Whatcom Swing got started during the summer of 2011. Brad Widman was enrolled in night classes at Whatcom Community College on Tuesday and Thursdays. Those happened to be the nights which he normally went social dancing with friends. After talking with numerous friends in the dance community and realizing that there was not a social dance venue on Monday evenings, Brad looked around for a suitable place with a large enough wood dance floor. He decided to rent out the Ten Mile grange for its convenient location between Lynden, Bellingham, Ferndale, and Everson. It started out very grass roots with just him, Brittany Olin, and Lea Thompson (two of his friends who got him into dancing) inviting all their friends and seeing who came out. The plan was to each a one hour basic social dance lesson and then have a dance party for two hours following the lesson. That first night in July, about twenty people showed up. And they kept coming! Today we average about 35 people of all ages and dancing experience who show up weekly.
Social dancing is just that: social. You do not have to come with a partner to Whatcom Swing. Those of us who attend regularly make it a point to dance with as many different leads and follows as we can. In this way, we hope new comers feel welcomed into the community. Whether you've never dared to dance in your life, or you've been dancing for years, come as you are and make some new friends as you learn how fun dancing is!
Social dancing is just that: social. You do not have to come with a partner to Whatcom Swing. Those of us who attend regularly make it a point to dance with as many different leads and follows as we can. In this way, we hope new comers feel welcomed into the community. Whether you've never dared to dance in your life, or you've been dancing for years, come as you are and make some new friends as you learn how fun dancing is!
Friendly Faces on the Dance Floor
Brad Widman
Erika Nonhoff
Brenna Landon (left) and Heather Bales (right).
Alexa Walter (left) and Sammi Brosius (right).
David Burkett