Come dancing

Members of Dalhousie Swing Dance Society kick up their heels on a Wednesday night at Blue Moon Jazz Bistro. (Nick Pearce Photo)

It’s a way to blow off steam, meet new people and heat up the dance floor! Members of the Dalhousie 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 “sugar push” and the “sushi roll,” 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.

“I like the fact that it’s relaxed,” says Mike Forrester, who joined DSDS this term. “You can be a goof and that’s actually a good thing.”

Donna Garrison, another new member, says the hardest part of swing is “trying to distinguish my left foot from my right foot and where to put it.”

A common problem for most beginners is picking up the beat to the music, which is usually quite fast.

“We take anyone,” says Caitlyn MacMaster, a fourth-year DSDS member and instructor. “If you can’t find the beat, if you don’t know your left foot from your right, you are still welcome.”

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.

“It’s really great because even if you come to class, you really don’t 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,” 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. (Check the website for details.)

“We always look forward to the workshop because it’s a nice inflow of new material,” says Ms. Das Gupta. “We get a whole bunch of stuff that most of us have never seen before. It’s a huge boost of enthusiasm. After you attend a weekend workshop, all you want to do is dance.”

Michelle Hampson is a first-year student and aspiring journalist.

LINKS: Dalhousie Swing Society on Facebook | Dalhousie Swing Society website