From “Dancing with the Stars” social events to competing at one of the largest International Ballroom Dance competitions, the Ballroom Dance Sport Club has had a jam-packed schedule this past semester.
Junior dance major Elizabeth Woodberry and coach Rozana Sweeny established the club in the 2024 Spring Semester. Since then, opportunities grew for students to practice both recreationally and competitively. Woodberry leads the club as student coach.
This semester, the Ballroom Dance Sport Club offers a competition team for students to join. Currently, the team features five couples, including dance majors and non dance majors.
Sam Wellborn, a sophomore musical theater major, said that he has loved his time being a part of the team thus far.
“I think it’s a very welcoming environment, and it’s a type of dance that’s pretty accessible to a lot of people,” Wellborn said. “It’s not about the amount of steps, it’s more about the personality that you can bring to it.”
Drew Williams, a senior animation major, said that he’s revealed a newfound confidence and understanding of music through his involvement in the team.
“I’ve been wanting to learn how to dance since I was like eight years old, but I’ve been embarrassed to admit it, so this is the perfect opportunity to get into it,” Williams said.
Williams said that the skills he learns in the club aids him in his classes, especially with his animation classes
“It’s been really helpful for my sense of rhythm and my professors have even commented that I’ve had a drastic improvement in my overall sense of timing,” Williams said
Outside of the open classes offered for dance clubs, these students in the club are rehearsing multiple days a week in preparation for upcoming competitions.
In October, , Woodberry and team representative Mireya Lebron, a freshman dance major, attended the Pittsburgh Ballroom’s Harvest Ball held at Edgewood Country Club. At this event, they were able to meet other collegiate ballroom dance clubs as well as perform an Open Gold Level showcase routine.
“I had a really good experience because it was something completely out of my comfort zone,” Lebron said. “I got to experience dancing with non dancers and trained dancers.” said.
Next weekend, the ballroom dance team is traveling to Columbus, Ohio, for the Ohio Star Ball. This is a six-day event for amateur to professional-level couples to compete in multiple different dance styles. The Point Park team will be performing the Cha Cha, Samba, Rumba, Jive, Waltz, Tango, and Foxtrot dance styles.
This past week, the club held a mock ballroom dance competition in the GRW. There, students watched previews of upcoming performances.
The dancers showcased seven dances across two styles – American Smooth & International Latin – with an opening performance of a samba showdance. Coach Sweeny brought in mock judges to provide students constructive criticism regarding their competitive presence.
The Ballroom DanceSport Club brings a unique energy to the Conservatory of Performing Arts at Point Park. Dance professor and head coach Rozana Sweeny said that she has been consistently impressed by the competition team.
“One of the best things about this club is the enthusiasm and the will to practice – you see them growing every time a little bit,” Sweeny said. “I can see sometimes people come in with a sad face, and when they leave, they’re happy. It’s very addictive.”
The club typically holds open classes on Sundays and Mondays. These classes are available to any major who is interested in trying out ballroom dance. The specific teachers and class styles are posted weekly on their Instagram page, @pointparkballroom.
Students are encouraged to come due to the usefulness of ballroom dance. Understanding of basic partner dance techniques can help at weddings and various other social events.
