Left to right: Jenna Becker and JohnPaul Abbott. COURTESY: DAVID HARRIS
The Ole Miss Ballroom Dance Club is a student organization where any member of the Ole Miss community can come to learn about dance. The club hosts monthly dances, regular dance lessons led by certified instructors, and encourages participants to get up on their feet and meet new people.
“We really encourage new people to attend,” said Stephanie Wright, Ole Miss graduate student and member of the club. “It’s a really welcoming and positive environment. Everyone is so nice.”
Wright, who serves on the board of the Ole Miss Ballroom Dance Club, is a example of what the club can do. Wright, who began dancing in March of 2013 said that the club atmosphere was so accommodating and fun that she couldn’t wait to go back.
“It can be intimidating for beginners but everyone is so accommodating towards new comers,” Wright said.
Wright is also a proud member of member of several other on campus dance organizations such as Ole Miss Salsa La Rebelion, Oxford Westie Legends, Ole Miss Ballroom Dance Club and the Tupelo Ballroom Dance Club. According to Wright, the Ole Miss dance community as a whole is growing, and there tends to be a little overlap. Many members of one dance club or another belong to several other organizations, and all welcome interested newcomers.
Besides being closely affiliated with other dance clubs on campus, the Ole Miss Ballroom Dance Club works closely with The Dance Studio in Tupelo, who provide instructors for dance lessons.
From beginners to experts, the club welcomes all levels of dancers, and offers lessons every Sunday evening in a variety of styles. Group and private lessons are available, and will usually indicate on the schedule the level being offered at that time.
Senior Biology major Lauryn Sperling is a certified instructor who teaches lessons in Oxford.
“I work for The Dance Studio in Tupelo, but I teach dance in Oxford,” Sperling said.
Sperling, who became involved with the club her freshman year, admitted she was hooked after attending just one meeting. Like Wright, Sperling is also involved in multiple dance organizations on campus and encouraged the curious to come to a meeting and learn a move or two.
The Ole Miss Ballroom Dance Club focus mainly on the social aspect of dance, Sperling said. The club provides a fun environment to meet new people, and try something new. And with no partner required, there is no reason to feel shy attending a lesson.
“We try and make it a really social thing, we’ll go out to eat as a group after, or hang out. Just do things that make it feel tight knit,” Sperling said. “We like to have fun.”
The club recently hosted their October Dance Party, where attendees were encouraged to wear Halloween costumes, and were treated to a dance lesson before dancing the night away.
“It’s honestly one of my favorite dances of the year, just because it’s in October and you get to wear costumes,” Sperling said.
The Ole Miss Ballroom Dance Club is eager to see new faces at their monthly dance parties, according to Sperling who said the club is really trying to get their name out in Oxford. The best way to support the ever blossoming dance community around the University of Mississippi is simply by branching out and attending events and dances hosted by clubs around Oxford.
“We seem to have been getting a lot more students,” Sperling said. “We are slowly growing.”
President of the club, Peter Sukanek, encouraged everyone to come out and give the club a try.
“Everybody who comes always has a good time,” Sukanek said. “There is something for everyone.”
At the Ole Miss Ballroom Dance Club, all who foster even the slightest interest in social dancing are welcome to come and join practiced dancers and beginners alike. Those with happy feet should look into joining the Ole Miss Ballroom Dance Club. Students, faculty and all members of the community are welcome, according to the Dance Club website.
For more information about admission, upcoming events, or questions, go online to the Ole Miss Ballroom Dance Club site, or visit the club’s Facebook page.
