What should I wear to practice/class?
Wear any clothing that you feel comfortable to move in. Nothing really special is required. Ladies, if you want to wear a skirt, go for it, but it's not necessary.
For shoes, again, anything that you're comfortable in. Please avoid flip-flops, they only get in the way. Ideally shoes should have a little bit of slip on a hardwood floor, but for your first bunch of lessons it won't matter much.
Do I need to bring a partner?
Absolutely not. The class is big enough that there will be a partner for pretty much everyone, and when there aren't, members of the club will fill in to even out the ratio. We rotate partners often throughout the lesson, so you will end up dancing with a lot of different people during the night.
What dances will we learn?
The class and club focus on what are called the "big six" ballroom dances. They are the Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Cha Cha, Rumba, and Swing. We learn the American style of dance, as opposed to the International style, which is also very popular for exhibition and competition. We also learn some non-competitive dances just for fun, like the Hustle. No, not the 70's line dance, but what is called 'New York' or 'Latin' style, which is a very fun and energetic partner dance.
Do I have to compete?
No, you do not need to compete. While most of our club members do enter into competitions there is no obligation to do this. You can come to the lessons, learn the dances, then just go out and have fun with it. That's really the point of it all.
What's the difference between the Class and the Club?
The Club is an offical UML club sport. The Class is a specialty intstructional program put on by the Recreation Center, similar to a spin class or yoga. Instead of going out and hiring an external instructor, the Rec Center and the Ballroom Club work together, and the Class is taught by the senior members of the Club. By taking the class, you can participate in the Club for that semester for no additional fee.
The Class meets on Thursdays 6:30 - 7:30 pm. At 7:30 we transition to Club time, where we will focus on technique and more advanced steps. The Club also meets on Sundays, 6:30 - 7:30 pm.
How much will it cost me?
Our ballroom organizations is one of the most affordable in the Northeast. Participation in the Club costs $30 per semester. That is the only mandatory expense. As you get into it, you may want to purchase ballroom-specific dance shoes. These generally run from $80-150 per pair, but are well worth it once you get serious. Clothing and costumes are also the responsibility of the participant, but don't worry, we do have some resources available and we'll try to help you out as much as we can. If you decide to compete, you will have to pay for your first few entry fees out of pocket. Once we know you're serious you can qualify for club subsidization of competition fees. Competitions run about $15 (for newcomers) to $35 per person.
