The William Jewell College Ballroom Dancers hosted the Spring Ball at the Mabee Center April 8 from 7-10 p.m. Open to both Jewell students and the public, the Ballroom Dance Team, along with members from One Step At A Time dance studio, showcased different dance routines throughout the night.

Ballroom Dance Team members Sam Person and Tim Wise took turns DJ-ing the event, which music ranged from Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber to Glenn Miller. Attendees were invited to different dance types with each changing song.

Junior Nick LaDue, member of the Ballroom Dance Team, reflected on his time spent on the team the past year.

“I am not in any way musically inclined, but I really enjoyed getting to learn all the different types of dance there are. I found out that I am a fan of rumba,” Ladue said.

LaDue particularly enjoyed learning dance etiquette as well.

“There are set guideline for ways to behave and carry oneself during a ball, and I found it fascinating that these practices are still in use today. Contrary to popular belief, ballroom dance is not archaic and is timeless in nature,” said Ladue.

Be sure to keep an eye out for any upcoming events from the Ballroom Dancers on their Facebook page.

The music, which was a mixture of modern and traditional, was provided in part by KC Jazz. The band includes Dr. Will Adams, a former professor at Jewell.

The Fall Ball featured performances from members of the class, who demonstrated six of the dances they learned along with a routine from the College ballroom dance team.

“I’ve never seen another college in the Kansas City area with a program like this,” said Blair Walker, junior vocal performance major and treasurer of Ballroom Dance Club.

Students gain more than just fast feet from taking the class.

“Ballroom dance has showed me an essential life skill,” said Juan Cantu, first-year physiology major and defensive player for Jewell’s football team. “Not only has it improved my footwork in football, but it has also equipped me with the ability to dance the rest of my life.”

Dancers were treated to the presence of a celebrity guest. Three-time U.S. and International Standard ballroom champion Denise Evans attended the event.

Previously acquired dancing skills were not required to participate in the fun. Experienced dancers were on hand to show newcomers the ropes.

“This is the best ball I have been to by far,” said first-year biology major Skylar Stietz. “I found someone to teach me each dance, and through their patience I am now an expert.”

The nine-week course will be offered again in the spring semester. Another ball will be held, including more performances and a silent auction.

There is a little-known club on campus that has students twirling with excitement – Ballroom Dance Club. The growing ballroom dance program at William Jewell College now includes a class and a dance team and aims to teach a new generation of students the art of dance.

Some of the dancers have funny stories about how they stumbled across the class by accident.

“My advisor gave me the choice of 7 p.m. dance or 7 a.m. pilates. I chose dance,” said Blair Walker, junior vocal performance major and treasurer of Ballroom Dance Club.

Other dancers say they joined because of friends in the program or to impress people with their dancing skills. Either way, almost every dancer is glad to be a part of the dance community.

While ballroom dance may seem old-fashioned, dancers say it’s a great way to stay active and have fun.

“I think it’s really important we have a ballroom dance class here because it’s sort of a dying art. You can have a connection with someone before even knowing them – and it’s fun!” said Walker.

Walker also says the program has benefited him outside the dance floor.

“Ballroom dance has gotten me through a lot,” Walker said. 

Other dancers echo Walker’s feelings about the ballroom dance program.

“I believe dance is an important skill for life. I also believe it is important for football because it improves footwork,” said Juan Cantu, first-year physiology major and defensive player for Jewell’s football team.

Kathryn Shelburne, senior French and international relations major and president of the ballroom dance club says ballroom dance has become a big part of her college experience.

“I’ve been on the team for three years now and I was just nominated to be the president. It’s been so much fun working with all these people. I’ve made lifelong friends– we’re really just a big family,” Shelburne said.

The ballroom dance family has grown over the past year and consists of students from all walks of life, including football players, Oxbridge students, music majors and nursing students. In total, there are approximately 20 dancers in each class. The class is also now open to dancers outside the college, including alumni and high school students from Liberty and Liberty North High School.

“I’ve always been interested in dance, and I thought ballroom dance would be a lot of fun,” said Savannah Fritz, a freshman at Liberty High School.

Fritz has enjoyed the class so much she joined the dance team and now brings some of her friends to the class so they can experience the fun.

The dance family has also expanded to include two new dance instructors. In the spring semester of last year, the College hired two new instructors, Jeri Mickle and Lani Seaborn. Mickle and Seaborn have their own dance studio, One Step at a Time, in Excelsior Springs, and Mickle has taught ballroom dance for more than three decades.

The new instructors have updated the way ballroom dance is taught at Jewell. Instead of learning multiple dances at once, they now limit it to one dance a night so students gain a more in-depth understanding and can learn spins and breaks that require more instruction.

“We’re creating a lot of excitement. We do fewer dances now and incorporate modern music,” said Seaborn.

During the class, which meets every Wednesday from 7-9 p.m., students learn a new dance every week, including the Waltz, the Tango, the Cha-cha and the foxtrot. They also work on dance etiquette and review the dance they learned during the previous week.

“The class focuses on learning core dances while the team focuses on routines they will perform,” said Mickle.

The dance team meets weekly in addition to the class time. They prepare a routine and get ready for performances in the community. Their first performance will be at the Jewell Ball. In the future, look for them to perform at halftime shows at College sporting events.

The Jewell Ball is the best time for anyone interested in the ballroom dance program to learn more about the dance program. The Ball is at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct 29 and features music, dancing, cookies and refreshments. There is a masquerade theme and attendees are encouraged to wear masks, but it is not required. The event is free for Jewell students and cost $5 for guests and will be in the Mabee Center.

“I think more people should join ballroom dance – it’s something you won’t regret. Come to the ball and see if you like it,” Cantu said.

Photo taken by Cassie Hayes.

Jeri Mickle, ballroom instructor and owner of One Step At A Time, said the event will feature performances from the WJC ballroom dance team, members of One Step At A Time studio and the William Jewell Jazz Band.

Shaneann Fross, sophomore Oxbridge Molecular Biology and Applied Critical Thought and Inquiry (ACT-In) major, spoke about why she is excited for Spring Fling, where the team will be performing a triple-time swing routine.

“I’m looking forward to the routine. We’ve been working on the routine for quite awhile, since the beginning of the semester, and it’s finally looking not bad,” said Fross.

Fross has been involved in either the class or team since her freshman year when she signed up for the team because she’s always wanted to learn to ballroom dance.

“This year in particular, I’m finally getting to the point where I know how to dance to almost every single style, so I’ll be able to lead or follow someone in every single song,” said Fross.  

Ballroom dance is a long-standing tradition at Jewell. Dr. Will Adams founded the program at Jewell and formed an official team in the fall of 2014. Adams invited all students who had participated in a ballroom class to join the team at that time. This included Leilani Seaborn, Jewell alumna and current ballroom instructor at Jewell. This was just the start of Seaborn’s involvement with the program.

“There were very few of us who were interested, but me and one other male started dancing together a lot. We loved it [and] did very well. When I graduated, I lived three blocks away, worked a full-time job during the day and at night came here and I danced…I never left,” said Seaborn.

For both instructors, ballroom dance has had an impact on their life.

“I’ve personally been teaching ballroom dance for over 30 years. It’s a great partnership, it’s great for couples, it’s a great social event. The benefits are just amazing. Healthwise, it’s good for you. It’s a good way for kids to interact with one another with no pressure,” said Mickle.

Like Fross, Seaborn was involved with the team for the majority of her time at Jewell.

“I learned I was a natural, I was good at it, and it made me feel good about myself. I went from the shy little nobody to a teacher and a fairly confident person, lost a bunch of weight thanks to it. It just changed my life,” said Seaborn.

 During Seaborn’s time at Jewell, the team had two members. It has since grown to around ten members, creating a tight-knit group.

“I enjoy the people I meet, too, because some of them I would never have met otherwise because we are all in such different spheres,” said Fross.

Seaborn also commented on the importance of the dance community. She even mentioned that they call her “Mom.”

“The dance community is very small, it’s very tight-knit and very very welcoming to anybody, whether you’re here for a day or for the rest of your life, it’s the most welcoming place to be,” said Seaborn.

To see the team in action, head down to the Mabee Center April 18. The team will be performing around 9:20 p.m. The event is free to all Jewell students, $5 for community members and no dance experience is required.

Photos credits to Christina Kirk.