It swings of Swingklubben
It swings of Swingklubben
After some tough years with the pandemic, things are really starting to swing again for Swingklubben Snurrebass. On Saturday, October 18, the association will celebrate its 35th anniversary. A reporter from Tuntéet joined a beginner’s class to experience the power of swing and chat with the group who are keeping the club moving forward.
Journalist: Trygve Bø Kongsbakk
Translator: Michelle Grabarska
Illustratør: Johanne Lid
What are you supposed to wear to a swing beginner’s class? A simple question, yet an unanswered one until fifteen minutes before the course started, as I hovered indecisively between jeans and sweatpants in my room at home. With the jeans on, I walked out into the hallway to meet my roommates, who were also joining the class. One was wearing jeans, and the other wore sweatpants. The sight didn’t boost my confidence about my choice, so I spun back to my room and switched into sweatpants.
Once we arrived at Samfunnet, a sign for Swingklubben guided us to the course hall. The closer we got, the louder the notes of “La det Swinge” from the speakers became. I didn’t get time to reflect on the song of choice before I was relieved to realize that I’ve nailed the outfit. Though it was hard to go wrong. People were wearing everything from jeans to gym shorts.
Next to the door to the hall, a new question arose. Should the shoes stay on or come off? You’d think that would be an easier question to answer, since I could observe the answer right then and there, but the 50/50 split between shoes/no shoes didn’t make things clearer. The shoes were left outside.
Inside the hall, some people were already dancing on the floor, while others were chatting by the walls. When the clock struck six, we were pulled out of our conversations by a well-rehearsed clapping sequence. Clap-clap-clap-clap-clap came from the instructors, and the crowd replied with clap-clap. I didn’t quite catch the rhythm of the clapping, but luckily, I got plenty of chances throughout the evening.
In a beginner’s swing class, you start by bouncing your knees. It starts with doing it while standing still, then in motion, backwards, sideways and finally with a spin. After a while, it was time to start partner dancing, but first we had to split into leaders and followers. Those who wanted to lead had to raise their hand. That was quite a decision to make, and after some hesitation, I went for the leader role even if we’re in the 21st century, where anything goes.
As the leaders and the followers got split up, it was time to find a partner, and that I did pretty quickly with one of my roommates. We started with the basics. There were mailbox and a letter in the mailbox, and back-and-forth. After a short while with this, came clapping and partner swapping. The idea of eternal loyalty didn’t seem to have reached the world of swing. After a short «Hi, what’s your name? », we were off again. New steps were added bit by bit while partners came and went, each one happier than the last.
Even if my task as a leader consisted mostly of standing still while the followers spun around, it was challenging enough. It was never perfect, but it got better little by little. Sometimes, it went completely wrong and all you could do, was to try again. Throughout it all, the faces in the room shifted between deep concentration and wide smiles that usually appeared when something went hilariously wrong or when you managed to pull off something that was almost right.
After a short hour, the course was over, but the dance did not stop. Social dancing was on the schedule from seven to eight. After some cookies, a bit of chatting and a small last dance, I decided I was satisfied for the day and got ready to have a chat with Swingklubben once the session wrapped up.
Be our guest
I first spoke with the leader of Swingklubben, Elly van Dujin. She told me about a very open swing community, where everyone is welcome. When asked whether swing dancing might suit introverted Norwegians, she didn’t hesitate. In swing, you can join in, without having to talk, she said. “All you need to know is how to say, ‘Would you like to dance?’ and ‘Thank you for the dance!’” And if you do want to talk more, that’s possible too. If any international students are present, the course will be held in English. Elly, who is Dutch herself, added that Swingklubben is a great place for international students to meet Norwegians, and vice versa.
Elly could confirm what I’ve already discovered. There’s no problem in joining a course without a partner. There is no risk of being left standing alone. At Swingklubben, the dance roles are gender neutral, so everyone is free to explore the dance however they like.
She also cleared up everything that I was so unsure about beforehand. When it comes to clothing, anything goes as long as you can dance in it, and as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone else. However, the clothing should be something you wouldn’t mind getting sweaty in. For footwear, smooth-soled or socks (that you don’t mind getting worn out) are the best. If you have long hair and you do not wish to get yanked, then you should consider on bringing something you can tie your hair up with. Once that’s sorted, you’re ready to dance.
These days, Elly and Swingklubben are in the midst of preparations for the association’s anniversary celebration. All halls of the building are being prepared for a party featuring music from different eras. In Festsalen, Studentstorbandet will be playing for the dancing. There have been held beginner courses in advance, to prepare the students for the big night. Hopefully, this anniversary will go a little more smoothly than the one five years ago.
Danced with trees
After my chat with Elly, I got to speak with two Swingklubb-veterans, Erlend Økland and Helene Gundersen. They were in charge of the association and spent a lot of time preparing for the party, but the day before their 30th anniversary was set to take place, the country went into lockdown due to COVID. That marked the beginning of a challenging period for Swingklubben Snurrebass. Partner dancing wasn’t exactly compatible with a global pandemic, but they tried to get creative. Under volunteer events in Vollskogen, they danced with trees, other times they opened up for dancing with permanent partners. Still, no matter what they tried, nothing could replace what had been, and by the end of the pandemic, only the two of them remained in the council without giving up. They recruited new members and started rebuilding the association again. “The biggest problem after COVID was that we’d lost two or three generations of first-year students”, Erlend explained. It was rough to recruit people, but somehow, they made it work.
The association’s engagement gradually increased, and the future looks bright. There’s a lot of joy and energy among those running the association today, and they’re eager to share their love for dance with even more people. Beginner’s classes are being held on the first Thursday of every month, while regular classes are held every Monday and Thursday. If you’re a beginner, then there is no problem with participating in the regular courses. You’ll get the help you need to learn. And if you’ve thought about joining but haven’t quite dared yet, Helene’s message is clear: “Just go for it! Bring a friend or come a bit earlier to talk with people before the class”. She also mentions that all classes are free. And if you’re still in doubt, maybe you’ll get convinced by the leader Elly van Dujin: “Moving your body, listening to music, and being around others, makes you feel good. Here, we do all three at once!”
