Swing in time
If students go to the second floor of the HPER Building Thursday nights around 8:30, they’ll probably hear music from greats like Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman.
Stepping inside, they’ll likely see a room full of people in constant motion to the music – all members of the USU Big Band Swing club.
Big Band Swing encompasses several dances under its title, the more prominent being the Lindy Hop, Charleston, Balboa and Shag. The members of the USU Big Band Swing club have been dancing them all, but some members say the Lindy Hop is the dance of choice since the club got its start in 1998.
The club now has more than 200 members and an average attendance of more than 50 people at the weekly dances, with more joining each week, club president Isaac Ashby said.
Jimmy Suisse, a junior majoring in electrical engineering, says he comes because, “Swing was invented back in the 1920s as an escape from the problems of the world. It was an escape back then and it is now.”
Not all come to escape the cares of the world. Grant Sunada, a graduate of USU and the first swing club president, said, “The best part about Swing club is the sheer unadulterated fun of dancing with a girl to hot, jumping music.”
Kat Tingey, a recent USU graduate, says she likes Swing club because, “it just makes me feel good. When I have a smooth dance and everything goes well, it just feels good.”
Cory Hansen, a senior in nutrition science said, “Swing club is a great ‘out’ in my hectic schedule. College life is all about multi-tasking. At swing club, I can exercise, socialize, laugh and improve my dancing skills. The more I come, the more I love it.”
Swing club provides lessons before each Thursday dance from 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. and according to club members, no experience or partner is necessary. Lessons are provided a the more experienced members and everyone rotates partners every couple of minutes so they can learn the moves with different people.
Along with lessons, swing club holds workshops for members to learn from professionals every semester. According to members of the swing club, the club’s bi-monthly dance is held at Elite Hall in Hyrum every first and third Saturday where club members and people from the community can dance to the live band from 8:30 – 11:30 p.m.
The Swing club sponsors two performing dance teams for those members that want to show off their skills to the community. The teams are directed by former team members and have performed all over Utah and Idaho.
Many people, however, are a lot like Elizabeth Snow, a sophomore in music therapy who said she comes for the social aspects. “I come for the fact that you get to meet people from all over and learn about things from all over,” Snow said.
After all, as Isaac Ashby, current swing club president, describes swing club, “It’s a blast.”
-nealmsnow@cc.usu.edu
The USU Big Band Swing Club meets every Thursday at 8