By Kurtis Hiatt
By day, they are George Washington professors, vice presidents and directors.
But by night, they abandon their offices and channel their inner dancer, jiving, waltzing and foxtrotting their way across practice floors in the run-up to GW Ballroom’s first-ever “Dancing With GW” competition Feb. 9 at 8 p.m. in Lisner Auditorium.
The event, which mirrors the popular show “Dancing with the Stars,” will feature dance numbers from your favorite faculty and staff members (the stars) paired with GW Ballroom members (the professionals), overseen by a choreographer (the coach) and scored by a panel of judges. Other accomplished dancers will also perform throughout the evening.
Announced this week, the stars are: Christopher Klemek, assistant professor of history; Darrell Darnell, senior associate vice president for safety and security; Emily Penprase, Neighbors Project coordinator; Grace Henry, director of the Center for Student Engagement; Helen Cannaday Saulny, associate vice president and dean of student academic success; Melissa Keeley, assistant professor of geography; Michael Tapscott, director of the Multicultural Student Services Center; Rebecca Sawyer, senior assistant dean of students; and Steve Roche, director of Colonial Inauguration.
Just a few weeks away, the nine teams are officially swinging into high gear. Their consensus so far: Dancing is hard.
Ms. Sawyer has to remember to keep her posture and follow her partner’s lead. Simply finding the time to practice has been a challenge for Ms. Henry and many of the other performers. And footwork and timing has been tough for Ms. Penprase. Meanwhile, Mr. Roche is trying to keep his brain moving as fast as his feet.
“It’s not easy,” said Mr. Darnell, who will perform a jive to Christina Aguilera’s “Candyman” with GW Ballroom President and sophomore Babette Perez. “I have a new appreciation for dancers. It is not easy at all.” (Ms. Perez is more generous: “He’s doing really well, especially for someone who’s just learning,” she said.) Mr. Roche agreed with Mr. Darnell. “What I thought looked easy is proving to be pretty intricate, and pretty challenging.”
They’re in good hands, though. Their partners are easing them into the routines—and always remembering, of course, that many of them have never cut a rug professionally. The Ballroom team loves teaching beginners.
“It’s always gratifying to watch someone improve their footwork or their technique after you’ve explained it in a way that makes sense to them,” said coach Elana Itzkowitz, B.A. ’10. “I continue to be motivated by my amazing team. They work hard, have fun with the dance, and they definitely have a great competitive streak that keeps us all motivated to improve.”
And even some of the professionals are learning new moves. GW Ballroom member and junior Austin Frizzell, Ms. Penprase’s partner in the Viennese waltz to “You and Me” by Lifehouse, considers himself part teacher, part student.
“I normally dance the Latin-style dances, like cha cha and samba, so doing Viennese waltz at a more advanced level is a new experience for me, too,” he said. “That being said, as someone who already knows the basics, I have been able to help Emily gain confidence with her dancing and get ready for the ultimate performance.”
Despite the challenges, the teams are motivated. Some, like Ms. Henry and Mr. Darnell, see the competition as a way to make themselves more visible and accessible to the GW community, especially students. “I think it adds the human element to being a university staff member, so I’m excited to have students see me doing something other than sitting behind a desk,” said Ms. Henry, who will shake her hips to a samba. (And if she loses a couple of pounds in the process, she joked, even better.)
Others, like Mr. Roche, just thought it would be something fun and different. Still others have a completely different motivation. Said Ms. Sawyer, who will dance a traditional waltz to a love song from the movie Shrek: “I have three small children, and two of them are very girlie girls. I thought they would love to see their mom on stage dancing like a princess.”
The stars’ expectations for themselves come opening night? Varied.
“As long as I don’t fall flat on my face or fall off the stage, I’m going to be OK,” said Mr. Roche. Added Mr. Darnell: “We’re just making sure I can dance and chew gum at the same time, if you will.” Ms. Henry is more optimistic. “To the untrained eye, I think we’re going to look fantastic.”
Ms. Perez hopes the event—which has been in the works since last fall—brings GW Ballroom more visibility and sparks interest in prospective members on campus. And if nothing else, she wants participants and spectators alike to remember that, no matter how old, it’s never too late to learn a few moves.
Mr. Darnell always likes to say they’re proof you can teach an “old dog new tricks,” said Ms. Perez.
Tickets, $5 for GW community members, will be available online soon. They are also available at the Lisner box office. For more information, see the Dancing With GW Facebook page and follow the Twitter handle.