Students learn new moves at IU Swing Club

Some are experienced dancers complete with black, single-strapped Mary Janes. Others, perhaps less experienced, learn the steps wearing their old, ratty sneakers. But all of them gather for one reason: to swing dance.\nThe IU Swing Club, which has been an official part of IU since 1998, opens its doors to people of all ages, from students to older community members. Neither a partner nor previous swing experience is required, and the cost is very minimal.\n"We encourage anyone who's interested to come," said Katherine Mero, club treasurer. "We just love to dance."\nSenior Kristin Kolodziej, said the club isn't limited to just students. It's a good way to meet people in the Bloomington community.\nEvery Monday night the club holds an hour-long beginner session, an hour-long intermediate session and two hours of open dancing. The beginners learn swing styles like East Coast Swing style and Lindy Hop, while the intermediates learn more complicated styles like the Charleston. \n"Most of the styles that we do are Savoy style, which originated in New York," Mero said. "It's more of a social type of dancing."\nThe club will be dancing at 8 p.m. tonight in the Frangipani Room of the Indiana Memorial Union. A schedule of club meetings is available at www.indiana.edu/~iuswing.\nKolodziej emphasizes that the social dancing creates a friendly environment and helps people come together. \n"During lessons, you rotate partners about every five minutes or so, so you end up dancing with everyone there by the end of the semester," she said. \nAnother reason to come, if not for the dancing, is for the music. \n"We play the authentic original stuff from the '30s and '40s," Mero said. "There's also a lot of swing bands in the Indianapolis area; we like to play them a lot."\nEvery November, the club sponsors a charity event called "Will Dance For Food." The admission for the dance is one can of food (or any other non-perishable item) and all the donations are given to the Hoosier Hills Food Bank. \nAlso, the club holds an annual Spring Swing Dance in the Frangipani Room at the IMU. \n"We bring in a live band again and it's just a blast -- three to four hours of swing dancing," Kolodziej said.\nIn addition to the club's sponsored events, Kolodziej mentioned Friday nights at the Indianapolis Fountain Square Theater. \n"There's a live band and an hour-long dance lesson before the three-hour actual dance starts, so you don't need to go into it knowing how to dance," she said. "Also, it's fun because everyone gets all 'dolled up.' There are 1940s style dresses and hairstyles and some of the guys have old Navy uniforms. It's just a fun atmosphere in general."\nDianne Shewmaker, a Bloomington resident and member of the club, said she believes swing dance is a beneficial activity for everyone. \n"Swing dancing gives you a positive attitude, keeps you healthy and fights depression better than any medicine," she said.\n-- Contact staff writer Teri Rosenbaum at terosen@indiana.edu.