The UConn Swing and Blues Club is an incredibly hard working, community-oriented organization that enhances UConn's student life in real, tangible ways. Lindy Hop is an activity that inherently values community, healthy lifestyle habits and demonstrably changes people's lives for the better. The UConn Swing and Blues club should maintain their current modest budget as it vastly improves the quality and quantity of what the club can provide to the students of UConn. Why do I think this: Like the students at UConn, I started lindy hop when I was in college. At 19, I was eager to make friends and ingrain myself in activities in a new city. Also at 19, I was awkward, shy and didn't know how to achieve those goals. On a whim, I went to a social dance. Instead of a scary social experience, I found myself with a group of kind and welcoming people. After that positive experience, I looked up classes at my college and was excited to find Lindy Hop classes and an adjoining student club. I signed up immediately and attended those classes all the way through the rest of my time in school. These classes supported my continued participation in Portland's Lindy Hop scene. Exposure to the community led to meaningful friendships and access to a wider support system that would help me at every avenue of my adult life. In the years since, my love for the dance has led to a professional full-time career. In my travels as a teacher, I meet students like myself all the time; young people on the cusp of adulthood. They beam with energy, curiosity and a unique willingness to learn that comes from being at a formative juncture of young adult life. These are like the students I meet at UConn. When I teach at UConn, I see how lindy hop gives students the same benefits I enjoyed from my college program. I can see dedication of the club organizers and the way it teaches them valuable skills around organization, community-building, and character improvements like persistence and dedication. The UConn Swing and Blues Club is a positive force to everyone who engages with it, and should be recognized and supported accordingly.
~ Gabriella Cook, Swing and Vintage Dance Performer and Choreographer