Swingin’ dance moves rocked the International Center on Friday as the State Swing Society taught students how to sock hop.
The State Swing Society, a dance group on campus, helped students learn the sock hop to promote swing dancing. The event was hosted by the University Activities Board, or UAB.
Moving to the sounds of Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra, 130 students learned the dance as they twirled and shuffled across the International Center cafeteria.
As students became more comfortable with the dance, the number on the dance floor grew.
“Because there’s lessons involved, people feel they don’t have to know how to dance,” said Amanda Kruse, director of the UAB leadership and education committee and an event organizer.
On the weekend of Valentine’s Day, Kruse said she wanted to hold an event that could involve couples.
“There’s no correlation, but it has the vibe of Valentine’s,” Kruse said.
The night began as Angel Jenio, a political theory and constitutional democracy senior and member of the State Swing Society, walked students through the basics of the sock hop amid colored, flashing lights.
“It is sometimes hard to teach people depending on how fast they get it,” Jenio said.
Jenio, who has danced for five years, said it can sometimes be hard to teach students the steps, but she was excited when she was asked to help others.
“The Swing Society enjoyed the opportunity to teach,” Kruse said.
“They were excited because a lot of students showed interest.”
Jenio said she heard of the event at the last minute and was happy to spend her Friday night teaching sock hop.
“The guys are doing this thing where they just shuffle their feet,” Jenio said among laughing dancers.
“You have to move your feet or it’s not dancing.”
Jenio assisted students throughout the night and said most of the people at Friday’s event were quick learners.
“The thing about partner dancing is even if the guy is wrong, he’s right,” said Jenio, explaining the dance to students.
Some participants had a hard time learning the dance, but enjoyed the event.
Alex Brey, a Howell resident, said he came late and missed the opening dance lesson.
“It’s fun, but we didn’t learn very well,” Brey said.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Mathematics graduate student Kenny Barrese had danced before, but said this was his first sock hop experience.
“It’s easy to get used to once you learn it,” Barrese said.
Kruse said the event went well and she is looking forward to similar events in the future.
She said she hopes to include the State Swing Society more often.
“We had a large variety of students come,” Kruse said. “Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.”
