CSU Swing dance Society
Colorado State University's Swing Dancing Club
About Us
CSU Swing Society was first started by the original Jumpin' Jive Cats, a local swing dance performance group, while they attended CSU. Once they graduated, the Jive Cats became a separate dance group, but they still continued to use the same on-campus space to teach lessons and promote the club. As time wore on, however, the Jive Cats began to split from CSU Swing Society; the Jive Cats stopped using on-campus spaces and were no longer as connected with CSU Swing Society as they once were. CSU Swing Society and the Jive Cats became two separate groups, but still remain close associates. Many Jive Cats teach lessons at CSU Swing Society and help with BLAM! and many dancers from CSU Swing Society have gone on to join the Jive Cats after they graduated.
After the split with the Jive Cats, the club was run by a student-elected board. Christine Bishop was the first president before the Swing Society became an official CSU club. In 1997, Swing Society became an official CSU-recognized student organization and Mauvi Crabe was the first school-recognized president.
CSU Swing Society also has a competitive dance team: BLAM! BLAM! is for students interested in learning aerials and routines as well as competing. When the Intercollegiate Swing Battle was started in 2004 by Heather Griffith, BLAM! competed under the tutelage of Joe DeMers. BLAM! had been started earlier, as a way to learn aerials and routines, by Jere Schattie and Mauvi Crabe. The first Intercollegiate Swing Battle was hosted by the University of Northern Colorado and BLAM! won 2nd place. The Intercollegiate Swing Battle has continued every year since and grown, with teams coming to compete from not only most Colorado colleges, but out of state colleges as well, from University of Wyoming to Utah State University. BLAM! has maintained very high placements in every year it's competed, and has won first place seven out of the eleven Swing Battles. You do not have to be a member of BLAM! to enjoy CSU Swing Society, though, nor do you have to be a member of CSU Swing Society to join BLAM! They are separate, though many of BLAM!'s competitors have come from CSU Swing Society.
Since those early days, CSU Swing Society has grown and thrived. Our current board consists of a President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Publicity Officer, Internet Tech, and the very prestigious Wombat (or Swing Ambassador, if you want to be official about it). We meet every week to dance, exchange skills, foster lifelong friendships and, above all, have fun!
Here at CSU Swing Society, we welcome all ages and levels of dancing. Whether you've danced your whole life or are just getting started, we're sure you'll have a good time with us! We welcome current students, alumni, faculty and non-students alike. Check out our calendar and Facebook page to see what's on this week. Come with a partner, by yourself or with a group of friends. At our dances, everybody dances with everybody, so you won't ever be left out. We hope to see you there!
