Since the 16th century, ballroom dance has broken down barriers to reach people of all classes and cultures. The tradition of accessibility is currently continued through the University of Saskatchewan Ballroom Dancing Club.

Founded in 1965, it started with a modest 30 members. Half a century later, the group has over 800 dancers from the U of S and the Saskatoon community at large and remains one of the most active and beloved clubs on campus.

“The club was founded the year that The Sound of Music came out, when Doctor Who was just in its second season,” said Ezra LaLonde, publications officer for the U of S Ballroom Dancing Club, in an email to the Sheaf. “Rock ‘n’ roll had barely been invented and Beatlemania was in full swing. To me, as someone in their 20s, all of these things are older than time so it’s kind of a weird thing to be a part of a club older than them.”

Despite its rich history, the club is not limited to just traditional ballroom dance. It teaches an umbrella term of dance called American social style, which includes routines such as the waltz, the rumba, the tango, the polka and the foxtrot. The classes are tailored depending on the skill level of those registered, ranging from beginner to advanced and specialty sessions.

The club celebrated their 50th anniversary this year with Dancero, an event held at TCU Place on March 28 featuring over 50 dancers who showcased unique group and solo routines.

The night included dinner and drinks as well as video and photographic displays outlining the club’s illustrious history. Dancing wasn’t limited to professionals however. All attendees were encouraged to dive in and try their hand at a routine, whether it be one that was completely new to them or one that had been carefully honed and practiced throughout the year.

Though the impulse to sign up for dance classes with no previous experience may not come naturally, club member Corey Waldner, who graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences in 2010, ensures those interested in registering that campus groups are a fun and relaxing way to take a break from the university grind.

“I’ll give the advice I was given that pushed me into dance: pick something to join that has nothing to do with work and nothing to do with school homework,” said Waldner. “Get away. Your stress will fall and your sanity will thank you.”

The club recruits new members through various forms of advertising and media including radio and television, but LaLonde believes that these methods aren’t always necessary as the group continually receives a steady amount of interest from the public.

“The club is simultaneously very well known and completely obscure,” said LaLonde. “But I think our main form of advertising is word of mouth. Usually once people know you’re a dancer, they’re pretty interested in it.”

The greatest obstacle facing groups such as the U of S Ballroom Dancing Club is simply that dancing skills aren’t nearly as common or popular as they once were, especially in a younger demographic. However, LaLonde believes that people’s inherent desire to move to a beat overshadows this decrease in prevalence.

“Dancing is the best way to make friends that there is. Everybody does it. Engineers, lawyers, janitors, astronauts — they all dance,” LaLonde said.

“It’s a way to keep social traditions strong while still appreciating modern music,” said Rheanne Haines, president of the U of S Ballroom Dancing Club.

Waldner and LaLonde share a few words of wisdom for newcomers interested in becoming a part of this half-century old piece of U of S history.

“Don’t get frustrated and just have fun. Everyone is the same when they first start out. You don’t expect to become fluent in a new language after one lesson,” Waldner said.

“I was the worst beginning dancer ever. I cringe whenever I think about it,” LaLonde said. “When I turned the corner and started having fun, it was mostly because my self-consciousness and pretensions had started to fall away.”

To register for fall 2015 classes with the U of S Ballroom Dancing Club or for more information, visit www.uofsbdc.com/classes/.

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Images: Stephanie Mah/Graphics Editor