The Claremont Colleges Ballroom Dance Company

On Friday, September 14th, Claremont McKenna’s McKenna Auditorium was hot and crowded with dancing students and booming music. Though from the outside this sounded like any typical party night, inside a whole different set of moves were in progress. Red cups attempted to camouflage the revolution in process, but thirsty students preferred cold H20, preferring to keep their senses about them as they moved to the hot and sultry latin sounds of the Claremont Colleges Ballroom Dance Company’s (CCBDC) opening Salsa and Social dance. Spins, twirls, and dips covered the floor as students put their new (or old) dance skills to use.

This was the scene of the opening salsa party of the year, hosted by the Claremont Colleges Ballroom Dance Company. Even after ten years of hosting social dance parties, the turnout for the party on Friday impressed even the most aged alums. "This is incredible" mixed with "there are actually boys!" as excited students continued to flood in throughout the night from all five colleges, some encouraged by the announcements made in the various ballroom dance classes offered here at the 5-C’s, and some simply pulled in by the fun atmosphere of the party.

Entering the auditorium, students were greeted by hosts from the Claremont Colleges Ballroom Dance Company. These hosts made themselves available as dance partners and instructors all night, and also helped out with the overwhelming number of students that attended the beginning and intermediate lessons. After an hour of free instruction by the new ballroom instructor, Paul Roach, and his partner, Sara Gaynor, students began to play with their new moves before being swept up into the first event of the night – the snowball. Everyone cleared the floor as the hosts began the event with some short demos. The music then cut out, and the hosts ran to the edges of the crowd and dragged laughing students on to the floor to dance. A few more seconds of dancing and the music cut again, forcing the dancers on the floor to repeat the process until everyone in the auditorium was moving on the floor to the biggest intoxication of the night: salsa.

Around ten o’clock, students again cleared the floor to prepare for the highly anticipated CCBDC demonstrations. Advertised in classes and around the 5Cs, CCBDC couples put together three different dances to showcase the range of dances that the company participates in. Jake Nagel (Pomona ’09) and Nikki Morin (Scripps ’09) started off the demonstrations with an fun but complex lindy-hop, preparing the way for Jay Daigle (Pomona ’08) and Lauren Wann (Scripps ’10) to perform a beautiful international waltz. David Carrington (Pomona ’10) and Suzy Ackerman (Pitzer ’08) finished out the demonstrations to huge ovations, dancing a mix of international cha cha and salsa with modern influences. After reminding people to sign up for the [Social Dance mailing list], director Paul Roach threw the party back into the groove that kept people dancing for almost four hours straight.

The CCBDC will continue to host salsa parties every possible Friday night for the rest of the academic year in Pomona’s ballroom. Admission is free, and students are invited to come take advantage of the free lessons (8pm) and sultry but relaxed environment (dancing 9pm-12am). If you have any questions about the program, please contact Jay Daigle (VP of Events), or Paul Roach (Director).