Quick Summary
Ballroom dancing was first introduced to Purdue University as a class for credit,
PES113 (1989-1992) by a Dance Department faculty member, Carol Cunningham. In 1992, when funding was cut for its curriculum,
Kirsten Thole, the former teaching assistant of PES113, started The Purdue Ballroom Dance Club as a recreational ballroom
dancing community. At that time, the club consisted of 40 members. Through the years this club grew to as many as 200 members.
In 1996, through the inspiring efforts
of Aaron Altschul and Yuehwern Yih (our current faculty advisor), The Purdue Ballroom Dance Competition Team was realized.
There were 15 couples on the team that first semester. Our first coach was Mr. Wayne Applegate.
Today, our competitive team consists of over 180 members and has recently been
renamed The Purdue Latin and Ballroom Dance Competition Team and Club. The name change came with the realization that “ballroom”
was not always interpreted to include the latin dances. This team is also proud to hold several national titles, and many
national finalists.
We are also proud
of Yuehwern Yih and Daniel Dilley as well as Eduardo and Cristina Acevedo who have both become United States American Rhythm
Professionals. Our beginner and intermediate team members strive on a daily basis to achieve excellence in their dancing.
They are the future of this team, and we can honestly say, we are looking at a great future.
However, we would not be here today if not for all the friends we have made through
the last 12 years of inter-collegiate dancing. We thank all our friends from universities and colleges throughout the Midwest
for all these years of support and friendship. Dancing would not be the same without you and we are happy you are here with
us today.
The details: From PES113 Students to Champions
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This history was originally compiled by Aaron
Altschul, with help from Eric Benedict, Colwell Cook, and Gene Howell.
The names listed in parentheses indicate those people not able to complete their full year term as an officer in that
position because of graduation or other reasons.
Spring 1989 (maybe earlier?) - Spring 1992
Instructor: Carol Cunningham
Ballroom
dancing was taught as a Purdue dance class, PES113, by dance faculty member Carol Cunningham. The course was worth one credit,
and was taught on Tuesday evenings in Lambert Gym. At the beginning of the semester, the room would be filled to capa city,
but during the semester's course it would thin out greatly due to people dropping the class. The instructor would explain
a pattern to the whole class, and then the class would break up into small groups (~20-30 people) for more "personalized"
inst ruction. "Line of dance" and "leading/following" were not stressed, and the dancing could best be
described as "Purdue Style." The final year, a video tape of the introductory demonstration dances was made. Despite
great interest in the class, in the s pring of 1992 the funding for the class was cut.
1992-1993
President: Kirsten Thole
Secretary/Treasurer: Rob ?
Advisor:
Carol Cunningham
Instructors: Kirsten
Thole, Rob ?, Eric Benedict
Notes: This
is the first year for the Purdue Ballroom Dance Club. It was founded by Kirsten Thole, a former teaching assistant for PES113.
Although ballroom dancing would no longer be available at Purdue for credit, it would at least be available for re creation.
Practices were still held on Tuesday nights. Other ex-TA's helped with the teaching. Club membership was rather small;
there were about ten people each week, and they were mostly male. There were roughly forty members total in the club (if t
hey showed up once they were considered to be in the club.) Some mini-ballroom dancing courses were taught at the dorms as
well.
1993-1994
President: Brian Whitesell
Secretary/Treasurer: Todd Flounder
Advisor: Colwell Cook
Instructors: Colwell Cook, Dan Tretter
Notes: The club still had about 40 members. This is the first time Purdue attended a competition. One couple participated.
"Purdue Style" was no longer taught, and conventional technique and style was introduced.
1994-1995
President: Gene Howell
Secretary/Treasurer: Dan Pavich
Social Chair: Aaron Altschul
Competition
Chair: Amy Conklin
Education Chair: Justin
Kerber
Advisor: Colwell Cook
Instructor: Gene Howell
Notes: Club membership grows from ~40 members to ~90 members. To deal
with the increasing activities of the club, the various chair positions were created.
A microphone was purchased for teaching purposes.
1995-1996
President: Gene Howell
Vice President: Aaron Altschul
Secretary: Mona Azar
Treasurer: Amy Conklin
Social Chair: ?
Competition
Chair: ?
Education Chair: ?
Advisor: Yuehwern Yih
Instructor: Gene Howell
(It is possible that no chair positions were filled during this term.)
Notes: Club membership increases to over 130
people. The club constitution was changed to create more elected positions. The web page for the club was created by Gene
Howell. Thursday nights were added as an opportunity for members to practice, althoug h there were no formal lessons on this
day.
1996-1997
President:
Kathy Brelage (Nicole Barton)
Vice President:
Julie Bell (Kathy Brelage)
Secretary:
Heather Penney
Treasurer: Charla Newman
(Larry Noble)
Social Chair: Bart Voigt
Competition Chair: Aaron Altschul
Education Chair: Joanna Hurley
Advisor: Yuehwern Yih
Social Club Instructor: Laura Farrer
Competition Team Coach: Wayne Applegate
Notes: Due to an increase in the number of people interested
in attending intercollegiate ballroom dance competitions, the Purdue Ballroom Competition Team was created as a subgroup of
the Purdue Ballroom Dance Club by Aaron Altschul and Yuehwern Yih. A bout fifteen couples were on the Team the first semester.
1997-1998
President: Andrea
Clouse
Vice President: Ryan McIntyre
(Kathy Brelage)
Secretary: Sarah Fourman
Treasurer: Pete Peterson
Social Chair: Monica Stevanovic & Advet Bhambhani
Competition Chair: Tony Bollinger &
Josh Scheffler (Aaron Altschul)
Education
Chair: Rhea Sammons
Web Chair: Dan Aiello
Advisor: Yuehwern Yih
Social Club Instructor: Laura Farrer
Competition Team Coach: Wayne Applegate
Notes: For the fall semester, Thursdays were changed
from only a practice time to another group lesson. Lessons are now two days a week. Competition Team membership increased
to about 22 couples. The Web Chair position was created to deal with the club web page and other computer-related activities.
Also, an anonymous foundation decided to donate $500 to the Competition Team each semester. This money is used as a scholarship
for two couples, and is spent on private lessons and costumes.
1998-1999 President: Sarah Fourman
Vice President:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Pete Peterson (Jon Hollar)
Social Chair:
Competition Chairs: Tony Bollinger and
Josh Scheffler
Webmaster: Dan Aiello
Social Club Instructor: Laura Farrar
Competition Team Instructor: Wayne Applegate
Notes: Numbers have grown exponentially!
Our social club boasts around 200 members, and the competition team has expanded to around 50 couples. The competition team
also hosted the first annual competition here at Purdue. It was a great success and put Purdue on the map! Also, the National
Championships were held in Indianapolis this year, and several of our members competed in this event. Ben Pidgeon and Rushika
Perera placed first in their division!
1999-2000
President: Linda Flowers (Kim Smith)
Vice President: Vacant (Linda Flowers)
Secretary: Evin Larsen
Treasurer: Audrey Harling (Rebecca McCammon) (Stefan Thibodeaux)
Bookkeeper: Audrey Harling
Competition Team Chairs: Kurt Otte and Heather Baburek (Rushika Perera)
Webmaster: Shunsuke Sumitani
Social Club Instructor: Laura Farrar
Competition Team Instructor: Wayne Applegate
Notes: This was a year full of changes. The constitution
was amended, the club's location changed from Lambert Gym to University Church. Our numbers dropped but are rising again.
The competition team's numbers soared to around 80 people, and accommodations had to be made. Our second competition in
the fall was an even bigger success than the one before!
2001-2006
The Crazy years
At this point things got complicated
as the team went through growing pains, coaching changes, our first officer impeachment,
etc. Someday, we will post the details.
2007
The 10th Annual Purdue Ballroom Classic is about to bust the walls of the South Ballroom. The organizers begin to look for
sponsors and advertisers at the event. 2008
At the 11th Annual Purdue Ballroom Classic, we introduce electronic judging and
finish the event 2 hours faster having just as much fun. The semester also included some exciting guest workshops. The team had 150 members this semester. | |
In Memory Of Eric Bishop:
Eric Bishop passed away the week of Wednesday Nov24th, 2008. Eric
has been a member of the Ballroom Club even before we started the competition team and he loved dancing, especially Tango.
He was always there to help the club whenever he could.
A kind, understanding
and thoughtful person, he will be missed by all of us, and remembered always.
The Memorial service was well attended by about 30 team/club members, and an amazing number of friends and family.
Live life to the fullest. Say what you mean. Mean what
you say. Honor your word.
