Swinging the Night Away

It’s safe to say that I recently have one of the most fun Saturday nights of my college career. 

Last night, I ventured out into the Pigtown neighborhood with a new group of friends to the fabulous 1870s-church-turned-dance-hall, Mobtown Ballroom. Why was I at such a quirky venue for a night out? Swing dance! The zany and crazy fun dance of 1940s fame is a Friday-night staple at this neighborhood institution, and is a fabulous way to ring in the weekend. 

For only $10 I was able to take both an hour-long class on the basic steps of swing dancing and dance the night away with the general public afterwards for as long as I wanted. If people only wanted to come for the open dance portion, the fee was $7. 

Swing dancing at the Mobtown Ballroom is a really great way to meet new people in a super casual setting. People can do what I did and go with friends for a fun group activity or meet other singles in the area. Everyone there obviously has a common interest in swing dance, the small bar offers a location for conversation, and obviously, the dancing is fantastic. Even beginners like me will find themselves getting the hang of the steps after a while. I also did some improvising which was both funny and really cool!

The night I went, a DJ (situated in was probably once a priest’s lectern) was playing ’40s tunes from a computer, but a live band is often in the house on a small stage. There is just something about swing music that injects an irresistible energy into the crowd and make everyone want to throw their hands up and get their feet moving. An incredible sense of community is created around a core of music and dance. What a wonderful way to cap off a busy week of school or work!