My friend invited me to a swing club practice on a random Tuesday, at the end of a long and slightly disappointing day. She taught me steps and clumsily I laughed through my first dances, first switches of partners, first encounters with coordinated dancing. I think that weekend I joined an excursion to Hartford where I had some more practice and a funny fall trying to keep up with someone more experienced. UConn swing and blues was an important outlet for me in my final year at UConn and something I came back for when I had the opportunity after I graduated. Dancing is incredibly freeing and positive in its nature and I've found that I try to seek out similar communities as I move to other jobs and now another school. It was invaluable for me to be surrounded by so much positivity, energy, and encouragement at the time as it is now. I find it incredible that dancing communities such as UCSwing and blues exist and bring students and outside communities together. It gives a chance for people to learn, to socialize, and to enjoy themselves actively. It was such a pleasure to watch this one start up and grow into what it is now and I am incredibly sad to see that funding has been pulled from something important by a university that was so instrumental to who I have become today. I would think that UConn valued the interests of its students and the surrounding community.
~ Lina Starovoitova, UConn Alumnus
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