Ballroom Dance Club Teaches Swing, Salsa, Earns Money

As couples swayed to the sound of dance music in the Currier Fishbowl last night, the Harvard Radcliffe Ballroom Dance Club (HRBDC) concluded its current series of ballroom dance lessons and discussed the club's lack of resources.

Every month, the HRBDC sponsors a set of dance lessons held in the Currier House Fishbowl and the Winthrop House Junior Common Room to earn money for the club and teach the art of ballroom dancing.

"We frequently hold a four-class series for $20. This is the main source of our funding for travel and expenses and also fosters public interest in ballroom dancing," said Samantha L. Chaifetz '00 HRBDC president.

"We don't have any office space and we don't have easily accessible storage space," she said. Performers' gowns, she added, which cost $2,000 apiece, are kept in a closet in Loker Commons.

"We were pushed out of our storage space in Harvard Hall when it was remodeled, and we have been in Loker ever since. There we have great difficulty with access because there are either groups in our way or Loker is locked," Chaifetz said.

She also discussed a need for more practice space.

"We lack practice space when there could be space available. There are six unused squash courts in Lowell. Since they have wooden floors, you need only add mirrors to have a professional level dance studio," she said.

HRBDC consists of a competitive team and a club consisting of people who are generally interested in ballroom dancing but don't actively compete.

Chaifetz also explained that in addition to the night classes, free classes are held at the Malkin Athletic Center for Harvard students.

The classes generally have between 30 and 50 students working with four instructors who are advanced members of the dance team.

Chaifetz emphasized that no experience is necessary to participate in ballroom dancing, even as members of the competing team. There are about 500 members in the club and about 100 on the ballroom team.

"No one comes in with experience and no experience is necessary to join the team. No one's excluded. We frequently have freshmen come in with no experience and work themselves up to national rankings. Getting involved is as simple as e-mailing us, "Chaifetz said.

The team is currently ranked second in the nation behind Brigham Young University. Former members include current U.S. Ten Dance champions.

Despite the success of the team, Chaifetz is careful to emphasis that the HRBDC is about more than dancing.

"Team people run a lot of social events like a monthly dance, our next one is April 28, where we teach free lessons and dance. We also perform and teach ballroom dancing at charity events," Chaifetz said.

The HRBDC next competes April 10 at a free event at MIT and Chaifetz said she invites all Harvard affiliates to the competition.

"We never have supporters cheering us own at these events. I wouldn't expect someone to go to New York, but to a free competition at MIT, I would," Chaifetz said.