Ballroom Dominates, Faces New Challenges
By Julia Denning
Contributing Writer

Two back-to-back national titles and a five-year undefeated record. What team is this? The Claremont Colleges Ballroom Dance Company (CCBDC). Although they wear tailsuits and high heels instead of pads and helmets, other teams struggle to do what they do with ease - win. Their upcoming challenges: continuing the streak, the final Big Bridges concerts, a Taiwan tour, and finding a new director.

The domination by the CCBDC began upon the arrival of current director Wes Acker. In the fall of 1998 the colleges recruited Acker, a former member of world championship BYU Ballroom Dance Company. Since then he has led the Claremont team on a five-year winning streak in team formation competition-including two collegiate national championships.

"Having never lost in my four years on team has been fun," says veteran team member Tristan Zajonc '03. However, it's not all fun and dance. Acker credits the success to "hard work, sweat, and dedication."

Whether or not the competitive side of ballroom dancing-often called dancesport-is really a sport is controversial. "Like many dancers, I'm not sure whether to call ballroom dance a sport," says Zajonc. "It is extremely competitive and has the same level of intensity and physical rigor as many sports, yet to me dance will always remain fundamentally an artistic expression."

Emily Steele '04, one of the team's top dancers, sees it another way. "We trained hard for three months to win nationals and worked our butts off and won . . . If that's not a sport . . ."
If it were a sports team, it would be one of the largest at the Claremont Colleges. The company itself is split into three teams-the Campus Team, Tour Team and Competition Team-with varying levels of commitment. In total, the CCBDC is composed of 41 dancers from all five colleges.

For those still unversed in the ballroom world, there are two basic styles of dance. The standard dances are those classically associated with ballroom (waltz, tango, foxtrot, quickstep, and Viennese waltz) and the Latin dances (cha cha, rumba, samba, paso doble, and jive).

"Latin has faster more modern music, body rhythm and sometime scandalous costuming," says Acker, "whereas standard is about elegance, grace, tailsuits and ball gowns." The CCBDC performs all styles.

Besides continuing their winning streak, the team's focus is on preparing for their annual concert and upcoming Taiwan tour.

"Although we've always practiced hard," says Jerome Hsiang CMC '04, "this year the tour is an added motivation." According to Hsiang, the team practices 6-10 hours a week.

The show is comprised of over 20 dance numbers and lasts for 90 minutes. Spanning all styles of dance, the concert will include salsa, cha cha, swing, tango, waltz and numerous other dances. The highlight for musical lovers: three separate medleys inspired by Moulin Rouge, Grease, and Chicago.

According to Acker, around 1500 tickets were sold for last year's concert. With a larger and even more exciting concert planned, Acker is hopeful that sales will be higher this year. The CCBDC final concert will be held May 2, 3, and 4 in Big Bridges.

For the first time in the company's history, an international tour is planned immediately following graduation. For CCBDC President Tara Martin HMC '04, a member of both the tour and the competition team, the reason for the Taiwan trip is simple: "I'm going on tour because I love dancing." The opportunity to perform as well as the cultural experience are also motivating factors, according to Martin.

In addition to preparing for concert and tour, the CCBDC is beginning a search to replace Acker, who will resign at the end of the year.

"After a successful five years, I'm resigning in order to explore new opportunities and pursue personal goals," says Acker. "I hope that the colleges succeed in finding a new director that can continue to lead the company."

Whether the CCBDC can remain dominant without the leadership of Acker is unclear. "Wes is unquestionably the single most important reason for our incredible success," says Zajonc. "Yes, we've all put in a lot of work, but prior to his arrival, ballroom dancing was a club activity with only a few members. If he hadn't come, it would have stayed that way."

For now the focus remains on the concert and tour. Although the dream of a third straight national title is there, it is not distracting. As any good sports team knows, winners play one game at a time.