Saint Vincent College Swing Dance Club has public hopping
Three seasoned ballroom dancers picked up a new step Saturday.
The Lindy Hop was no match for “ballroom buddies” Lisa Pope of Latrobe, Bruce Meyer of Hempfield and Keith Munshower of Brackenridge.
Rock step, triple step, step, step, triple step.
And in no time, they had it, rotating around with various partners at a Saturday introductory class at Saint Vincent College in Unity.
“It’s almost like we’re addicts,” Munshower said.
The Lindy Hop is a swing dance style that originated nearly a century ago in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood. College students and more experienced dancers were on their toes Saturday keeping up with instructors Monica Buczynski and Tia Quairiere. The pair, both juniors at the college, are president and vice president, respectively, of the Saint Vincent College Swing Dance Club.
Two hours in, their pupils had caught on to the foundation of the step and put it to music. The swing style is upbeat with plenty of hops and kicks.
The college club’s practice sessions are open to the public and they usually have about 15 people who partake weekly, Buczynski said. She is happy to teach a dance step she is passionate about to others who have the same love for ballroom dancing.
“This was our first time teaching this lesson, but I think it went pretty well,” Quairiere said.
The club has two swing dances annually, including the Bearcat Swing held Saturday night with the Glass City Swing Band. Club members typically stick to the Lindy Hop and Charleston.
Pope, Munshower and Meyer are regulars on the local ballroom dancing scene, but all three said it was their first time learning the Lindy Hop. It’s similar to other steps they know, but the timing is a bit different, Meyer said.
“You see a much younger crowd with Lindy Hop and swing,” Pope said, adding that the step is less structured than other styles of ballroom dance.
All three agreed ballroom dancing is a great way to keep active and socialize. They take group and private lessons regularly and step out at community events in the region.
As for Saturday, they were met with much younger partners, but were able to share their knowledge with them while everyone got the hang of the footwork.
“I think we kept up,” Meyer said.
Renatta Signorini is a TribLive reporter covering breaking news, crime, courts and Jeannette. She has been working at the Trib since 2005. She can be reached at rsignorini@triblive.com.
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