The Swing Dancing Club is dancing its way back to Point Loma Nazarene University. After the club was dormant the last few years, Kyle Hermann, a senior PLNU history major, is joining co-president, Joseph-Watson, and fellow admin, Hanna Vanca, to make the club’s long-awaited return.
“It’s one of those clubs that seems like it’s from antiquity,” says Hermann. The club joined the PLNU scene a few years ago, but failed to stay relevant when the president and fellow club members graduated from the university—it seemed the club left with them.
“I tried joining it a few years ago and there was nothing, didn’t hear anything about it,” says Hermann. “I wanted to bring that club on to campus again. I know how to swing, so I figured I could bring a little bit of what I know.”
Hermann says experience is not required. “I learned swing when I was not a dancer or performer and the expression ‘two left feet’ was the most real thing for me, so if I can learn how to swing dance, I don’t think it will be too hard.”
Club meetings usually fall on Monday nights every few weeks at 5 p.m. in Cunningham, according to Hermann. All you need are comfy clothes and your feet.
But one of the most important things about swing isn’t just the dancing. “Considering the historically co-dependent development of swing music with swing dance, it is difficult to conceive how to examine one accurately without the other,” according to Michael Strickland in his thesis, “Swing Dancing: How Dance Effectiveness May Influence Music Preference.”
In other words, music is one of the primary ingredients in making this style what it is, so it’s important to have a swingin’ playlist. “It’s the most random playlist because I did swing for seven years, so I put music on this playlist for seven years,” says Hermann. “It ranges from The Drifters to Postmodern Jukebox, but it’s mostly jazz.”
The Swing Dancing Club will be having its next meeting tonight, Wednesday, Apr. 24. Check out the club at 4 p.m. in Cunningham A/B. Follow @plnuswingdance on Instagram to stay up-to-date and get more information.
“Swing is super fun. Don’t be afraid to try it out, because you won’t regret it,” says Hermann.
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