MU| F e a t u r e s
Dancing is about more than learning
steps, adds Jordan Lett ’16, treasurer of
the Ballroom and Latin Dance Club and a
participant in Didier’s classes. “You become
more confident even out of class,” he says.
“People can tell you are taking dance.”
The club sponsored its first dance in
December 2014. More than 25 students
and 10 adults, including some faculty
members, attended the Snow Ball in the
auxiliary gym of the PERC. For novices and
more experienced dancers, an hour-long
class preceded the two-hour dance. The
club’s second event later in the year drew
45 people. The dances are free to all MU
students, faculty and staff. The club
Manchester. It’s a great way to get to know
other people in the area, says Have a Ball
member Annita Murfin.
Last spring, MU’s Ballroom and Latin
Dance Club invited Didier and NickelsDidier and the owners of Dance Tonight,
Christopher Spalding and Kelly Bartlett,
to present a Values, Ideas and the Arts
program on “The Artistry and History
of Ballroom Dance.” On the Cordier
Auditorium stage, the two couples
performed the waltz, foxtrot, tango,
rumba, cha cha, hustle, swing and more.
At one time nearly everyone learned how
to dance, Spalding told the audience.
People dressed up to dance, which
promoted good manners and set a
standard for men and women to interact
in public. “That’s a part of our culture
that we’ve kind of lost,” he added. “We’re
building it here (at Manchester).”
One of MU’s dance enthusiasts is English
Professor Beate Gilliar. “I love dance,” says
Gilliar. “Without Jim we wouldn’t have a
dance club.”
Brumbaugh-Smith encourages people to
give dance a try. “One really neat thing
about our experience in the ballroom
community is that everybody is trying to
help everybody,” he says. “It doesn’t matter
how great you are. Just try it. We will be
there to help you.”
By Tiana Maclin ’17
teamed with the Alumni Office in October
to host a dance during Homecoming too.
Ballroom dance is gaining fans in the
community as well, thanks to Have a Ball,
Manchester! – a community group led by
Brumbaugh-Smith and others in North
VIDEO
See the video at
magazine.manchester.edu
Manchester | 23