Duke Ballroom Dance Club records are administrative documents including the constitution; leadership position lists; waivers; and DanceSport rulebooks. The collection also includes competition registration sheets; logistics; meeting agendas; member lists; surveys; Fred Astaire dance class documents; content for posting to social media for advertising and club updates on Instagram and Facebook, by direct email; graphic designs for club shirts and jackets; planning documents for Cackalacky, Carolina Ballroom Brawl, DC DanceSport Inferno, National Collegiate DanceSport Championships, and the Triangle Open; Duke venue schedules; and lighting cues and performance videos for WorlDuke 2017. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, also included are slides used for the Blue Devil's Day virtual tabling for recruiting club members.
Duke Ballroom Dance Club (DBDC) is a student organization specializing in the American style of Rhythm and Smooth ballroom dances including waltz, tango, foxtrot, Viennese waltz, rumba, cha-cha, swing, and more. DBDC hosts open ballroom social classes twice a month, and beginner and advanced ballroom lessons twice a week for club members. Throughout the year, DBDC members compete in at least five local, regional and national competitions, and perform in dance showcases around campus. Professional coaches, including Jonathan Medlin, Malin Allert, and Andy Carlson help members prepare for events.
The group was formed in 2017 by graduate students, Sijia Wei, Peter Horvath, Anne Draelos, and Mark Draelos. Along with students Angel Shi, Wendy Dong, and Amelia Bell, they performed partner dances from varying cultures both socially and competitively. DBDC's first performance was at WorlDuke in Spring 2018, where the new group attended its first regional ballroom dance competition and won awards. In the next two years, the club participated in five showcases, four local competitions, and a national competition, ranking 8th place nationally. After three years, the group officially became a part of Duke Sport Clubs, changing its identity to Duke Club Ballroom Dance (DCBD).
Sources: Duke Club Ballroom Dance website, https://sites.duke.edu/dukeballroomdance/about-us/our-story/, viewed 2020 August 30.
