UVM’s ballroom dance team wants everyone to start dancing, whether they think they can or not.

The group joins the salsa and swing teams as a major branch of the University’s Salsa and Swing Society. The ballroom team held a Disney-themed dance April 22.

Sophomore Sarah Senanayake, team captain, said the event consisted of a short lesson at the beginning for anyone without experience, followed by a dance social in various ballroom styles. All attendees were encouraged to dress as Disney characters. 

The club regularly holds dances like this, usually around two to three per semester, Senanayake said. Past events have included masquerade and Halloween themes.

The dances help highlight the sport’s accessibility, something Senanayake said she hopes will attract new members.

“It’s really not necessary to have any background,” she said. “We just want to make it fun and let people learn about dance.”

When not hosting events, the ballroom team hones their own competitive skills. Sophomore team member Ella Attebury estimates they practice up to 15 hours a week.

The practices and dances help the team foster a sense of community, Attebury said.

To encourage bonding, the club begins every semester with non-dance activities such as apple picking or a barbecue so members can “feel a part of the team before [they] even start dancing,” she said.

This connection is especially important to the dancing partners. Once two dancers become familiar with each other’s rhythms, “you start dancing and you’re flying,” Attebury said.

The team regularly travels together to competitions, especially to areas such as Boston, where there are active ballroom communities, she said.

They’re currently trying to host a competition at UVM.

The goal is to draw more attention to the University’s ballroom community, as well as to show the public both watching and participating in a competition can be fun, Attebury said.

While official recruitment is every fall, the club hosts weekly dance socials that require less commitment, she said.  

The socials allow participants to learn basic steps and are “ideal for people who haven’t danced at all before,” Senanayake said.

“[The dances are] fun and a great way to meet new people,” she said, suggesting that everyone try them at least once.