Two local gals headed to Fort Wayne to cut loose at the Dance For All and stumbled upon an interesting opportunity. Melody Barker of Warsaw and her sister-in-law, Annette Ray of Bourbon, choreographed a dance to the song “Blue Water County” by the Michigan-based country band, The North County Flyers, and the band is using the dance in an upcoming music video.

“I found out about the Dance For All in Fort Wayne, and it seemed like fun,” said Barker. “I called Jamie Marshall from Tennessee. She and her husband, Barney, put this on.”

The Dance For All is held every spring at the Grand Wayne Center. The event offers a weekend of line dancing, couples and ball room dancing, specialty dance workshops, dance vendors and competitions. Around 800 people attend the the Dance For All.

“Melody got into line dancing here in Warsaw, and she came up with these dances,” said Ray. The two came up with a disco dance, donned wigs and mod dresses, and performed it at a competition the Dance For All.

Barkers dance didn’t win, though the ladies got plenty of good feedback on it. However, their trip to the the Dance For All on the weekend of Feb. 28 resulted in a chance encounter with the North County Flyers.

“They wanted a dance to promote their song ‘Blue Water Country,'” said Barker. The band was hosting a competition at the Dance For All to find the dance.

Five teams put together dances for the “Blue Water Country.” Barker and Ray’s line dance won. Now the two will be teaching the dance to other dancers and filming it for the songs music video.

“We’re excited to get this dance down and taught and get this video done,” said Ray. Plans are to send the video to dance instructors all over the country and teach them the dance.

Quite an accomplishment for a couple of ladies who are relatively new to dancing. Barker started dancing last fall. Her husband became ill and couldn’t dance with her anymore. That was when she started line dancing.

Ray is a musician who plays several instruments. She’s never really done much dancing, but “I like to be involved,” she said.

Barker and Ray are enjoying their success. They said the video should be finished in about a month, and they plan to go back to the Dance For All next year.

“We’ll do it again,” said Barker, Ray adding, “And we’ll dress up again, and we’ll wear our wigs again.”

“We’re going to spice it up and have fun,” said Barker.