About WPI BDT
WPI Ballroom Dance focuses on creating strong competitive and social dancers in the major "competition dances." As Ballroom Dancing begins to take the world by storm, WPI's team continues to expand yearly with regular instruction from Norm Thibeault of Fred Astaire Studio in Worcester. The team is slowly gaining respect from the Collegiate Ballroom Community, by both the expanding inter-collegiate social scene and increased placements at competitions. The dances are sexy, playful, and graceful, and people leave both the team and the school with a greater appreciation for music, dancing, and connection between partners.
We offer lessons based on both skill level and experience with the team. In addition, we host weekly social dances and regularly take weekend trips to experience dancing outside of the WPI community. Come and see what we're all about!
Weekly Lessons
- Newcomer Lessons - offered every Wednesday from 8-10PM, these lessons are for anyone interested in ballroom. No experience or partner required!
- Bronze Lessons - offered every Monday from 8-10 PM, these lessons are for people who have at least one semester of Ballroom experience. Classes focus less on learning moves, and more on learning the technique behind those moves.
- Silver Lessons - offered every Thursday from 8-10PM, these lessons are for people who have at least 3 semesters of Ballroom experience. Classes focus on learning the moves for the silver level, in addition to the advanced technique behind them.
Social Dancing
- Team Social Dances - These take place once per week, and are a chance to test out what you learn in lessons in a no-stress, fun atmosphere. These dances take place after Bronze Lessons, and a mix of music is played during the hour or more that people want to dance.
- Intercollegiate Socials - These are dances which are held in conjunction with other schools. If the dance is hosted at WPI, other schools are invited and encouraged to attend. If the dance is hosted by another school, we carpool as a team to the location of the dance. These dances encourage communication and friendship between the many different collegiate ballroom teams, and these friendships persist beyond the dance floor.
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Studio Dancing
- WPI BDT often makes trips, as a team, to different studios for social dances outside of the collegiate
community. Although there is an entrance fee to the studios, the dances go on for many hours and
refreshments are often provided. This is a great way to learn how to become a better leader/follower,
because often times the people you dance with won't work off of the same syllabus that our team uses.
Some of the places we frequent include, but are not limited to:- Fred Astaire Studio in Worcester
- German Hall in Rhode Island
- Havana Club in Boston
- Rhode Island Dancesport
Competitions
WPI Ballroom is very active on the competition scene, and many of our members choose to follow a more competitive track with the team. There are 8 major competitions throughout the year which we attend; however, choosing to become involved in competitions is completely voluntary and not a required part of being an active member of the team
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B Term
- Harvard Beginners Competition
- Brown University Competition
- UCONN Competition
- Tufts University Competition
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C Term
- Boston University Competition
- Harvard Invitational Competition
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D Term
- Holy Cross Competition
- MIT Open Competition