War vet turned dancer pens books

Staff report

NILES

Joe Sepesy, the Vietnam veteran who overcame his war-time injuries to become a ballroom dancer, has written two more books.

The Youngstown native will be on hand at A Time to Dance studio, 38 Youngstown-Warren Road, on Saturday from 3 to 8 p.m. to sell and sign copies of his books “Word Dances IV: The Romance of the Dance” and “The Relic of Domremy.”

“Word Dances IV” is the latest in a series in which Sepesy, 67, shares his thoughts and feelings about dance in prosaic form. “Relic” is his first fiction novel, a World War I story that depicts the horror and randomness of war.

A musician and a former Youngstown city schools teacher, Sepesy retired in 2009.

While serving as a helicopter pilot with the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War, Sepesy was shot down. He was left with chronic back and neck pain, problems with balance and post traumatic stress disorder. He walked with a leg brace and an orthopedic shoe.

He miraculously overcame his disabilities by working with local dance instructor Linda McPhail, owner of A Time to Dance.

Sepesy, who lives in Poland, has lately been plagued with new health problems that are affecting his ability to dance. He is losing the use of his feet and legs due to nerve damage, shifting and misalignment of his spine and hips, scar tissue and degenerative arthritis.

Sepesy now wears leg braces that allow him to continue to dance.

“I also walk with a cane ... except when I dance,” he said. “I actually dance better than I walk. Go figure. The doctors can’t even explain that.”

Saturday’s event at A Time to Dance, which is on the back side of Pine Tree Plaza, will be free for active and retired U.S. servicemen and women. It will include free private dance lessons from 3 to 6 p.m.; beginner salsa group class, 6 to 6:30 p.m. ($5 for nonmilitary); beginner swing class, 6:30 to 7 p.m. ($5 for nonmilitary); and a dance party, 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. ($8 for nonmilitary).

Sepesy has another book signing scheduled: Nov. 24, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Avon Oaks Ballroom, 1401 N. State St., Girard. All of his books can be purchased at local booksellers, and online at lulu.com.

Sepesy is working on his next book. It will be his personal story of war, titled “Once We Flew, the Memoir of a U.S. Army Helicopter Pilot in Vietnam.”

For updates and information, go to worddances.com.