ULV students learn to Jump, Jive 'n' Wail
Campus Times
October 2, 1998
Music from big bands such as Cherry Poppin' Daddies and classics including
Frank Sinatra and Glenn Miller echoed through the perimeters of the University
of La Verne Supertents, as an estimated 34 students took swing dancing lessons
Tuesday night.
The event, sponsored by the Associated Student Federation (ASF) Forum,
was created to present the ULV community with one of the largest fads of
the year. Junior Forum members Giselle Matus and Anna Werner helped organize
a major part of the event.
"I have heard that swing dancing is popular, and we figured it
would be a good idea to bring [it] on campus since there are so many interested
students," said Matus. "Even though not all ULV students would
be interested in the idea, we figured we would target a big group to make
this a popular event."
After researching swing clubs and other sources, the Forum found Audrey
Wilson, an '89 alumna of the University.
Wilson has been involved in dance for 13 years, and has a respectable
degree of experience and study in the area. She currently operates her own
business, Audrey's Body Conditioning & Dance, where she teaches forms
of choreography and dance.
Primarily, she is attracted to swing dancing because "it is good,
clean, fun dancing where I could bring a friend and not worry about what
kind of words are in the music."
Therefore, with each "kick-step, kick-step, kick-kick," Wilson
and her partner, Chris Shima, led participants through the basics of this
renewed-popular dance.
"The most important thing about swing dancing is being able to
lead properly and knowing what you want to do," said Shima. "Swing
is all about making the girl look good.
"If you're not making the girl look good, you're not doing your
job."
And through such expression of lyrics and melodies, whether they be
fast-beat and lively, or calm and relaxing, Wilson and Shima taught the
basic moves of the art. As more students began to get the jist of each rock-step
and jump, they began to create moves of their own.
Lety Rosas, 23, of La Verne, and her partner, Doug Dorado, 27, of San
Dimas, were among those who found the experience rewarding and overall entertaining.
"We thought we were going to learn the same steps, but we actually
learned some new ones," said Rosas. "It was a lot of fun."
Rosas and Dorado attended the event after hearing about it through posters
displayed around several areas of the campus. According to Rosas, both she
and Dorado were initially attracted to the art of swing nearly two years
ago. They have since visited several swing dance clubs in the Los Angeles
area, including "The Derby," which is one of the most recognized
swing clubs for those 21 years of age or older.
For those whose age or distance limitations restrict them from this
form of entertainment, freshman Chastity Archer has created the idea of
a swing dance organization at the University. Through weekly meetings and
off-campus activites, students would be offered the opportunity to learn
various steps of swing dancing and apply those lessons to outside dance
clubs.
"Basically, the club is set up so that anyone who wanted to swing
dance could, they could have that facility and not have to be 21,"
said Archer.
According to Archer, a sign-up sheet for the organization demonstrates
that an estimated 40 ULV students have shown interest in becoming part of
the "Swingers."
She added that the goal of the organization is "to have fun, to
teach people who want to learn how to swing and to evolve into a dance club
with different dances.
"Some people know certain things that other people don't, so it's
a good way of learning from each other."
"This is the first time in a long time that partner-dancing is
popular again," said Shima. "We've gone through a period in which
individual dancing has been a big attraction.
"But the dance isn't about all aerials and tricks; being able to
connect with your partner and dance in sync is very challenging," he
said.
