The Ballroom Dance Club, an often disregarded club, finds its place in this week’s club spotlight. The club dates back to the 1940’s and 50’s when classic styles of ballroom dance, such as Tango, Blues, Waltz, and Swing first developed. The club aims to introduce students and faculty to ballroom dance in a laid-back environment and accepts all skill levels. While the club has existed at Mines for over a decade, there has been a recent resurgence of interest as noted by record attendance.
The Slide Rulers (The club’s competitive swing dance team) placed second in the 2011 Intercollegiate Swing Battle. The Slide Rulers were the only team from Colorado to place, as first and third went to out-of-state teams. They hope to come back to this year’s competition with the same ingenuity and humor that propelled them to second place last year.
Tori Cardoza, the club’s public relations officer, explained the inner-workings of the club in a simple Q&A.
[Oredigger] What is an average meeting for the CSM Ballroom Dance Club?
[Cardoza] We have lessons on Monday and Wednesday from 6:00 to 7:30 pm for Waltz, Tango on Wednesday, and 7:30 to 9:00 pm lessons for Blues on Monday and Swing on Wednesday.
What does the Club mean to you?
It means a lot to me. It’s kind of what I do to “de-stress” and get over tests.
What are some skills that are unknowingly picked up through the practice of Ballroom Dance?
You gain a lot of balance, I guess. You also get a lot of friendships.
Could you explain the competition certain members of the club compete in?
We compete in the intercollegiate swing battle, which is happening in April. We come up with a competition routine, practice it a lot, and then compete against eight or nine other schools, give or take, depending on how many come.
Any big plans for the future of the club?
No, I think we are just going to keep going as we are with the club.
What would you tell students who are on the fence about joining the club or coming to lessons?
A lot of times we have more girls here than guys, so if you’re a guy you should come and join because we have a lot of girls. It’s a lot of fun, and it’s not something you have to go every single week. You can go for a week, and then miss a week, and come back the next week and be on the same track as everyone else.
When asked about the most enjoyable aspect of Ballroom dance Sydney Rogers, said, “I’ve always found it so much fun. It is really relaxing, and you get to meet so many new people and experience new types of dance that you never would have thought of trying out. I just have a lot of fun with it.” So, if you’re wondering where to take the next step in Mines’ diverse pool of clubs, the friendly members of the Ballroom Dance Club will welcome you with open arms.
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