Frequently Asked Questions

What dances do you guys do?
We divide them into three groups:

Latin: Rumba, Cha-Cha, Samba, Jive
Smooth: Tango, Waltz, Foxtrot, Quickstep
Social: Salsa, Merengue, Swing
Do I need experience?
No. Every semester we start anew for the new members that join us. However, several of our members are not beginners and/or had done dancing before, so they concentrate in learning new and more complicated moves. You will have an easier time learning if you come to dance lessons in a consistent basis.
Do I need a partner?
The question is... does your partner need you? Bet you never thought of that, eh? In other words, no, you do not need a partner to join us. During class we partner up with people at random, and rotate partners several times during each session to get a feel for different personal dancing styles and to meet new people. We're a social club, after all.
What about shoes?
Shoes could be your partner, sure. However, you don't need special shoes to dance, in fact, some people dance in their socks (they're more comfortable than sneakers, and you can make puppets out of them). Sometimes we organize a mass shoe club purchases to get extra discounts on available prices.
Do I need to be a KU student/alumni? Is this a KU class? Do I need to enroll?
No. The KU Ballroom club is open to the whole community, on top of the KU students, faculty and staff. We're a KU organization, not an academic course. Anyone can join our club.
When do you guys practice?
Check the classes page on this website.
How do I join?
Just show up to any of the lessons. After your first lesson, contact one of the officers to take care of your membership dues. Be sure to join our email list, by contacting us at kubdc@ku.edu. You'll get annoying reminders for the classes, but also important information (like class cancellations/reschedulings/relocations) and anything else going on, like dance events.
What are the club membership dues?
Our dues are currently $25 per semester per person after your first free week, should you decide to stay.
25 smackers? Hmmm... but I'm a starving college student, and so are you.
It's actually a really good deal. To put things into perspective, our current instructor charges about $75/hour for group lessons outside of our club. And for $25 you're getting 2 hours of professional instruction on Sundays, and Tuesdays, and also a Salsa and Merengue lesson each week, for a whole semester. If you decide to come every class we offer, you'll end up paying $0.25/hour! I bet you a 4-month supply of Ramen Noodles that you can't find a cheaper dancing class.
I like the protective bubble when dancing in class, but what do I do to get to dance in a social environment?
There are multiple things which might prevent you from dancing: Fear, lack of experience, anxiety, shyness... Most likely, these are only in your head. Seriously. Check out the guide for overcoming fear of dancing. They also have guides for men and women on how to ask / get asked to dance more often.
(On a related note, in general we tend to have fewer men than women in dancing, so if you find a good dance lead, tell your female friends about him! And if you're a good dancer, be sure to ask everyone for a dance!)
I heard that you guys do really cool things outside the club. What are they?
We like to learn/teach to dance during class, but we mostly enjoy dancing overall. During weekends many of us hit the dance clubs with whoever wants to join, and get together for dinner beforehand. We offer presentations and attend dance shows and workshops every now and then. We also organize small activities like going to the movies or renting a video for some dance movies. There's a separate email list for those people interested in social dancing and hanging out. Email me at kubdc@ku.edu and tell me you want to be part of this list.
You guys are awesome. I'd like to help with the club!
The club is run by volunteers who dedicate their time and effort for you to have an enjoyable time. We can always use a helping hand. If you'd like to become an officer (with the perk of writing that down that on your resume!) let us know. You can also help us setup our Dance Events (Masquerade Ball and Swingin' Ball) each semester.
I've heard of other dance organizations in KU. What's up with that?
Yes, there are several other dance organizations. They're usually more specific in nature than the Ballroom Dance Club. DanceSport specializes in competition, the Swing Society in swing, Unity Dance Troupe in hip-hop, and University Dance Company in performance dancing.
Did you notice the typo in this page?
You are delusional. I don't make mistakes.