About
Ballroom Dance Club is dedicated to cultivating students’ understanding of the culture and art of ballroom dance. Ballroom dance’s distinctive trait is dancing with a partner. We teach a wide array of different dances, including Latin dances, like Rumba, Cha Cha, and Samba, and standard dances like Waltz, Quickstep, and Tango. We aim to be a beacon to students of any level of experience, including beginners with no experience, and help them cultivate their dancing abilities, communication skills, and promote socializing between dancers. Our weekly lessons include separate groups for competition and social dance. Social dance is the primary dance most members are interested in, which involves learning a wide variety of moves and dancing with many different people. Competition involves developing a more refined technique, focusing in on a smaller set of moves. Anyone is welcome to join any lesson they feel suits them, and this year we have split competition lessons and social lessons into advanced and beginner lessons to make students feel more comfortable at whatever their skill level is.
Lesson Times
- Tuesdays: 7:00-9:00pm — student-led practice
- Thursdays: Social dance lessons
- 7:00-8:00 — beginner
- 8:00-9:00 — advanced
- Fridays: Competitive dance lessons
- 7:00-8:00 — beginner
- 8:00-9:00 — advanced
Social lessons are what most members are interested in, and these lessons involve learning the basic elements of ballroom dance, namely learning how to communicate with a partner. Competition lessons involve a greater focus on control and technique, especially with learning to make fluid movements. These two groups are taught by our coach Yvonne Manz, and her husband Dr. Manz, who are both former World Champions. Tuesdays are reserved for practices held by executive board members to review moves. All lessons are open to everyone.
Visit our website for more details.
Events
Every semester, we hold a workshop dedicated to a particular dance. These workshops sometimes touch on dances somewhat unorthodox for ballroom, as well as offer a space separate from the weekly lessons to learn about a dance. The workshops (open to everyone) generally attract a wider audience than the usual members. More details will be released about our workshop further into the semester.
Once a semester we attend a competition. This is a space for students who attend the competitive lessons to exhibit their skills and try out a new experience. Students are also welcome to spectate, to encourage competitors on and learn more about the environment of competitive ballroom. Typically the competitions we attend are in Columbus.