Fall Into Dance or Spring Into Practice

By Emmaline Mandel

It was the start of fall semester at the University of Minnesota (U of MN), and that could only mean two things: copious amounts of homework and many lovely hours of ballroom dancing. Thankfully, I was able to take a step back from school to reflect on how different the lessons and energy surrounding the University of Minnesota Ballroom Dance Club were between fall and spring semester. There is a lot of energy and anticipation at the beginning of the fall semester because that is when we do the majority of our recruitment. The spring semester is characterized by a more serious and technique-oriented atmosphere. Both semesters are certainly fun, but fun in different ways.

Fall semester ballroom at the U of MN is almost always kicked off by Fall Into Dance, which is an afternoon of dancing geared toward new students. This event sets the tone for the rest of the semester, and the energy present at this event is what really catches my attention. Many of the new students in the room have never done any ballroom dancing, so there is a sense of excitement and anticipation for what is to come. The returning club members are equally excited because they are ready to return to U of MN ballroom dancing after more casual summer dancing or a complete break from ballroom. The energy from Fall Into Dance carries through the semester as the basics of ballroom are taught in club and team lessons, with new dancers developing a foundation for future years. To me, fall semester feels like an effortless and accidental introduction to ballroom dance. The title of our first event, Fall Into Dance, is quite fitting because fall is the semester where students have the opportunity fall in love with ballroom dance.

In contrast to fall semester, spring semester has a more sedate and intentional atmosphere. This difference can be observed in club, but is even more evident when examining the ballroom dance team. There are fewer new team members in the spring, so the lessons focus less on the basics and more on technique. Returning team members come into spring semester with a quieter excitement as they launch right into practicing with their partners. Joining the team in the spring semester, which is what I did the previous session, can be both challenging and rewarding. It requires you to jump in with both feet. Lessons in the spring often begin with more difficult dances. A few of my fellow teammates who joined in the spring of 2014 experienced the slow train wreck described as standard foxtrot after only two weeks on the team. Additionally, fall semester eases new team members into competitive ballroom with a critique-based event, while the first event of spring semester is a true competition.

Ultimately, both semesters are enjoyable, and I would become rather frazzled if asked to choose one over the other. How can one choose between energetic excitement about the fundamentals of ballroom dancing and the quiet passion that comes with learning additional technique? It’s impossible to have one without the other.