The Scarlet Masquerade
By Jeni Jewell
Monday, January 28, 2008 at 5:05 p.m.
Read more: Local
HOUGHTON -- The Tango, the Waltz, the Fox Trot. Although they might be far from "Dancing with the Stars," members of the Social Dance Club at Michigan Tech love to dance.
"I feel I can release," says Maggie Kieckhafer, from Houghton. "If I've had a bad day, you dance what you feel."
The club started out as a group of friends wanting to dance. After only a year, the new organization has a mailing list of nearly 400 people, both students and community members.
"Hopefully maybe 35, 40 percent of the community participating in this," says Braden Giacobazzi, a Tango instructor. "We're really looking forward to have more community members included."
The club, which offers free lessons on Friday and Sunday nights, is hosting "The Scarlet Masquerade" this weekend. Organizers encourage people to wear a mask, but say formal or casual attire is allowed. For those who want to dance, but think they can't, the club is offering two seminars Saturday afternoon. Dance instructors from Traverse City will teach two hour-long sessions. The cost is $10 dollars for both seminars.
"They're going to go slow," says Giacobazzi. "He chooses a unique style of dance that goes beyond steps."
Social Dance Club instructors will also be at the Masquerade to teach people a variety of dance steps.
"It depends on how you move," says Duane Campbell, another dance instructor. "Some people are natural at it, some are not. But, within a couple lessons you should be able to have a respectable dance with somebody."
The Scarlet Masquerade will take place at the South Range Hall this Saturday night, from 5-12 p.m. Tickets cost $10 per person or $15 per couple.
