For the first time since their inception, UB Swing Club brought a 10-piece live band to Harriman Hall on Sunday. Starting at 6 p.m. with a brief lesson for the beginning crowd members, the night progressed into a jubilant and jivin' occasion for both the experienced and amateur dancers.
While some came for the live music, most just wanted a piece of the dance floor to swing their soles sore on.
As the band picked up the tempo, so did the crowd who slid, stepped and swang until 10:30 p.m.
The only cramp in their style was the meager $6 for a student ticket - not bad for over four hours of live music, a short lesson and free snacks.
The seasoned swingers made their presence known on the dance floor. Their skillful maneuvers were a sight to see but hard to emulate. Confident leads moved their partners in every which way as they dominated the dance floor. When they had the space, the crowd showed off what they could do, deserving every inch of floor space.
The Pyramid Swing Band heated up with big band dance classics such as "Go Daddy O" and "Hot Cha-Cha-Cha." They occasionally played slow songs such as "As Time Goes By." According to their Web site at www.pyramidband.com, the band had a hardy list of songs from which to choose. The band's good reputation enticed some to swing on over to the event, including UB Alumnus Jeremy Dabbeekeh.
"We danced with them before, so we knew they were going to be good," Dabbeekeh said. "I just like it because it's fast. I feel like I can let loose a little more."
Dabbeekeh and his wife actually met swing dancing almost four years ago when he started. Now the pair dances at the Hamlin House Ballroom on Franklin Ave. where they participate in "next generation swing."
The Dabbeekehs weren't the only couple who met swinging. Anthony Emiliani, a junior communications major, and Katherine Niessen, a sophomore physics major, met last March at a UB swing dance function and have been together ever since.
"Not that you should be coming to swing dance to look for a significant other," Emiliani said. "It's not a bad place to look; it's better than a bar or an awkward club scene."
The two used to go to weekly swing lessons and functions, although schoolwork has recently been intruding on their jumpin' and jivin'.
"One of my favorite things about coming to swing dance functions is the atmosphere," Niessen said, "because you meet a lot of great people and the music is great fun."
There were a few who came for the first time, including Rohit Shah, junior mechanical engineering major, who had heard about the event from a friend. Shah ventured to the function on his own and with no experience.
"That's partly the reason why I came - just to learn," Rohit said. "If they spent more time teaching us I probably would have gotten more involved."
However, the couple of the evening was UB swing club president and senior mechanical engineer Brian Conner and his wife Sharon. The Conners started the club last January after moving to Buffalo.
"After we got married, we moved to Buffalo and couldn't find a good swing dance club, so (my wife) told me to start one," Brian Conner said.
"A swing dancing crowd has really been thirsting for what we've been creating here," Sharon Conner said.
The live band, which was funded by SA, SISH and club fundraising, represented the success of the young club.
"Tonight, to have that band there is totally worth it," Sharon Conner said, whose dancing motto is "there are no wrong moves in swing dance - only new ones."
Although the Conners' hard work has paid off, they hope that someone will step up to take the reigns after Brian Conner graduates this May.
UB Swing Club has free weekly Wednesday dance sessions from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. in the North Campus flag room. Their next function is a benefit dance on Saturday Dec. 1 starting at the same time. For more information visit the Web site, ubswingdance.googlepages.com.
Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
