Muscogee (Creek) Nation Offers Free Dance for Life Classes

The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Health Department is offering free “Dance for Life” classes at three Indian Community Centers across the Muscogee (Creek) Nation reservation. The program, led by Julie Bryant (Mvskoke), is open to all Muscogee (Creek) Nation Tribal and Health Staff, community elders, and participants in the walking program. Classes began in March 2026 and will continue through the end of May.

Class Locations and Schedule

Classes are being held at the following locations:

• Twin Hills Indian Community Center: Mondays at 6:15 pm (sessions start at 5:30 pm on the last Monday of each month)
• Glenpool Indian Community Center: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:00 pm
• Weleetka Indian Community Center: Wednesdays at 6:00 pm

Focus on Fun and Fitness

Bryant, who has been teaching dance for over 60 years and is a member of the American Council of Exercise for 35 years, emphasizes that the classes are designed for all fitness levels. “You can come as many times as you desire, it’s free, and basically we’re focusing on aerobics and fun. You don’t have to be a dancer, you don’t have to have a right foot and a left foot, you can have two left feet, as people say, you’re fine in our class,” she said.

The classes focus on aerobics, flexibility, and strength training, with modifications available to accommodate different abilities. “It’s all fitness levels because we have some people who can only stay on their feet for a certain length of time or even exercise out of the chair,” Bryant explained. “We have to have movement, we have to have functional movement. By that I mean, being able to reach down and pick something off the floor, being able to put something on the shelf, being able to be as ambient as we can be our entire lives.”

Positive Impact on Participants

Participants have already reported positive results, including weight loss and increased flexibility. Bryant highlighted the importance of enjoyment and overall well-being. “We just have a lot of fun, because we want everybody to enjoy themselves while they’re there. I feel like it’s a really important thing for everybody to have a level of fitness, and we all can improve,” she stated.

Bryant has a long history of teaching dance and fitness, including nine years at the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Health Diabetes Summits and creating dance departments at Oklahoma State University, where she taught tap, ballet, and jazz. She views teaching as a lifelong passion rather than a job. “It’s never been really a job; it’s just a part of my everyday life. These classes are more fun than anything because they want to be there,” Bryant explained.

About the Muscogee (Creek) Nation

The Muscogee (Creek) Nation is a diverse tribe with a wide range of entities focused on business, community, culture, education, gaming, and more. The Nation is committed to the health and well-being of its citizens, as demonstrated by programs like Dance for Life.