The Claremont Colleges Ballroom Dance Company

As part of the Claremont Colleges Ballroom Dance Company's 2006-2007 plan of action, we've been working on community outreach programs that include, but are not limited to, Dancing with the Claremont Stars, CCBDC Parties and Performances, regular Social Dances, Salsa Club, Lindy, the Social Dance Digester, and free, student-taught technique classes. While we've been impressed and surprised by the success that these efforts have enjoy, we're looking for ways to make the program even better!

If you have any ideas on how to make any of these events more enjoyable and accessible, or even ideas for new events, please comment here!

The Claremont Colleges Ballroom Dance Company had an impressive showing at the USCD Dance by the Shores Competition this past Saturday. With a set of couples completely new to the competitive floor, the CCBDC won a number of events and placed highly in many others.

The UCSD competition attracted a wide range of collegiate competitors: UCSD, Arizona State, Stanford, Berkely, and Utah State were among the teams that attended. Despite the much larger size of many of these universities and their respective teams, the CCBDC had a very competitive showing.

Can Aksoy and Sara Gaynor continued their undefeated streak in the Argentine Tango event, placing first in their third consecutive competition. They placed first at the collegiate nationals earlier in November.

Paul Roach and Jessica Frey placed first in the Lindy-Hop competition, wowing the crowd with a combination of lifts, tricks, and classic lindy-hop dancing.

The CCBDC also took their first Standard Ballroom title of the year, with Paul Roach and Sara Gaynor placing first in the novice ballroom event.

For the complete set of results, read on below, or check out the photo gallery for pictures.

Results (in alphabetical order by first name of leader, some results still coming):

• Can Aksoy and Helen Johnson - Semifinal Pre-Novice Latin, Gold Latin Finals (?).
• Can Aksoy and Sara Gaynor - 1st Place Argentine Tango, Merengue Finals (?), Semifinal Salsa.
• Dan Simon and Shanda Lowe - 2nd Silver Cha, 4th Silver Paso, 5th Silver Rumba, Semifinal Silver Samba.
• David Carrington and Jessica Frey - 2nd Place Silver Tango, 3rd Place Silver Waltz, 3rd Place Silver Foxtrot, 3rd Place Silver Quickstep.
• David Carrington and Suzie Ackerman - 1st Place Bronze Cha, 4th Place Bronze Rumba, 5th Place Bronze Paso, 4th Place Silver Cha.
• Jay Daigle and Alyssa Cope - 3rd Place Pre-Novice Standard.
• Matt Sugihara (UCSD) and Lauren Wann - 1st Place West Coast Swing.
• Paul Roach and Jessica Frey - 1st Place Lindy-Hop.
• Paul Roach and Sara Gaynor - 1st Place Novice Standard, 4th Place Pre-Champ Standard.
• Paul Roach and Jessica Stephens - 4th Place Novice Latin, 5th Place Pre-Champ latin.

As I will be going to the Caltech this Friday with a fair number of people, I'm probably not going to have the normal Friday dance socials unless a fair number of people are interested and willing to take charge of it. If you want to have social anyways, comment with your name/email here and (if you're on team) whether you're willing to be responsible for setup (salsa club will take care of the equipment the rest of the night).

I'll send out an email to everyone who has commented here Friday afternoon with whether or not social will be happening.

The Caltech Ballroom Dance Company (CBDC) is having their annual party this Friday in anticipation of their competition this Saturday (party goes from 9pm-12pm). It's free (as far as I know), and there will probably be tons of people there of all skills and abilities (this will be my first time as well, but this is what generally happens at preparty dance events). Teams from as far away as New Mexico are here for the competition, so expect to see all sorts of dance styles on the floor.

The party will probably be a bit like our Friday socials (ballroom, latin, and nightclub music, including swing/salsa/merengue/two step/lindy/argentine/etc), except with a lot more people to meet and probably a little less casual (as might be expected when you don't know everyone).

Anyway, if you're interested in going to Caltech for some or all of the party, comment with your name, email address, if you can drive yourself, and if so, how many people are you willing to take with you. People getting rides will help with gas money, so it will probably be free for drivers.

I'll send out an email to everyone who comments Friday morning so we can organize when and where to meet up.

Tuesday night may have seemed like any other night, with people crowding into Edmunds Ballroom for practice, but the people showing up for this practice were not your ballroom regulars. While many members of the CCBDC were part of the crowd, the rest of the people in the ballroom were the Claremont Stars participating in our showcase this Friday. After weeks of preparation and practice, they swept through the final dress rehearsal without a hitch and are more than excited to take to the ballroom floor on Friday!

So without more ado, I give you the Claremont Stars:

• 101: Grace Davila-Lopez - Spanish Professor, Pomona College
• 102: Fiona Vajk - Psychology Professor at Pitzer College and Staff Psychologist at Monsour Counseling & Psychological Services
• 103: Kim Bruce - Computer Science Professor, Pomona College
• 104: Nicole Weekes - Psychology Professor, Pomona College
• 105: Asuman Aksoy - Mathematics Professor, Claremont McKenna College
• 106: Rita Stachinak & Regan Rahardja - Study Abroad Program Administrative Assistant, Pomona College
• 107: Peter Kung - Philosophy Professor, Pomona College
• 108: Maria Donapetry - Spanish Professor, Pomona College
• 109: Yi Chen & Christian Lopez - Computer Science Professor, Pomona College
• 110: Don Townes - Chef, Frary Dining Hall, Pomona College
• 111: Elizabeth Gayed - Staff Psychologist at Monsour Counseling & Psychological Services, Claremont University Consortium
• 112: Lisa Sobel - Hilel Fellow, Claremont University Consortium
• 113: Debra Wood - Dean of Students, Scripps College
• 114: Sarah Harris - Engineering Professor, Harvey Mudd College
• 115: Bob Schaffer - Engineering Professor, Harvey Mudd College

Come cheer and vote for your favorite professors on Friday! And while you're here, be sure to check out the photos from the dress rehearsal.

Here are the exciting events that will take place on Friday night:

1. MC Welcome (7:00)
2. Opening Grand March Intro
3. MC Introductions
4. Cha Cha Demonstration
   • David Carrington & Anna Kassinger
   • Zane Montgomery & Nikki Morin
   • Stephen Huie & Alicia Yee
   • Reagn Rahardja & Mandy Wood
   • Josh Leavitt & Jessica Stephens
   • Christian Lopez & Kelly Cloward
5. Cha Cha Event
   1. Heat #1
      • 101: Grace Davila-Lopez & David Carrington
      • 102: Fiona Vajak & Zane Montgomery
      • 103: Kim Bruce & Nikki Morin
      • 104: Nicole Y Weekes & Stephen Huie
   2. Heat #2
      • 105: Asuman Aksoy & Can Aksoy
      • 106: Rita Stachinak & Reagn Rahardja
      • 107: Peter Kung & Jessica Stephens
      • 108: Maria Donapetry & Josh Leavitt
   3. Heat #3
      • 109: Yi Chen & Christian Lopez
      • 110: Don Townes & Kelly Hewitt
      • 111: Elizabeth Gayeal & Carey McDonald
6. Waltz Demo
   • Jay Daigle & Lindsey Healey
   • Josh Ruben & Elizabeth Obreza
   • Victor Wang & Alyssa Cope
   • Grady Wieger & A’Quila Ettien
7. Waltz Event - Final Round
   • 112: Lisa Sobel & Jay Daigle
   • 113: Debra Wood & Josh Ruben
   • 114: Sarah Harris & Victor Wang
   • 115: Bob Shaffer & Jessica Frey
8. Open Dance
9. Cha Cha Final (the three couples with the top score will dance together in one final heat)
10. Open Dance
11. Results and Awards
12. Following the Competition event there will be open dancing and events until midnight:
    • Intro Viennese Waltz Lesson with Chris Witt (8:30pm)
    • Formation Dance showcase by CCBDC Teams - Samba and Foxtrot (10:30pm)

We hope to see you there! As usual comment if you have any questions.

So it's a week overdue and you've probably already heard by now, but the Claremont Colleges Ballroom Company won the National Formation Team event last weekend in Ohio for the fifth time. In addition to continuing their undefeated record, the CCBDC also had finalists in the following categories:

• Can Aksoy and Sara Gaynor - 1st Place in the Open Argentine Tango
• Paul Roach and Alyssa Cope - 1st Place in the Open West Coast Swing
• Paul Roach and Jessica Stephens - 5th Place in the Open Salsa

In addition, the CCBDC sent our first couples to the San Jose State University Ballroom Classic with fantastic results.

Before we've even had a chance to recover, however, we're moving on to our next major production: Dancing with the Claremont Stars! Inspired by the hit show Dancing with the Stars, Claremont Colleges Faculty, Staff, and Administrators have paired up with CCBDC dancers to compete in a showcase this Friday at 7pm. The winners will be decided by audience ballot, and there will be open dancing and instruction in the Viennese Waltz (8:30). If you are around at 10:30, you will also have a chance to see both CCBDC teams perform new routines choreographed by Chris Witt - Tour Team will perform a "steamy samba" (as the Dancing with the Stars program likes to describe it) and the Campus Team will present an elegant foxtrot. We hope to see you there!

Check back soon for a list of entrants in this Friday's events.

There's a ballroom event going on at CSU Pomona this weekend. Put on by the Ballroom Team run by Wes Acker (the coach of the CCBDC before Chris Witt), the party advertises latin, swing, ballroom, and hip hop music with a free tango lesson. You also get to meet the L.A. Clippers Dancers and see them perform. Check it out, and comment here to let us know how it is.

Why aren't we going? We're off to the National Collegiate Championships this weekend in Ohio! Wish us luck, and check b

On November 8th, 2006, the Claremont Colleges Ballroom Dance Company will host its biannual Lab competition in the Edmunds Ballroom. This is a private competition for Claremont Colleges Students taking technique classes with Chris Witt. Each class level will compete in a different event, with an open Polka competition and a Jack and Jill providing some fun in between. Gold classes do not compete.

Check back soon for more details.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Dancing with the Claremont Stars is inspired by the hit show Dancing with the Stars, in which celebrities are paired with professional ballroom dancers who compete together throughout the series for the championship title. The show is based on the BBC TV series Strictly Come Dancing, and has had numerous international spin-offs in other countries.

The Claremont Colleges Ballroom Dance Company (CCBDC) hopes to create a fun and inspirational program based on the similar ideas of dance and community. The celebrities in our version are Claremont Colleges professionals (faculty, staff and administration) and will be paired with advanced student dancers from CCBDC. After a series of individual lessons and coaching, the pairs (consisting of one “celebrity” and one student “professional”) will participate in the grand showcase and competition on Friday, December 1, 2006, in the Edmunds Ballroom on the Pomona College campus.