Class Descriptions
Welcome to the UVic Ballroom, Latin and Swing Club (UVBLSC)! As a Vikes Rec Club, we believe that ballroom dancing improves physical and social well-being and enhances quality of life! We offer lessons not only in Standard Ballroom (like waltz, foxtrot, and quickstep), but also Latin Ballroom, East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing, Salsa, Latin Hustle, Merengue and Bachata. You don’t need a partner or any dance experience (having two left feet is fine), just show up and get ready to have fun, meet new people, and, of course, learn how to dance!. Read below for a description of the classes we are offering this semester.
Social/Practice
Latin Tester Series
This class covers the other styles of dance you might find at a salsa party! Learn to move your body to the rhythm of Latin music and practice leading and following techniques. We’ll cover Bachata and Merengue, dances that originated in the Dominican Republic, and Latin Hustle, a dance that started in the 70s to disco music.
Salsa on 2
Salsa on 2 (mambo) is danced to the rhythm of the congas and the techniques used allows for quick turns and direction changes, complex partner patterns and more body movement while dancing on a crowded dance floor to live music. This class will introduce you to the fundamentals of partner work and show you how to improvise on the social dance floor.
UVic Salsa Team
Join our performance team! Improve your technique, spinning, body movement, stage presence and more while practicing with dancers that want the same thing as you do- to improve while having fun! Never performed or even danced before? No problem! No partner or experience is required. You just have to be dedicated and have a positive attitude. All levels will be challenged to improve.
All Levels Swing
Swing dancing refers to a variety of improvised social dances that emerged out of the swing era of jazz and evolved over time. Jump into East Coast Swing, a fun, upbeat dance to jazz music, West Coast Swing, a smooth dance that focuses on partner interaction and can be danced to many different styles of music, and peek at the basics of Lindy Hop later in the semester.
Level 1 Standard & Latin Ballroom
Ballroom dancing is a great mix of fun & exercise where you can meet new friends and get to know people! Come out and learn the basic elements and steps that will get you started on a life-long journey of dancing. Learn Standard and Latin dances including Waltz, Foxtrot, Cha Cha and Jive. We'll even throw in some common Ballroom Line dances!
Level 2 Standard & Latin Ballroom
Building on the Level 1 course, we'll add new steps and technique to the existing four dances and add the basics of another five! Expand your dance repertoire and confidence on the dance floor with Samba, Rumba, Viennese Waltz, Quickstep, and International Tango Prerequisite: Completed at least one term of Level 1, or previous ballroom experience.
We will be hosting Pre-Class Socials throughout the semester before class starts! These socials are a time to come out, get to know the people you've been dancing with and maybe even practice some of the things you learned in class the week prior. Saturday's Social will feature the styles of music played during the latin classes, while Sunday's Social will focus on ballroom and swing music. On Sundays, John will also review the Ballroom and Swing mixers as well as line dances.