What if I have never danced?

Anyone can dance! If you can count to four, we take care of the rest. Trust us! The UADC has been teaching dance for nearly 60 years! Many people who started at the club go on to win ballroom dance championships, and others are content with simply being great social dancers. Where you want to go is entirely up to you; we will do our best to get you there.

What dances do you teach?

We teach a total of 10 International Style ballroom and Latin dances, and one Latin dance that is not part of the International syllabus:

Ballroom: Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Quickstep, Viennese Waltz

Latin: Cha-cha, Rumba, Jive, Samba, Paso Doble, (Salsa)

We also offer, in the form of workshops: Argentine Tango, Two step, Hustle, West Coast Swing

Do I need a partner?

No. Contrary to popular belief, around half of our members started out without a partner! We work hard to give you the best possible learning environment. Ballroom is a social dance, and you will most definitely have the chance to dance because we encourage continual partner switching. If you do have a partner, you are of course welcome to register as a couple (see below).

What if I have a partner and don't want to dance with anyone else?

We certainly respect everyone's choices and personal comfort levels when joining our club. Switching is not required, but we do encourage people to switch partners and try dancing with others so you get experience dancing with different types of people.

Can I get a refund if I do not want to continue dance lessons?

Unfortunately, due to the nature of the club, we cannot offer refunds. By purchasing a membership and thereby joining the club, you are agreeing to this condition. Depending on the circumstance, we may offer some exchanges but those cases are rare. Please contact the treasurer at info@uadc.ca for any questions or concerns.

How do I sign up for membership and/or lessons?

You can sign up during our open house in September or January, during any classes at their respective locations (please try to do so outside of class time to be respectful of others), or come to our office during our office hours. We are working on online registration for memberships and lessons.

How do I get to dance classes or social events?

As we are a University club, many of our members use public transit to get to our classes. This is sometimes not practical if we're at an inconvenient location, so many of our more experienced members are willing to give rides if you ask nicely.

Where are some of your venues located?

We do try to use locations on campus to keep it convenient for students, but this is unfortunately not always feasible due to venue restrictions.

On campus, we use two different locations: ​

• Dinwoodie Lounge (2nd floor Students' Union Building), 8900 114 Street NW
• SUB Basement (lower level Students' Union Building), 8900 114 Street NW

Off-campus:

• St. John's Cultural Centre: 10611 110 Avenue NW
  • Free Parking (small lot)
  • 3 blocks away from the LRT Kingsway RAH station

What do you suggest wearing for classes?

For classes we're not very picky. Generally, for clothing, whatever you want to wear will be fine; we just recommend picking something easy to move around in. For footwear, just clean indoor shoes and nothing that comes off easily like flip flops. As you move up in level, you will likely find it beneficial to invest in a pair of dance shoes with suede bottoms.

What about dances and formal events?

For socials and formals we stick to the "wear what you want" policy, though you will feel less out of place if you dress up a bit. The unspoken and unwritten dress code rule of thumb for dances is business casual, and for formals it is business casual or fancier. You'll likely find dance shoes to be even more beneficial here, as dress shoes tend to be a little heavy and uncomfortable.

Can I switch classes after registering?

This is usually okay as long as you tell us first. There are two main reasons people changing classes - to attend a different night of the same level, or to change to a lower or higher level. If you are changing to a different night at the same level, keep in mind that the other class could be a week ahead or behind yours.