Pine Bluff native Beverly Blunt has lived a fulfilled life in her hometown of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. After graduating from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, she worked for the USDA Farm Service Agency until her retirement in 2020. Since her retirement, she has dedicated all her time to her family. Although her husband, five children, fifteen grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren keep her busy, Blunt noticed a difference in herself and her physical health. “I am 59 years old and retired. My body is not what it used to be.”

Nevertheless, her age did not stop her from finding a fun way to stay active. “I have loved line dancing for nearly 15 years and regularly attended classes for a relaxing, exciting, and fun experience.” Initially, Blunt never considered starting a class of her own. She only wanted to dance and spend her days with other lovers of line dancing. Fortunately, she was given an opportunity she could not pass on. All of her years of line dancing inspired her to bring a fun way of exercising to her local community.

Divine Dancing LLC, whose motto is “reaching hearts and souls through heart and soles,” is a beginner Line Dance class where dancers can be free to learn new moves that will promote TOTAL wellness. It was created after the end of one of Blunt’s favorite dance classes. It wasn’t easy to accept that she and other dancers had nowhere else to express themselves while focusing on their health. “…So, one day, I woke up and said, I can do this. I made a few calls, and that was the birth of Divine Dancing.” Through her determination and dedication to physical fitness, Blunt has created a community of fellowship through dance and wellness that includes people from all walks of life with different fitness goals.

Blunt owes her confidence and success of her new business to her dance students, who have played a big part in Divine Dancing. “Those who are part of the classes have remained faithful and very enthusiastic. They helped me build confidence in myself as a dance instructor,” Blunt stated. She also encourages all newcomers to participate despite their level of dance skills. “Don’t be afraid to try. You will be surprised what new skills you will learn and how much fun learning them will be.” Her future goals for Divine Dancing include extending to nursing homes and assisted living facilities and getting involved with other community activities such as “Pine Bluff Read.”

Knowing that she resided in one of the most unhealthy cities in one of the most unhealthy states in the country, Blunt felt obligated to bring health awareness to the city of Pine Bluff. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the number one cause of death in America is heart disease. The American Heart Association lists dancing as an example of endurance exercise that can improve your heart health. These statistics charged her to introduce a fun way of exercising to her local community to promote longevity in her town’s citizens and those in the surrounding areas. “There’s not a lot of things to do in Pine Bluff, and this class will get people out of the house to meet new people and make new friends.”

Divine Dancing LLC is located at 2502 Harding Street, across from Doctor Orders Pharmacy. Classes are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6pm – 7pm. Cost is only $25.00 per month. Mrs. Blunt is also planning to add a day or midday class in the near future.