February 2006 alumni newsletter Issue 1 Keeping you in step with CDC The all new Cambridge Dancers’ Club Cambridge Dancers’ Club is still going from strength salsa. CDC still offers over 40 hours of classes per to strength 56 years after it was first founded. We week – now with a beginners class 6 days a week in- are pleased to be able to produce this newsletter for cluding on Saturdays. The teams are still achieving former members of CDC, in order to keep you up- great success in the university competitions and a dated with the club’s latest news and to keep you salsa team has recently been created. involved in CDC’s activities. We would love to see you back at our events and social dancing sessions. The CDC has recently been seen in the media as a result of the increased interest in dancing after the In order to better provide for its members and follow- BBC Series. Cambridge also hosted the Inter Varsity ing the retirement of some of our longest serving Dance Competition in March 2005, at the prestigious teachers, the structure of CDC’s ballroom classes Winter Gardens, in Blackpool. have changed. The classes are based on two streams: social or dancesport. There has been an increase in Although the club has undergone significant change, demand for higher level classes concentrating on the well-loved CDC traditions still remain. General technique and competitive dancing; these dancesport dancing still occurs every Friday night – although in- classes have replaced the squad class. There are now creased demand has meant that we move it to the Uni- fast-track classes for those beginners competing on versity Centre during term time. We still have balls at the beginners team. the end of every term which regularly attract 200 members. Other events include salsa nights and Rock Robin & Glennis and Alf all retired in 2003 and CDC ‘n’ Roll nights as well as traditional tea dances. We have brought in new teachers to cover the ballroom have invited in some of the top professional dancers and latin classes. Russell Sole is teaching the social to teach dancesport workshops, including former beginners classes and Clive Hurt continues to teach world champions Chris Hawkins & Hazel Newberry. the intermediate and improvers. The team coaches, Our programme of events also includes fundraisers Bruce Lait, Paul Walker and David Mallabone cover for the BBC’s Children in Need appeal: in recent the ballroom and latin dancesport classes. Unfortu- years we have taken dancing out to the Cambridge nately Anton Du Beke and Erin Boag could only stay public by performing demos in the Grafton Shopping with us for 18 months due to the Strictly Come Danc- Centre. CDC has managed to raise over £3000 for ing series. this appeal in the past three years. CDC still runs a wide range of classes in diverse We hope you that you will have the chance to return dance styles, and has branched out to include differ- to Cambridge to get involved in this exciting range of ent styles of Rock n Roll and both Cuban and LA CDC events and classes. Strictly Cam Dancing: CDC hits record membership levels Following the success of bers reached 2458. CDC The current team coach, the BBC’s Strictly Come is still easily the largest Bruce Lait and his partner Dancing series dance university dance club in Crystal Main are currently schools across the coun- the UK. involved in the Strictly try have seen an increase CDC were fortunate Ballroom Dancing stage in those attending classes. enough to have Anton Du show which is touring the The CDC has been no Beke and Erin Boag stars country this Spring and is exception. Membership of the show, teach ball- choreographed by Anton levels have soared in re- & Erin. room classes and coach Former CDC teacher Erin Boag cent years, last year num- the team for 18 months. and partner Colin Jackson, run- ners up of Strictly Come Dancing teams at Nottingham 2005 and clude reaching the top 48 in Ama- Dancesport Team came second in the D team. seven teur latin at the English Open, the out of eight team latin dances were top 96 at the British Open and the Cambridge University Dancesport won by CUDT dancers. Dancers last 24 of the British Closed with Team continues as one of the top also performed well in opens, with partner David Mallabone. She three in the country and has been Scott Bradley & Nicola Gray win- turned pro last year. battling it out against Oxford in re- ning the advanced latin event. The cent years, coming second overall to team hope to repeat such a success- Oxford at the IVDC for the past few ful performance at Sheffield, years and winning the A-team SUDC and IVDC this term. jointly with Oxford in 2003. How- ever Cambridge won the overall title Unfortunately Varsity matches in at Nottingham last November, so recent years have been dominated 2006 could be set to be Cambridge’s by Oxford, although Cambridge year. came within an agonising few points of winning the B team a few The team has been renamed from years ago. Dancesport now has Inter Varsity Dance Competition, 2004 Cambridge University Ballroom half-blue status for men and women Dancing Team to reflect the new at Cambridge , although it is a full Other Cambridge dancers have image of competitive dancing. The blue sport for women at Oxford. had notable success on the open team has grown to include 16 cou- circuit and more are continuing to dance once they graduate. Several ples (A-D teams) as well as an addi- Special mention tional beginners team. The team is must go to Fai As- members of the EADA showcase now coached by Bruce Lait, along sakul, who started are former members of CDC. with former captains Paul Walker at Cambridge as a Each year the team hosts the Re- and David Mallabone. Recently the beginner in 2000 union Match in November to in- teams have been helped out by Tom, and was awarded vite old team members back and Pat and Annette Lait; Benoit & the first full blue to give the new team the experi- Lorraine Drolet and Stephen & Jen- for dancesport at ence of their first competition to- nifer Hillier. Cambridge in gether. We’d love to see as many 2004. Her of you there as possible. Cambridge won the A, B and C achievements in- CDC Events www.cambridgedancers.org/events Jive Workshop 4th February Parkside Gym 2-5pm £15 non members by Strictly Come Dancing’s Andrew Cuerden & Hanna Haarala Salsa night 5th February University Centre 8.45-11pm Free Cuppers 18th February Parkside Gym 2-10pm £5 or £3 for one event The annual inter-college competition Four one-dance for beginners (WQCJ); novice, intermediate and advanced two-dances (WQ and CJ), open one-dance competitions (TF, SR) and (time permitting) an open basic four-dance (WQCJ). There will also be competitions in RnR (beginners non acro and open acro), Salsa (beginners and open) and an open Merengue competition. The highlight of the day is the inter college team match (WQCJ) at 7pm and ex-students are welcomed back to dance for their former colleges. Spring Ball 17th March Burgess Civic Hall, St Ives 7.30pm-1am £18 incl transport £15 excl transport Latin demonstration by Strictly Come Dancing’s Darren Bennett & Lilia Kopylova. Live band, large floor, bar open until late Tickets go on sale form 10th Feb, e-mail [email protected] to book tickets Summer Ball 16 June 2006 featuring Ross Mitchell & his band Christmas Ball 1 December 2006 Spring Ball 16 March 2007 Summer Ball 21 June 2007 Events next term include a Swing, Jive & Rock ‘n’ Roll night and a traditional summer tea dance for advanced dancers. See the website for more details. INTER UNIVERSITY Rock ‘n’ Roll Team News COMPETITIONS 2006 Rock Star Show in Paris to teach The Rock ‘n’ Roll team had a very and demo. Come and support the teams at: successful and enjoyable year in 2005, under the enthusiastic cap- The team are grateful to Guido and 11th Feb. 06 Sheffield Social taincy of Steve Romans. Their com- Cristina who have been teaching The Octagon, Sheffield petition results were fantastic with Rock n Roll for the club since 1998 www.shef.ac.uk/dancesport Cambridge dominating the finals. and 2002 respectively. Special mention goes to Steve and 25th Feb. 06 partner Katie Walland who were For more information see the web- Southern Universities Competition placed 1st or 2nd in all university site: www.universitydancesport.com competitions in 2005. www.cambridgerockandroll.co.uk 11th March 06 A very high energy demo - Inter Varsity Dance Competition choreographed by Steve- was per- Guildford Spectrum, Guildford formed on numerous occasions last www.universitydancesport.com year, with its first outing at the Jew- ish Society ball. Good fun was had April 2006 (tbc) by all, especially since they had to Manchester Spring Comp negotiate around World War II aero- plane wings when performing high 13th May 06 acro moves, as the event was held at Varsity Match Duxford! Iffley Gym, Oxford www.oudancesport.co.uk Rock n Roll has been growing within CDC in recent years and the club Varsity 2007 will be hosted by Cam- has added authentic rock n roll bridge on 5th May in Burgess Hall, classes to its programme of con- St Ives. tentinal style as well as inviting world champion Armando from the If you used to compete on any of the teams and want to keep up to date with news of inter- university dance competitions, to get back into competitive dancing or discuss ideas on how to improve the university circuit, please see the web-page of the Inter Varsity Dance Association: www.universitydancesport.com This is the most comprehensive guide to the university dancesport circuit and has a section of the discussion forum specifically for ex-students.