This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FSU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve been a dancer my whole life, so coming to FSU my freshman year, I wanted to join a dance-related club. After doing some research, I quickly discovered just how many options I had on campus, and all of them intimidated me. My roommate wasn\u2019t interested in dance, so I settled for taking contemporary classes at a nearby dance studio.<\/p>\n
I was satisfied with just those classes until I met Anna Cheng, now Swing Dance Club Dance Manager, in an English class, and she convinced me to attend the Swing Dance Club\u2019s Halloween party. I was late, per usual, but the group was so welcoming that I found myself coming back every Friday to dance.<\/p>\n
Now it\u2019s been a little over a year since I started coming, and I do nothing but try to convince my friends to show up too. Since she was the one who started my swing dance journey, I spoke with Cheng about FSU\u2019s Swing Dance Club.<\/p>\n
The Origins of Swing<\/p>\n
The first thing you need to know about swing dance is its origins, which started with the Lindy Hop style of African American communities in Harlem, New York,<\/a> during the 1920s. It was fast-paced, athletic, and quickly became popular beyond Harlem. As swing began to spread, new variations were created across the United States.<\/p>\n \u201cThe club usually does Lindy Hop, but we\u2019ve also taught West Coast, blues, and even ballroom a few times,\u201d says Cheng.<\/p>\n These regional differences even exist in the different Florida cities, which Cheng tells me is likely due to the instructor and personal preference. However, Lindy Hop remains the most popular in Florida, despite Tallahassee dancers preferring to spin and Jacksonville dancers loving a good jazzy walk.<\/p>\n Learning Lindy Hop\u2019<\/p>\n The officers and instructors at Swing Dance Club are masters at creating a fun and comfortable environment to learn in. Beginner lessons start with a detailed, individual rundown of the back step and triple step combo that forms the basis of Lindy Hop; then you break out into partners.<\/p>\n Dancing with someone new can be intimidating at first, but everyone switches places after learning a new section, so you have a chance to dance with a variety of skill levels. It\u2019s so helpful for beginners to work with more advanced members, but also to feel comfortable with someone who\u2019s just as new as they are.<\/p>\n In the past, intermediate lessons started before beginner, though this year they\u2019ve changed their schedule to have both classes start at the same time. \u201cOur goal was to speed up the process of learning,\u201d Cheng told me. \u201cIt\u2019s also a lot easier for our advanced dancers to learn new steps and not have to repeat the beginner lessons every week.\u201d<\/p>\n After both groups have had their lessons, they come together for what I think is the best part of the night: the social dance!<\/p>\n Finding a Community<\/p>\n The social dances play a variety of swing jazz music for every taste, and you have free rein over the types of dance you do. Often, I find myself chatting and forming a dance circle with anyone who wants to. While everyone comes to Swing Dance Club for a different reason, be it jazz, dance, or history, they all stay for the friends they make<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve found my friend group here,\u201d Cheng says. \u201cMeeting everyone has improved my physical and mental health so much, and I\u2019m so proud to be an FSU student now.\u201d<\/p>\n Everyone I\u2019ve talked to at lessons feels the same way as Cheng, which is why many past students and dancers from other parts of Florida keep coming back to dance with us. It\u2019s a low-commitment and comfortable environment, so everyone is always happy to see you whenever you can be there.<\/p>\n At every lesson and social dance, the officers can always be found snapping pics that end up on the club\u2019s Discord and Instagram. Swing Dance Club also keeps dues low for students, and every beginner lesson is free to keep everything accessible. \u201cOur goal is just to have fun and create a chill space for people to dance and talk,\u201d said Cheng. \u201cI wanted to be the Dance Manager so I can give back to the community I love.\u201d<\/p>\n Swing Dance Club\u2019s final event of the semester is a Pa-jam-a Party on Dec. 5<\/a>, so be sure to pop out and catch me swinging away before finals week! It\u2019ll be an event you don\u2019t want to miss.<\/p>\n Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to follow us on <\/a>Instagram<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, YouTube<\/a>, and <\/a>Pinterest<\/a>!<\/p>\n \t