Ballroom dancers prepare for Spring Show
You better Quickstep, Foxtrot, Rumba, Samba or Tango to get your tickets to the Utah State University Ballroom Dancer’s annual Spring Concert.
Or we could just leave the dancers to their job.
The USU ballroom dance show will be at the Ellen Eccles Theatre this Friday and Saturday night.
And they can’t wait.
“We’re excited,” said Kaleb Nelson, a freshman in electrical engineering. “We’ve been working on formations since the beginning of the year.”
Tryouts for the ballroom dance team were held in August and now the club is composed of a 30-member team including six directors.
And every other morning while most students are still thinking of getting out of bed, the dancers are holding their team practice at 6:30.
The early hour doesn’t stop this group.
Lisa Gunnell, a member of the club, started dancing when she was young.
“I loved it so much, I just can’t stop,” she said.
And dancing reaps many rewards, she said.
“If you give it your all, it’s great exercise,” she said.
Then, on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, they practice individual practices:
Latin dancing, such as the Rumba, Cha-Cha or Samba at 3:30 and then standard dancing, such as Waltz, Quickstep or Foxtrot at 4:30.
Besides doing shows, the dancers compete in competitions individually and as a team. The last competition of the year, the Desert Challenge, will be at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas in April. This summer the dancers are going to compete at nationals in California.
In 2002-03 the Latin group placed third in Snowball Classic Formation Team competition and several dancers placed in the finals in their competition.
Also, in January 2003, a new tradition began. A Dance Affair, an evening of dinner and dance held on Valentine’s Day and the day before, had more than 800 attendees. They enjoyed dinner, a floor show and dancing to live Big Band music.
The ballroom dance group is a club sport and has to pay for its own expenses such as costumes and travel.
Yet, those who are a part of the club think it’s worth it. And those who aren’t a member can learn.
“Really, anyone can learn to do it, even if they think they can’t,” said Ricky Fielding, one of the club directors.
Even if you’re not a member there are beginning classes offered through the school, Fielding said.
Everyone is welcome to see the show. It will be at 5 p.m. on Friday and 6 p.m. on Saturday at the Ellen Eccles Theatre. Tickets may be purchased at the Ellen Eccles Theatre, the Taggart Student Center ticket office or through a ballroom club member.
-acbailey@cc.usu.edu