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By Stephanie Olsen
First-timers Joe Banz and friend Emily Burgoyne go through the basic steps at a Swing Club meeting. / Photo by Stephanie Olsen A group of 25 students gathered Tuesday evening to swing in the New Year right, with free swing lessons. The USU Swing Club members taught beginners lesson for an hour for anyone who wanted to come. The club hopes that free lessons will attract students who would be interested in becoming members. Joining the club is the easy part. All you need is $12 and a desire to dance. Having patience with yourself to learn is the hard part, according to the Swing Club Vice President John Lee Roring, a senior in pre-dentistry. "Beginners get frustrated and quit, but it just takes time. The more you dance the easier it gets," he said. First-timers Emily Burgoyne, a senior in speech, and Joe Banz, a senior in biology, started learning to swing last summer. Wanting to learn more, they were excited to come to the free lessons. Both students watched intenntly as club President Shane Shurtliff walked them through the steps of the Lindy hop. "The club members are so patient and willing to help you personally," said Banz. Burgoyne, added, "it's fun to learn new things that challenge me." Both students plan on regularly attending the club. Swing lessons are not only for USU students, but also for anyone in the community who is interested. "We often get older couples who come and swing with us when we met in Hyrum," said Roring. The club meets every first and third Saturday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at The Elite Hall, 83 W. Main St., Hyrum. There is an entrance fee of $1 on these nights. The purpose of the club is not only to teach beginners, but also give the club members a chance to strut their own moves and perform. Weight said that he loves the club because you can express what you feel and do your own thing. "I love swing the way it started--street style. It can be straight up raw," he said. The club has two performing teams. Tryouts for these teams are in the fall and are open to everyone, not just club members. The teams can be found volunteering their time performing at nursing homes, church functions or practicing for their upcoming spring concert in March. All they ask for is two weeks' notice to practice and plan The team can be contacted at http://www.usu.edu/swing/history.htm MS
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