Getting back into the swing of things

Jaclyn Ambrose • May 4, 2016

Swing dancing from the 1920s seems to be a lost art. Dance like nobody’s watching? Is that even true anymore? People tend to be so self conscious about busting a move, especially with a partner. Well worry no more, tell them about swing dancing. Swing dancing is something that is exciting, and it is an event held nearby. Just about every Saturday at the Old Town Yoga Studio in Fort Collins, they hold swing dancing from 9:00pm to 1:00am.

The studio does offer lessons before hand, just come an hour early! Instructors will either teach blues or swing. Skill does not matter, and you don’t even need a partner! They encourage dancing the night away, with as many people as you can. It’s only a five dollar fee to dance the night away.

Swing dancing is something that is not commonly heard of anymore. During the 1920’s everyone knew what is was and how to sway in the ways of jazz. It was a pastime everyone seemed to enjoy!

The style of Swing is fast and fun, and the moves aren’t all that difficult. A simple set of turns can go a long way to impress someone. From personal experience it is all based on confidence and having fun. If you have a lead who feels confident, or if you are a lead who’s confident, you will glide across the dance floor with ease.

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Sounds silly, but swing dancing in Old Town Fort Collins is a great way to meet new people from different schools, and some students who go to CSU. It makes a great group activity with a party of friends. It may take some convincing to get them to go, but just have them try it. For the most part they will have a blast and want to come again. Others may find it hard to get into, but at that point it’s all personal preference.

If you have an ear for music and an appreciation for electronic you might find yourself falling in love with a very different style of music. Electronic jazz is a popular genre to be played in the old town yoga studio. Some of the tunes will just end up sticking to you. It’s either a mix, some classic big band swing music, or something that stands on it’s own.

There is also blues dancing featured in the Old Town yoga studio, a classic American dance from the 1930’s. It has about the same amount of movement as swing, but it’s slower and to a more somber tone. It’s more relaxed at most.

Fort Collins swing is the place to be, the instructors are fluent in both styles of dancing, and they are always willing to help. Not to mention that their random facts about dancing are enjoyable. The people who go are kind and willing to help as well. I recommend going down to Old Town Fort Collins yoga studio, and dance the night away any Saturday.

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About the Contributor

Jaclyn Ambrose, Marketing Manager

Jaclyn Ambrose is a senior in her third year of the Journalism program, and she’s also filling the new Marketing Director position this year. She writes mainly for the arts beat, attending most of the band and orchestra concerts, as well as providing plenty of music reviews for the paper. Ambrose fell in love with Journalism sophomore year, when she took it because she wanted more English credits. Just last year, she had the realization that she wanted to continue with the subject after high school. She loves it for the “freedom over what you want to write, and the classroom, and just getting to publish your work.”

Music has been a part of Jaclyn’s life forever, and she loves filling the paper with local bands and reviews of the concerts that Fossil’s own musicians put on. Her own favorite bands include Weezer and The Band, who were involved with Bob Dylan in the 1960s. She describes their style as, “country, folk, rock, everything.” In addition, Jaclyn is deeply involved with the band program at Fossil as a part of the color guard and the rifle line. Her family includes her mom and dad, a sister who has just returned to Colorado Mesa University, a cousin who lives with her, and her dog Niki. Niki is a Pomeranian/chihuahua/dachshund mix, and Jaclyn describes Niki as “a ray of sunshine.”

[caption id="attachment_18924" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Jaclyn poses with some of her favorite records. Photo Credit: Annie Polly[/caption]

After high school, Jaclyn expects to stay in Colorado for college. She is mostly considering UNC Greeley, Colorado Mesa, or CSU, all of which have business and Journalism programs. Business is partially “something to fall back on," but she loves working with other people and thinks that she could really enjoy a career in that field, at least at some point. If she had to describe her goals for the remainder of her senior year in three words, Jaclyn would pick “graduate, happiness, and fulfillment.”