Aspiring dancers learn from pros at Youth Ballroom Summer Workshop

UVU held their second Youth Ballroom Summer Workshop featuring internationally known professionals July 11-13.

The summer workshop is a lively event aiming to help young students improve their technique, and more importantly provide to a fun experience for all. Chris Williams, the tour team coach at UVU emphasized that “they [the students] really just cheer each other on” and the camp gives them a place to express themselves.

The camp’s first event, held last year, had an impressive turnout of about 80 high school students. What had started as an attempt to give young ballroom dancers exposure to exceptional talent has turned into a memorable tradition. Isaac Walters, the production and media coordinator of the Noorda center said, “we want to extend the love and ballroom dance to the community and bring young people to campus.”

“We started this idea and put information out to high schools and coaches and studios in the area and said ‘hey, come and learn from some of the best teachers we have here in the area,’ and we had a super turnout,” said Williams.

Students had the opportunity to learn from World Latin Champion Louis van Amstel,  Ashly Costa from “Dancing with the Stars” and several other faculty members.

“I wanted to offer them an opportunity to come and learn to dance with some of the big names that are not only in Utah, but are recognized throughout the world,” Williams said.

“We want them to love being able to move and learn how to express themselves,” said Walters. “We also want them to understand the technique that goes into the different types of dancing that they will be learning and, above all, have a fun time.”

They offered numerous ballroom styles to help students learn as much as possible at the event, including samba, waltz, quickstep and cha-cha.

After the three days of courses, the students were able to perform and show each other what they had learned at the event. The program was an exciting way for students to come together, learn, mingle and prepare for the professional ballroom world.