Community Corner
On the Sammamish Plateau on Friday, Bopping, Twirling, Fun - at a Swing Dance, of Course
Organizers hope swing dancing will become a regular social event on the Sammamish Plateau.
Sammamish's Kiwanis Club brought swing dancing to the Plateau on Friday, giving locals a chance to hop and bop the night away at the Sammamish Family YMCA.
A group of about 50 enthusiasts, most of them in their teens and 20s, enjoyed big band music and old-fashioned swing dancing for several hours. They were all eager to learn, have fun and meet new people with whom to share their love of dance.
The Sammamish Kiwanis Club sponsored the dance as part of an effort to create a new community event, in particular one that would be a little different and attract all ages.
To stage the dance, the Kiwanis Club hired Eastside Swing Dance, a company that specializes in teaching swing dance and putting on events. The company routinely helps prepare people to swing dance at weddings and proms.
Swing dancing is increasing in popularity with younger people, mainly as an alternative to the kind of closer contact dancing that goes on in clubs, organizers said. Alison Evan, co-owner of Eastside Swing Dance and expert instructor, said that a lot of high schools are tired of the kind of provocative dancing that goes on at many events and have turned to swing dancing as an alternative for proms.
Two teens who met for the first time at the Sammamish dance, Sarah Kish, 16, and Tyler Heathman, 17, said that they were attracted to swing dancing for just that reason.
"It’s better than grinding at high school dances," Heathman said.
Heathman said that he likes swing dancing because you can actually talk to your partner, have fun and be social.
Kish agreed. "It's really fun," she said.
She also confessed to just liking old stuff, and swing dancing fits the vintage bill.
Friday's dance was the second event put on by the Sammamish Kiwanis Club, the first having taken place last month. Organizers hope that the dance can grow into a regular monthly or seasonal happening.
Editor's note: Eastside Swing Dance has more videos on its website.
