April 4, 2014
Kaiserslautern American
Page 15
Salsa dancing breaks down communication barriers life counselor, a contracted specialist from the garrison’s Army Community Service program. That led to Ed Codina, Hips swayed as 66th Transportation director of the Kaiserslautern Arts & Company Soldiers shed their tops and Crafts Center, who offered resiliency shuffled across the floor in tan comthrough the arts before, suggesting he bat boots. Confused looks and shakteach salsa dancing to the Soldiers. ing heads were replaced by smiles and Dancing forces couples to overcome laughter as inhibitions were lost to salsa inhibitions and address their vulnerabilrhythms. ity. The main thing is breaking the ice, The Soldiers were taking part in a overcoming shyness, Codina said. new U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland“In marriages, the biggest problem is Pfalz resiliency program focused on when there is no communication. They the arts, offered at the Kaiserslautern are not talking to each other,” Codina Community Activities Center on said. “This gets them to touch, to gloDaenner Kaserne. rify each other on the floor and to folCompany leaders recently found low each other.” poor communication affecting unit One officer took salsa lessons in colcohesion – something they sought to lege. Most had never done it before, change, said Capt. John T. Huckabay, they said. By stepping outside their 66th Transportation Company. comfort zone and onto a dance floor, “Getting out and doing something Soldiers can open communication lines Photo by Melissa Schnell like salsa dancing can break down barwith their spouses and fellow Soldiers. riers. Afterward, we can sit and talk Soldiers and spouses from the 66th Transportation Company learn salsa dancing as part of a That may have a larger impact on the program to open up communication. about some issues, as couples and with company, McMahan said. the unit,” Huckabay said. “This is thinking outside leaders and that affected unit cohesion. “Hopefully, this starts some networking and the box and doing something different to bring all “We’re trying to get our communication network bonding and brings the unit together,” McMahan the leaders together.” opened up,” said Kathleen McMahan, the compa- said. “It’s awesome that the garrison has this.” Last summer, when the company returned from ny’s family readiness group leader. “We’ve invited Codina would like to see the program expand and Afghanistan, bonds stemming from the deployment the senior leadership, and our first step is to couple made available to more Soldiers, civilians and their were strong. But the company underwent a large communication therapy through music and dance.” families. For more information, call 483-6508 or personnel turnover. There were new Soldiers, new The FRG began working with a military family 0631- 411-6508. by Rick Scavetta U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz