Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me to the Moon" is blaring on a radio while a group of students energetically dance around the Student Union flag room, a few showing off their perfected Charleston as if it were 1920.
UB's newest dance club is for students who love to swing dance - all those old fashioned moves from America's golden years post World War I.
"My favorite step is the Charleston. It's eight steps," said sophomore electrical engineering major Alexandria Sullivan, hopping up and demonstrating the move slowly and then quickly with expert ease.
Meetings, held Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., are open to beginners and advanced students. Although the Swing Dance Club has only been an official part of the Student Association since February, they host special dances on the first Sunday of every month, with half hour "reminder" lessons beforehand.
"We understand that some students prefer to practice a little bit before hitting the dance floor," said Brian Conner, a junior mechanical engineering major and president of the Swing Dance Club. "We were able to give beginners a five week set of lessons on Sundays as a more formal method of teaching. Hopefully we can do it again next year."
Conner mainly focuses on three styles of swing dance - the East Coast, the Charleston and the Lindy Hop.
In founding the club, Conner hoped to provide a friendly social environment different from the one he encountered at high school dances dominated by a bump and grind dance culture. Conner suggests trading partners and socializing to get the full swing dance experience.
"You get to dance with a lot of people. It's not like in dance clubs. It's a lot classier," said Sarah Ajaeb, a sophomore mechanical engineering major.
Ajaeb dragged her friend Alexandria Sullivan, a sophomore electrical engineering major, to a meeting after seeing a flyer around campus. For Sullivan, the club has been a great chance to break out of her shell.
"I've met a lot of people. I was shy before but you have to be so close and trusting when you swing dance. I love being spun and thrown now," Sullivan said.
Anthony Emiliani, a sophomore undeclared major, insists that he ended up in the Swing Dance Club purely by accident. His friend convinced him to come out to dance when he was faced with an evening of laundry duty.
"I have to relearn everything every time I come here, but I love to listen to big band swing," Emiliani said.
According to Conner the club has no intentions of becoming competitive despite smooth moves on the part of the participants.
"Competition has a lot of energy, but our love is in dancing and seeing others learn how to dance, not so much in showing off," Conner said.
This summer, Connor promises a few dances for locals and summer students interested in learning a few moves.
"One of my main interests lies in the nostalgia of the swing dance era," Conner said. "I'm usually decked out in old fashioned bow ties and suspenders at our dances."
