San José State University’s Dancesport club invited students to come and learn tango for their Valentine’s Day Social event on Tuesday night at the Provident Credit Union Center, a day before Valentine's Day.
Christopher Lee, SJSU alumni and dance coordinator, said the Dancesport club originally started as a regular dance club and became more competitive.
Lee said the dance club aims to bring dancers together. The club hosts events and consistently meets in the Aerobics room on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
At the social, students were paired as couples and were instructed by SJSU alumni Christopher Lee.
Lee said he founded the ballroom competitive team and now competes as well as teaches students multiple dancing styles. He said he was inspired by his instructor in 2009, who was Activity Lecturer Albery Ayers Jr.
Lee said he along with many other students wanted to create Dancesport out of their passion for dancing.
“It has never been about winning or trying to be better than other clubs,” Lee said. “It's more about spreading the joy of dance.”
Nathalie Benavides, aviation major and event coordinator, said she simply found interest in dance by attending one of the “Weeks of Welcome” events and was also convinced by one of the members of the social class.
“Weeks of Welcome” are a series of events the university puts on at the beginning of each semester to welcome new and returning students back onto campus, according to SJSU’s website.
“I feel like romance is more in the air,” Benavides said.
Benavides said her and the dance team were able to plan the event in less than two weeks.
Uditi Guha, Dancesport president and biomedical engineering major, said she was inspired by a ballroom dress she saw once and therefore, wanted to learn more about dance.
Guha said the Dancesport club doesn’t get enough recognition or attention from students on campus. She said by having this event, she would hope more dancers would be recruited into the team.
Guha said she never thought she would be competing since she did not have experience dancing, but was able to find an amazing dance partner.
“We don't do tryouts, we don't do auditions,” Guha said. “We have several people who have never danced before in their life.”
At the end of the event, students took a picture all together and listened to music.
Guha said she and other coordinators were very pleased with how much joy radiated at the dance floor.
She said she hopes more people will join their club and will look into their opening night on April 27th at the Student Union.
