Gloria Kingcade calls this her ministry. Every Wednesday, she's at the Sheller Center in North Philadelphia, leading a room full of dancers through the steps of soul line dancing.

"I've been teaching soul line dancing for 26-plus years," Kingcade said.

From the footwork alone, it's clear she knows what she's doing. But if you've never seen or heard of this style of dance, it's exactly what it sounds like.

"Line dancing itself is a group of people in a line moving and turning at the same time. Soul is the music, the movements and the music," said Kingcade. "Think of when somebody says 'You got soul!' We're talking about something that touches you a certain way."

These ladies say it's so simple, anyone can join in, even if you don't have much rhythm.

"It's a mind-body connection because you have to remember the choreography ... you are part of the whole," said Verna Hamilton. "You're never dancing alone even though you're not physically touching someone."

"It's multigenerational," Hamilton said.

Just ask this mother-daughter duo.

"My mom comes to this weekly," said Lavette Beasley.

"I love meeting new people, becoming like a family," said Yvonne Strictland.

"Wherever there's space and music, you will find the line dancing community," Hamilton said.

The Delaware Valley has one of the largest soul line dancing communities in the nation. Its rich Black history and culture are documented in a project by folklore scholar and New Jersey native Karen Abdul-Malik.

Next Wednesday, hundreds of dancers from the area will travel to Washington, D.C., to celebrate the archiving of the art form at the Library of Congress.

"Movement is literally in our DNA," Hamilton said.

"We're going to dance!" Kingcade said. "It's a party!"