Learn to Dance
Classes
We offer classes taught by world-class professionals in International Latin and Standard Ballroom Dance, and we encourage you to try both!
Class time is divided into 60-minute blocks for different skill levels. The first hour is Newcomer/Bronze Level and the second hour is Silver/Gold Level. Newcomers are encouraged to stay for the advanced classes!
Class locations may vary from week to week but are generally in Lerner Hall. Practice space is in Dodge Fitness Center. Send us an email to be added to our weekly mailing list with this information.
To learn more about officially joining the club, click here.
To request access to our campus, fill out this form.
International Latin
Dances: Cha Cha, Rumba, Jive, Samba, Paso Doble
Schedule: Mondays
Newcomer: 10 - 11 pm
Advanced: 11 pm - 12 am
Location: Lerner Hall, Broadway Room C555 (2nd Floor). Location may differ.
Instructor: Andrew Phillips
Latin Instructor: Andrew has just recently exited the world of professional ballroom competition. Andrew placed 4th at U.S. Open Professional Latin in 2002. He was also a U.K. Open Rising Star Finalist and Blackpool Rising Star Finalist, and has consistently placed among the top 12 professional Latin couples at major world competitions. He currently is a resident coach at Manhattan Ballroom Dance and frequently judges collegiate competitions. He also travels abroad for demonstrations and workshops.
International Standard
Dances: Waltz, Tango, Quickstep, Foxtrot, Viennese Waltz
Schedule: Tuesdays
Newcomer: 10:15 - 11:15 pm
Advanced: 11:15 pm - 12:15 am
Location: Lerner Hall, Room C555 (5th Floor). Location may differ.
Instructors: Stanley and Jennifer McCalla
Standard Instructors: Stanley and Jennifer McCalla Stanley and Jennifer held the U.S. Amateur Standard, Latin, and 10-Dance titles, the last couple to have been so distinguished, and represented the U.S. at four world championships. As professionals, they were Ohio Star Ball Rising Star Smooth Champions, and Fred Astaire National Smooth Champions. They currently own and operate a studio in New York called Dance Chelsea. Both act as judges at many collegiate ballroom competitions.
Practices
Practices are a great way to review steps from classes and meet other club members in a smaller setting, so we encourage everyone to check them out! We will have a board member supervising every practice to answer your questions, whether they be about dancing, Columbia, or life in general.
Practices are held weekly in Dodge Fitness Center, Aerobics Room 3 (Dodge Fitness Center membership required to enter) on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Check the weekly announcement email sent out to our mailing list for up-to-date practice times and locations each week.
Practices are largely unstructured, with music and speakers provided. You don’t need a partner or experience to start practicing. If you’re not sure what to practice, reviewing figures from class is always a good place to start—these will be posted regularly on our YouTube channel!
Before competitions, Thursday and Friday practices will feature Rounds, where each of the five Standard and Latin dances are done continuously for 1.5 minutes each to mimic a final round at a competition. These are a great way to prepare for competitions and build up your stamina!
Occasionally, additional workshops will be hosted in practice spaces. Keep an eye out for them in our weekly announcements!
We host beggining and end of semester socials, as well as, group trips to Friday Night Fever Socials and Bourough Ball which are socials with the rest of the New York City ballroom dance community.
Community
CU Ballroom isn’t just a dance group—it’s a vibrant, tight-knit community of friends formed through a variety of bonding experiences. From dancing at socials downtown to post-competition dinners, the club offers a wide range of activities that you can partake in as a member. We try to alleviate the financial costs of being a member as much as possible too! Most importantly, we warmly welcome everyone and anyone, no matter what your level of experience, because at the end of the day, it’s all about having fun with people who you can call family.
Some of the many ways our club members bond and build community within our club, within Columbia, and within the greater NYC dance world:
Traveling to competitions all over the Northeast
Showcasing at Columbia events such as NSOP, Passport to Columbia, and Red Cross Benefit Dinner
Attending a Friday Night Fever dance social at a studio downtown
Collaborating with Pops Orchestra to hold a Valentine’s Day Gala with live music and dancing
Hosting a joint dance mixer with the NYU Ballroom Dance Team
Mentoring a new dancer to their first final and receiving mentoring from a high-level dancer
Holding club study breaks and club dinners
Hosting Big Apple Dancesport Competition (one of the "Big Three" on the East Coast)
And much more!