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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 26, 1991)
^■■■^^mmmBHm^MMummmmmmi■ / 1 •J THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1991 Tammi Wilburn, a freshman broadcasting major mi no ring in dance, performs ballet during class. Studios offer opportunities for dancing to everyone By Anne Steyer Staff Reporter “Feel don’t dance," said Kent Conway, owner and operator of Dancinaly Yours, one of Lincoln’s social dance studios. "It’s not how your feet move, but how you mOve." Conway’s studio at 140 N. 31 St. teaches various kinds of social danc ing, recreational dancing with a partner. Conway said he would like to dispel the myths surrounding so cial dancing. Generally, the idea of dance class conjures up images of old fogies moving to a littie geriat ric Lawrence Welk. But Conway is quick to point out the contrary. The room fills with the raucous noise of Guns N’ Roses’ "Welcome to the Jungle" and Conway starts to dance. His movements are in per fect synch to the rhythm of the music and seem quite natural. Illustrated this way, it is easy to see that dancing is not just about waltzing, although Conway says the waltz is the "granddaddy of all dances.” ' Conway shows that it is possible to find a traditional dance beat in all contemporary music. He demonstrates the mambo with M.C. Hammer’s "You Can’t Touch This" and the rumba with Basia’s “Time and Tide," then turns to a surprising waltz to Pink Floyd, a band which does not typically in spire dancing of the ballroom vari ety. Conway’s clients are as varied as are his musical selections. Although his clients generally are in their 30s and older, he has taught dancers from 7 to eightysomelhing. See FEET on 10 Dance class shows why primitive dance exists By Stacey McKenzie Senior Editor < Intro to Dance is one of those college rarities. It brings together students of all backgrou nds a nd encou rages them to break down walls of inhibition and to build up walls of creativity. In other words, the classroom has no regimented rows of desks fronted by a lecture podium. One class assignment asked us to answer the question: Why did humans dance? A small and diverse group of students, we sat in a circle contem plating how to answer the ques tion. Tne class had been divided to cover different periods of time. When told we were to cover the dance of primitive times, some in the group probably thought, “How am I possibly going to get up in front of other students and move my body parts like a primitive dancer?" 1 know I wondered. Nevertheless, two class periods, some research about primitive cul ture and some guttural drum music from Ghana brought about a dance sequence that went something like this: Movement #1 —- Dancers lie face down on floor with legs lucked under stomach and arms extended in a worship-some-sort-of-god position, moving arms at individ ual pace. (Primitive dance of many cultures centered on religious rit ual.) Movement #2—Dancers wave arms sporadically, circling body while still in face-down position and beat on ground to the rhythm See PRIMITIVE on 9 THIS WEEK: DANCE Page 7 He howls and falls to the ground . . . Feet don’t dance Page 8 Next thing you know. . . Spittle Page 9 Topless Disco Page 10 An expression of horizontal intent Page 11 Linden in Lincoln on the moon Page 12 And if you can't dance Orchesis f • Page 13 Jim who? Page 14 Upcoming Events NEXT WEEK: MOTORCYCLES
