Flushed faces smiled as David Larson teased his Latin-American dance class with advice.
"The more you shake, the more fun you have," he said. "The more you shake, the more fun your partner has."
Larson, the class's instructor, works to make class members feel comfortable with one another from the outset by beginning with ice-breaking activities and jokes.
He said he hopes each of his classes develops into "a big, extended family."
The class's loud and lively Latin-American beat attracts 10 to 15 bystanders to Collis Commonground.
Rising in popularity, the Collis Miniversity's ballroom dancing classes have expanded to two beginner and one intermediate class, each with 15 to 20 couples and at least five on the waiting list, Miniversity intern U'i Kepa '97 said.
"Miniversity is a hassle-free way of taking ballroom dancing" and the classes are convenient, practical, and "another form of aerobic exercise," Kepa said.
The physical education department also offers two ballroom dancing classes each term -- one of which receives physical education credit and therefore fills up quickly, Physical Education Director Ken Jones said.
Heather Melanson '97, who attends Larson's class with her boyfriend and several friends, said "we took this class because we wanted to have fun and relax."
After half an hour, everyone in the class slid and shook to the loud, vibrant music.
Most students agreed they had fun at the first and said they were looking forward the next.
Jeff Shoreman '97 even joked he felt ready to "Merengue with the best of them."
Collis Miniversity offers beginning ballroom dancing classes one night a week for a fee of $35 per person, according to a BlitzMail bulletin. Students must sign up as couples.
The Miniversity offers seven introductory dance classes including swing as well as ballroom, Larson said.
Students can also take introductory lessons on Wednesdays from noon to 1 p.m. and "Learn the most popular ballroom dances, beginning with the Merengue, Swing, Waltz, and Fox-Trot and adding more dances as time permits," the bulletin states.
The intermediate ballroom dancing class gives students the chance to learn the Tango, Cha-Cha, Rumba and Samba, according to the bulletin.
Dartmouth even has a ballroom dancing club, which is comprised of students who attend ballroom dancing competitions, Larson said.
