Take a spin with Swing Dance Club

At dance halls and clubs across the country, men are twirling their partners across the floor, using moves that seem to be as much art as dance.

As fun as it is to watch, swing dancing is even more exciting for its participants — just ask the members of the Spokane Swing Dance Club.

“I’ve been doing it since college. It’s a lot of fun, and dancing is the best physical activity. It’s a great way to gain confidence,” said Eric Allen, club member and dance instructor.

Carol Morgan and a group of local dancers created the club in 1995. The club became incorporated in November 1995 and the first board was elected in November 1996.

Today, the club has more than 150 members. Dances are held at the German American Club, 25 W. Third Ave., twice a month on the first and third Sundays. During the summer, a pre-dance workshop begins at 6 p.m., followed at 7 with a couple of hours of dancing. During the winter, the pre-dance workshop begins at 5 p.m., with the dance starting at 6. Admission is $4 for members and $6 for guests. The dances are alcohol- and smoke-free.

Over the course of the year, three-hour workshops enlist local dance instructors to teach different styles. The club also hosts other workshops three times a year, bringing in well-known dance instructors from around the country to provide members with six to eight hours of instruction.

“The club is open to anyone,” club President Ed Keuck said. “You don’t have to know how to dance, just have to have an interest to learn.”

The club is affiliated with the Northwest Regional Swing Dance Association. The regional association is a group of five dance clubs from Vancouver, B.C., Portland, Eugene, Ore., Seattle and Spokane. Each fall, these cities take turns hosting the annual Northwest Regional Dance Competition.

“The club focuses primarily on West Coast swing,” Allen said. “It’s a more versatile style with the ability to dance to a wider range of music.”

The West Coast swing is challenging to learn but offers more opportunity to improvise.

It can be used for a variety of music such as country, blues, ballroom and pop.

“It is a slotted dance with the partnership moving up and down in a straight line,” said Allen.

Another popular form is the East Coast swing. Here the partnership circles each other. It looks like the old jitterbug and requires a faster tempo.

Besides swing, the club offers lessons on other styles of dances including the cha cha, salsa, rumba, waltz, night club two-step, country two-step, tango and the fox trot.

The club publishes a monthly newsletter, “What’s Shakin’. ” Members may also rent videos from the club’s extensive library on dance instruction for $5.

Theme dances are planned all year. In May, a Mad Hatter Dance was held, and each member was encouraged to wear a fun hat.

Annual Valentine and Christmas dances are planned along with the club’s signature event, the Monster Mash, held the end of October at the Red Lion at the Park.

The club also plans other social events, like picnics, and ski and bike trips.

“It’s a great social outlet to meet new people, and it’s a lot of fun,” Allen said.