Students jumped and jived at Thursday night’s GW Swing Club event, while the salsa and foxtrot of GW’s Ballroom Dance Society revived culture from the past.
I think this year swing has grown (in) popularity, said Jayna Morgan, chairwoman of the Swing Club.
She said recent revivals of swing, such as the Gap commercial in which a group of khaki-clad young people swing dance to the tune of Louis Prima’s Jump, Jive and Wail, is evidence of the trend’s status in pop culture.
It’s also a great workout, said Morgan, who said she recognizes that anyone living in a health-conscious society is refreshed by the new and fun way to exercise.
The first half of the night consisted of an hourlong lesson on the basics of swing taught by Marty Lau and Naomi Uyama, local swing dance instructors who also teach a weekly swing class at GW.
Thank this partner and move onto the next one, said Lau, as the females in the lesson moved around a circle of male partners.
King James and the Serfs of Swing, the big band of GW’s music department, set the mood for the evening, giving the dancers an opportunity to display their newly learned dance steps.
Freshmen Cassandra Gunter and Michael Cook, students of the weekly class, showed up to re-emphasize the steps they already have learned in class.
The live band, the extra practice – it’s great, Gunter said.
I’ve only had one lesson, said Cook, who added that he felt intimidated by the other pupils but decided to stick it out until the end.
Sophomore Lee Jenkins said she heard about the Swing Club from her roommate and thought it sounded fun.
I like the beat of the music, Jenkins said while she took a break by the snack bar, provided by GW’s Student Academic Support Services. It’s classy.
Mark Richman, chairman of GW’s Ballroom Dance Society, said class is one thing with which his organization has no problem.
Like the Swing Club, this society usually has social dances on the weekend and frequently attends dance competitions and college nights sponsored by local dance studios.
Richman said he has noticed a growing number of people interested in ballroom dancing.
Ballroom dancing has never been a rage, Richman said. But our club has been slowly growing in number. It’s a gradual process.
The stigma attached to ballroom dancing is that it is only for rich people with fancy clothing, a stereotype Richman is trying to dispel, he said.
People sometimes don’t know that there is also salsa and swing included, Richman said. The lessons also include the waltz, tango and foxtrot.
The Ballroom Dance Society will have its next competition Nov. 20 and 21. The Swing Club plans to hold an intercollegiate swing dance competition in February.
