Amelia Dewberry–
Today, Friday, November 15th, the Gustavus Swing Dance Club is hosting its annual Fall Swing Dance. This lively, fun event will take place from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in Alumni Hall, featuring the local 4-person jazz band TC Hot Club. It’s an opportunity for experienced dancers to showcase their moves, or for beginners to try it out. Regardless of experience level, everyone is invited to join.
Last year’s Swing Dance club Co-President and current Senior Megan Lipke said that this event is special because “it is bringing together everyone who has been working on these dance moves this whole semester and giving them a chance to practice those moves in real time to music. It is also a chance to bring more people into the club and show them how awesome it is to dance!”
The live jazz and swing music is an especially exciting feature of the dance for Co-President and Junior Nina Nordstrom: “People should come to Fall Swing because there is nothing quite like dancing to a live band. Hearing the brass play right beside you makes the whole experience come alive. Whether you have swing danced or not, this is an event where you can enjoy the music, the company, and the excitement. ”
Club leaders emphasize that no experience is needed for Fall Swing or regular club meetings. Senior Addy Schloo was also previously the club Co-President and is currently serving as a mentor and choreographer. “I know that many people are afraid to join because they think they can’t dance, but I truly believe that anyone can learn swing dance and that you really grow as a person through your learning. We also take time to re-teach the basic steps every week for people that are new, so don’t feel like you are ever behind if you haven’t attended before!” Schloo commented.
Most members of the Swing Dance club had no experience before coming to Gustavus. Nordstrom explained that it was the First-year orientation square dance that first interested her in partner dancing. There, she met Co-President Alex Buresh, who also loved it: “We joined the club together, starting from the very basics and working our way up into more complicated flips and dips. My favorite new move we have collected is called ‘airplane’, where I end up flipping up onto Alex’s shoulder in a Dirty Dancing manner and sticking out my arms like an airplane!”
Similarly, Marketing and Social Media Manager and Sophomore Ava McKinley started attending because it “sounded like a silly thing to do with friends” but found that “it ended up being really fun.”
Swing dancing is “the perfect skill to have in your back pocket for any situation – weddings, birthdays, street music… if you know even one move, you’re suddenly the life of the party,” Nordstrom added. While the moves might look complex and impressive, they’re actually quite simple,” McKinley assured.
The group meets every Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. in Alumni Hall. The first 30 minutes are typically a lesson, with the next 15 minutes reserved for Just Dance or a line dance. There is open time to practice moves until 10:00 p.m. “People are welcome to show up for any or all of the evening, and even if you only come once, you can still learn the moves and you won’t be behind,” Lipke said. Nordstrom agreed: “For those who have wanted to come to a lesson, now’s the time. It’s not too late! You can never “fall behind” in dance lessons, we are here to teach and help you all the way through! Bring a friend, or come on your own!”