One may think that ballroom dancing and community service do not necessarily coincide. However, Mark Fitzsimmons '09, who has led the ballroom dancing club for the past two years, disagrees. The ballroom club has several outreach activities planned for the upcoming year that aim to benefit both the Utica and Hamilton community.
As of last year, the ballroom club has started doing outreach activities for the Utica community. The club plans to do some of the same activities again this year, including "Make a Difference Day" in the fall and a trip to Alterra Nursing Home in the spring. During "Make a Difference Day", the club volunteers to teach elementary school students dancing techniques at the Utica YMCA. According to Fitzsimmons, one of the highlights of the trip was teaching children the "cha-cha." "It was nice to see kids who were really awkward about dancing get into it," he says. In April, the club plans to visit Alterra Nursing home with the help of the Arts Outreach Program. Like last year, the group will perform for the residents and perhaps even engage them in the dancing. Fitzsimmons recalls, "We did a little social dancing with the residents, mostly slow swing. It was a lot of fun." Fitzsimmons and the rest of the ballroom club look forward to doing these activities again this year.
The ballroom club would also like to focus more on promoting ballroom on the Hamilton campus. The group has planned late night ballroom parties for the upcoming semester. They hope that the late night events will encourage Hamilton students to be involved with the club. In addition, the club plans to become more involved in local ballroom competitions due to the success of last year's "Cinco de Mayo Fiesta" at the Turning Stone in which the members took part salsa competition. Competing against amateurs as well as professionals, the couples from Hamilton took 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize.
The ballroom club meets every Friday at 5 p.m. and is open to everyone regardless of prior experience. The club brings in professional instructors from the Utica area to teach as well as lead dancing workshops. Anyone who has an interest in ballroom itself or wants to take part in the community outreach projects is encouraged to join. "Ballroom is a good social activity among beginners in the same boat," Fitzsimmons notes, "It's a great way to build confidence, and…everybody likes dancing."
-- by Danielle Raulli '10
As of last year, the ballroom club has started doing outreach activities for the Utica community. The club plans to do some of the same activities again this year, including "Make a Difference Day" in the fall and a trip to Alterra Nursing Home in the spring. During "Make a Difference Day", the club volunteers to teach elementary school students dancing techniques at the Utica YMCA. According to Fitzsimmons, one of the highlights of the trip was teaching children the "cha-cha." "It was nice to see kids who were really awkward about dancing get into it," he says. In April, the club plans to visit Alterra Nursing home with the help of the Arts Outreach Program. Like last year, the group will perform for the residents and perhaps even engage them in the dancing. Fitzsimmons recalls, "We did a little social dancing with the residents, mostly slow swing. It was a lot of fun." Fitzsimmons and the rest of the ballroom club look forward to doing these activities again this year.
The ballroom club would also like to focus more on promoting ballroom on the Hamilton campus. The group has planned late night ballroom parties for the upcoming semester. They hope that the late night events will encourage Hamilton students to be involved with the club. In addition, the club plans to become more involved in local ballroom competitions due to the success of last year's "Cinco de Mayo Fiesta" at the Turning Stone in which the members took part salsa competition. Competing against amateurs as well as professionals, the couples from Hamilton took 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize.
The ballroom club meets every Friday at 5 p.m. and is open to everyone regardless of prior experience. The club brings in professional instructors from the Utica area to teach as well as lead dancing workshops. Anyone who has an interest in ballroom itself or wants to take part in the community outreach projects is encouraged to join. "Ballroom is a good social activity among beginners in the same boat," Fitzsimmons notes, "It's a great way to build confidence, and…everybody likes dancing."
-- by Danielle Raulli '10
