The Carolina Swing Dance Club welcomes all with open arms

Senior Rachel Dango described herself as a terrible dancer when she reluctantly tagged along with friends to the first Carolina Swing Dance Club meeting her first year. 

Three years later, Dango is co-president of the club, playing an integral role in bringing students together for a unique and historical style of dance. The group meets each Tuesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in Phillips Hall, room 385. 

“When I saw how awesome it was, I was hooked,” Dango said. “It creates a safe space for self-expression and to help you express yourself not necessarily through words but through movement, and it enables you to communicate with people on levels you've never experienced before.” 

Senior Emily Meggs, co-president of Carolina Swing Dance Club, said the club was founded around 10 years ago by a group of friends, but it soon expanded. Now the club has between 30 and 50 members. 

“The way we serve our UNC community is by offering students of all backgrounds and all past experience an opportunity to try something new and to do something that is solely for the betterment of themselves,” Meggs said. “It's an opportunity to release some stress from your classes and life in general and learn something new.” 

The organization connects members with the Triangle Swing Dance Society, Jack and Jill competitions and Prohibition-style dances at The Strowd on Franklin Street. They also plan flash mobs and host one formal swing dance event every semester. 

“There are endless opportunities," Meggs said. "We are just the first step many people take getting into other stuff."

Sophomore Laura Youngblood,  who serves as the club's communications director, said Carolina Swing Dance Club is a place for those of all skill levels to improve in a social, inclusive setting.

“You can go dancing and not have any idea what you're doing," Youngblood said. "But knowing what you're doing, it makes you more confident, and it's just a cool skill to have.” 

Along with a core friend group, confidence is a common attribute members say they have gained throughout their time swing dancing. 

“I learned more how to speak up for myself,” Dango said. “I came in really shy and I would never speak in lessons, and then it eventually got to the point where I would be giving lessons and so I had to speak, which was terrifying. But it really helped me from that point of view.” 

Meggs said the Carolina Swing Dance Club is committed to recruiting new members with a focus on creating a broader perspective on the traditional male ‘lead’ and female ‘follow’ roles within the dancing. 

“We also want to keep our status as an inclusive club alive because we have people who can lead and follow the dance moves who are not necessarily male or female,” Meggs said. “That's one thing we are actually really proud of, because you can show up and you can do whatever you want.”

With members alternating between ‘lead’ and ‘follow’ and no required dance roles, the club intends to provide a space for all. 

“This is a place for everyone, no matter who you are or where you come from,” Dango said. 

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