Suzanne Zelnik-Geldys introduces a centuries-old art form
to students ranging in ages nine to 75.
Zelnik-Geldys, an assistant professor in the School of
Health Promotion and Human Performance, uses her passion
for ballroom dancing as a way of reaching out to the community.
 |
FEEL THE RHYTHM: (above, center) Suzanne
Zelnik-
Geldys, an assistant professor in the School
of Health
Promotion and Human Performance, keeps
watch on
students in her ballroom dancing class.
Zelnick-
Geldys teaches many other forms of dance
and
stresses the social aspect of the activity.
Photo by
Randy Mascharka |
In addition to teaching ballroom, Latin and swing at EMU,
Zelnik-Geldys also teaches for the University of Michigan
Ballroom Dance Club, choreographs a performance for the
Ann Arbor Art Fair, and hosts various campus and community
workshops.
"It's fun to see different generations interacting," said
Zelnik-Geldys. "You see that a lot in social dance."
Social dances are exactly what the name implies: dances
intended for socializing. The term refers to many styles
of partner dance, including ballroom, swing, hustle and
Latin. Zelnik-Geldys prefers social dances to competitive
dance sport.
"It's social because the primary focus is meeting and
communicating with people, and sharing a recreational activity," said
Zelnik-Geldys. "Teams from EMU have competed before, and
done well, but I prefer performance and outreach activities.
I'm not a competitor by nature."
In addition to teaching credit classes in dance at EMU,
Zelnik-Geldys also has presented workshops in McKenny Union
and the dorms for students who want to try ballroom dancing.
The University used to have a ballroom dance club, for
which Zelnik-Geldys was a coach and choreographer.
"I like to improve EMU students' campus life and create
a campus for everyone, commuters too," said Zelnik-Geldys. "I
get sad when I hear students say they just go to class
and go home. It is important to create a social structure
and sense of community at EMU."
Zelnik-Geldys teaches beginning students the basics: several
patterns and skills that the more complex dances are built
upon. Students are exposed to a little bit of everything,
including the most popular Latin club dances.
However, one doesn't have to frequent clubs to enjoy social
dancing. Young students at Willow Run's Holmes Elementary
School liked the activity so much that they were willing
to stay after school for an extra hour to learn it.
In a recent community project, Zelnik-Geldys taught dance
classes to approximately 20 fourth- and fifth-grade students.
The kids stayed after every Thursday to learn meringue,
swing and salsa. After nine weeks of practice, the students
performed for friends and family at their school's talent
show.
"It was a voluntary activity and they loved it. Every
student wanted to be there," said Zelnik-Geldys. "It was
really exciting to be involved with a school that doesn't
always get a lot of attention."
Aside from being a fun activity,
dancing had another positive effect on the students. The
structure and discipline of the dance seemed to help curb
some of the students' behavioral problems, she said.
"One student even taught some of the moves to his social
worker," said Zelnik-Geldys.
Though they have been around for a long time, social dances
are becoming more popular with the younger generation.
Movies and TV shows such as "Shall We Dance?" and "Dancing
with the Stars" have brought ballroom dancing to the masses.
Zelnik-Geldys has attended classes taught by some of the
choreographers and judges, such as Ron Montes and Mia Michaels,
on the FOX television show, "So You Think You Can Dance." Her
daughters attended ballroom dance conferences at Brigham
Young University with Benji Shwimmer, a finalist on the
show.
"[Ballroom dancing] is a small community where everybody
knows everybody else," said Zelnik-Geldys. "I can go dancing
anywhere and run into students I've taught. Many of them
are teachers now."
