I started dancing when I came to college in 2000. I still remember the first time I went. A friend of mine who lived on the same floor of the dorms was always telling me about her ballroom dancing class, and on one particular Sunday evening, she stopped by my room. It turns out she had heard about a weekly swing night on Sundays, and she was planning to go. She asked if I wanted to join her, and I am not ashamed to say that after seeing her dressed up for dancing, I was certainly interested. What can I say? She looked good.

I don’t think I danced at all that first night, intimidated as I was by everyone’s amazing dance skills! But I kept going back, and eventually I worked up to dancing several days a week. Over the years, I have learned quite a few dances, but swing is and has always been my favorite. I started teaching basic group lessons and DJing at the same studio where I first learned to dance. After almost five years, I slowly stopped dancing, taking a break that lasted almost two years.

Back in 2007, I started dancing again. I joined the Swingsters, a semi-professional dance troupe based out of Louis & Company in Overland Park, and I started teaching again. It was wonderful!

Since I have been back in school, I have had to once again reduce the time I spend dancing, but I won’t give it up again. Dancing is where I have had many of the best experiences of my life: I met many of my closest friends there, I met my fianceé there, and I even proposed at a swing night. Dancing is a major part of who I am, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.