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| Members of 麻豆传媒 Swing Dance Society kick up their heels on a Wednesday night at Blue Moon Jazz Bistro. (Nick Pearce Photo) |
It鈥檚 a way to blow off steam, meet new people and heat up the dance floor! Members of the 麻豆传媒 Swing Dance Society know how to get their groove on.
The students meet in the brightly lit basement of the First Baptist Church on Oxford Street every Saturday at 7 p.m. for a night of good tunes and fast dancing. With moves called the 鈥渟ugar push鈥� and the 鈥渟ushi roll,鈥� it has to be a good time.
The beginner class, which is taught by experienced swing society members, warms up with everyone walking in a huge circle to the beat of the music. Then, the group breaks up into pairs and the instructors demonstrate a step before helping individual couples.
Some beginners have huge grins, while others bite their lips in concentration. Overall, new DSDS members pick up the moves fairly well.
鈥淚 like the fact that it鈥檚 relaxed,鈥� says Mike Forrester, who joined DSDS this term. 鈥淵ou can be a goof and that鈥檚 actually a good thing.鈥�
Donna Garrison, another new member, says the hardest part of swing is 鈥渢rying to distinguish my left foot from my right foot and where to put it.鈥�
A common problem for most beginners is picking up the beat to the music, which is usually quite fast.
鈥淲e take anyone,鈥� says Caitlyn MacMaster, a fourth-year DSDS member and instructor. 鈥淚f you can鈥檛 find the beat, if you don鈥檛 know your left foot from your right, you are still welcome.鈥�
The beginner class is followed by a social dance, so everyone can practice their new moves. The gleaming wood floor fills up with couples kicking up their heels and letting loose. The cool basement quickly heats up.
DSDS members can also practice their wild and fast dancing every Wednesday night at the Blue Moon Jazz Bistro, 2215 Gottingen St.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really great because even if you come to class, you really don鈥檛 pick up the moves that well unless you start social dancing. Everyone who goes to the Blue Moon is willing to help any beginners that wander in,鈥� explains Micaela Das Gupta, president of DSDS.
Each term, the DSDS hosts a workshop taught by professional swing dancers. This term, the workshop takes place on Friday, March 15 and Saturday, March 16. (.)
鈥淲e always look forward to the workshop because it鈥檚 a nice inflow of new material,鈥� says Ms. Das Gupta. 鈥淲e get a whole bunch of stuff that most of us have never seen before. It鈥檚 a huge boost of enthusiasm. After you attend a weekend workshop, all you want to do is dance.鈥�
Michelle Hampson is a first-year student and aspiring journalist.
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