith said. "When you can do it with folks that are part of your extended family, that makes it even better."

The group lives by the motto "happiness is line-dancing with my friends."

"We just have a real good time," Walker said. "We're real happy when we line dance and just seeing everybody and coming together like I said we've all become real good friends."

It's a bright spot during these uncertain times of isolation.

"Dancing in and of itself makes you happy," Smith said. "To do it in a time when there's all this awfulness going on all over the world it's just something that everybody needs the opportunity to do right now, I think."