Slightly less heralded than the Georgetown basketball program is Georgetown’s very own ballroom dancing team. Consisting of about twenty members, the team meets regularly to perfect various dances.
The club, which has tabled relentlessly and flyered throughout the semester, has attracted a number of new members to both its novice and experienced programs.
“We do everything,” says Social Events Coordinator Kimberly Powell. “We dance the Waltz, Quickstep, Foxtrot, Viennese Waltz-these are the standard dances. In competitions we’re also judged on Cha Cha, Ramba, Jive, Samba and Paso doble.”
With enough variations of dance to make the Bubba Gump shrimp menu seem limited, the members strive to perfect each and every dance. “At our competitions, we get judged on everything. Judges look at form, being on beat with the music, footwork, difficult moves and technique.”
Not known for its rigor, ballroom dance is actually an Olympic sport, and injuries are a serious concern every time the dancers take to the floor. Yet, the club boasts the ability to attract those who take the sport seriously as well as novices who wish to learn how to someday take over a dance floor, or at the least not look like an idiot at their wedding.
Many join the beginner team or to have some fun and meet the females that abundantly participate. “The social aspect is fun,” notes Powell. “I always wondered where I’d meet interesting, smart people after school … but dancers are very comfortable people.” The club knocks down stereotypes like Shaq shatters backboards with their approach to having fun while dancing even the most formal of waltzes.
Members of the club have encouraged newcomers to try one of their introductory sessions on Thursday evenings, where some members now on the competitive squad began earlier in their Georgetown tenure.
“People tend to think it’s very removed, or stiff, but it’s very in touch with culture,” explained Powell. Two of the club members illustrated the intricacies of swing by demonstrating a routine to the Brian Setzer Orchestra. Their performance-igniting visions of Chris Judd, if not Baryshnikov, was inspiring from both a competitive and entertainment standpoint. The time spent rehearsing was evident, but the spontaneity was equally impressive, enough to motivate one to get out to a club.
“D.C. is the best dancing city in the nation,” claimed Powell. The enthusiasm for their sport was palpable, and as they talked about their competition at the University of Pennsylvania this upcoming weekend, it was not hard to predict what the members would probably wind up doing afterwards.
With their semester competitions already in full swing, many members have had to make the weekend sacrifices that often characterize their time on the competitive squad. For meets such as the upcoming weekend event in Pennsylvania, members have to train during the week and keep careful watch on pre-existing injuries to protect their chances. While many stereotype the sport as a fringe sport for the social and cultural elite, the preparation and medical attention paid by recent members exemplified the team’s athleticism and competitiveness. As if tabling in Red Square amidst temperatures in the teens wasn’t enough to confirm their dedication, these athletes are here to stay.
