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I merengued until dawn – OK, I exaggerated; it was till 10:45 p.m. Dancing didn’t come so easily to my feet, but I still gave it a twirl: and so did approximately 150 attendees. Charlotte DanceSport held its annual Halloween Dance & Costume Party (Latin/swing/ballroom) at UNC Charlotte this past Saturday in the Cone Center’s Lucas Room.
Charlotte DanceSport is UNC Charlotte’s social dance club and dancesport Team. The event was co-organized with the graduate student association for College of Computing and Informatics (CCIGRADS), as a way for their organizations to meet each other in a social setting.
Starting at 7 p.m., instructor Okan Pala gave a group session on the basic steps to the merengue and zumba. Two lines were formed separating the males and females.
At one point, an attendee dressed as a geisha was in the male’s line, and Pala asked “her” to move to the female side, not knowing the costumed attendee was a male. The audience laughed with amusement at the mix-up.
The geisha happened to be Vang Theo, sophomore and Central Piedmont student, who said later it was very funny. His friend, UNCC student Shirley Moua, junior and international business major, had done his makeup.
The two lines paired up occasionally to practice the new moves just acquired, but each time participants were partnered up with a new person, which was one of the main goals of the party; to meet new people.
Partygoers were dressed in an assortment of costumes. Making an appearance were Alice from “Alice in Wonderland,” a French painter girl, a mime, a sexy pirate, a Geico caveman and many more.
After the dance session the floor was opened up for attendees to try out their new moves, while music blasted from the speakers. The selection of music was varied: Stevie Wonder, Cirque du Soleil, Christina Aguilera’s “Candy Man,” Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and Funky Town.
Camera flashes popped throughout the night and graceful dancers moved across the floor, jiving or waltzing. The disco ball spun, crystallizing the space with white lights, splashed with lime and hot pink illuminations, across the parquet dance floor.
Attendee Ashleigh Hammac, freshman and earth science major, said she came because two of her friends were in the showcase and that she would definitely come back next year, even though she’s not much of a dancer. She really enjoyed the hammerlock, in which pairs switch places from behind, crafting the figure 8 with their arms and then twirling back to face their partners.
During the showcase event, newcomers to the fall team presented what they have learned so far this semester. Their footwork was smooth and refined, they moved elegantly with their partners, and the audience hollered and clapped with approval and support.
Newcomer Jason Van Cantfort, junior and Asian studies major, said dancing helps him with his social anxiety. “Dancing actually gives me confidence to be with people,” said Van Cantfort.
The showcase continued with instructors Pala and Tiffany Barnes dancing the waltz and later the quickstep.
To the audience’s luck, the Original Altenberger Schuhplattler dance group performed. The Austrian group was in town for 10 days to perform for various events. Altenberger actually stands for the town the group is from, and Schuhplattler is the type of dance performed. They were the 2004 champions for Schuhplattler and share many more accomplishments.
For their performance, one member played the accordion while the others showcased three different dances for the audience. They stamped and kicked up their heels in a choreographed and synchronized fashion. As a bit of humor, in one number they moved in a circle and at various times would kick the person in front of them in the rear.
The audience really enjoyed the special spectacle. Kaitlyn Tokay, freshman and international business major, said it was, “really cool, it was a different culture exposed. I really like that UNC Charlotte has international things.”
Near the end the party was the costume parade, where those in costume formed a line and zigzagged around the dance floor showing off their costumes. Then the costume contest was started: there were two competitions, one for scariest and the other for sexiest. Prizes were a bowl of candy and a Jack-o-Lantern light.
Wrapping up the party, attendees pitched in to help clean up the Lucas Room, removing fake spiderwebs and creepy Halloween posters from the walls and picking up loose candies on the tables.
For others interested in learning to ballroom dance, Pala said, “I hope they can make it to … future events that we organize.” Plus, free lessons are held on Sundays at 5 p.m. in the Lucas Room in the Cone center, and Thursdays at 7:30 at the aerobics studio located in the SAC.
For more information, visit Charlotte Dance Sport.
On another part of campus, other students were getting into the holiday season throughout the week. The hall councils of Lynch and Witherspoon pulled together to sponsor a Halloween Bash that included dancing, a costume contest, and every college student’s dream, free food on Oct. 28. Despite the chilly weather, there was a great turn out, particularly surprising due to the numerous risqué costumes. Everyone from Nurse Joker to a “big bootied broad” made an appearance, strutting their stuff during the costume contest and letting loose on the dance floor.
There was something there for everyone, whether or not they came in costume or just managed to stumble in, confused about why everyone was dressed up. One bumblebee said that her favorite part of the night was, “The cake.” Others seemed to be there for the dancing or just to talk with friends, the usual of any party.
With streamers on the wall, hay bales, oddly enough, along the walls, and cobwebs in the corners, the bash reminded everyone just what season it is. Despite what the stores what you to believe, it is Halloween, not “Christmas part one.” Even the cake had a festive look to it with its orange and black frosting.
All in all, the bash was a great opportunity for the residents of the two residence halls to get together, get to know one another, and have a good time. With exams and assignment deadlines fast approaching, it was a nice break from the usual stress and forced productivity. The canned food drive raffle also gave everyone a chance to give back to the community, giving the night a humanitarian air.
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