Newsletter

Next News Letter currently under construction!

(Mar 05, 2026)

Welcome to the Spring edition of the Ballroom Dance Club of Fairbanks E-News
(published Apr 13, 2025)

Spring is here and soon many of us will be taking advantage of warmer weather.  We just finished our fourth set of six-week dance lessons, and we were blessed to hold some mini workshops in March as well.  We have more dancing planned before Summer.

Accomplishments

Dance Lessons: Throughout this year, we’re humbled by the continued support that we receive from our dance community.  Each set of six-week dance lessons has an average of 20 students per class, with many of our beginning dance lessons having 30 students.  Fortunately, we were able to offer Thursday dance lessons in addition to our normal Monday and Wednesday, thanks to the availability of our incredible dance instructors. 

Dancing with the Stars Ball: 50 dancers attended our formal ball this year and we were thrilled to have the Lathrop Ballroom Dance Team perform for us.  A special thank you again to our sponsors After Hours Veterinary Emergency Clinic, Denali State Bank, and Design Alaska.  Next year’s ball will be January 24, 2026.

Workshops:  We offered a mini-Waltz, Country Two Step, and Bachata Workshop this Winter with great attendance (20 student average) on Sunday from 3pm to 6pm, which we will try to continue throughout the year pending our instructor availability.

Fun Fact: Did you know that 1 minute of dancing is the equivalent of
70 – 110 steps depending on intensity. Thus, dancing is great for our
physical, emotional, and mental well-being.  

Fairbanks Open Competition: What a better way to conclude the dance lesson season than with our Seventh Annual Fairbanks Open Competition.  Congratulations to our competitors:

Jack and Jill West Coast Swing

1^st Place Lead – Zack Price, 1^st Place Follow – Olivia Cole
2^nd Place Lead – Dante Gloria, 2^nd Place Follow – Gabbie Petras
3rd Place Lead – John Keefer, 3^rd Place Follow – Gracy Culbert
4^th Place Lead – Samantha Walker, 4^th Place Follow – Elizabeth Smith
5^th Place Lead – Issac Smith, 5^th Place Follow – Cynthia Serva

Strictly Waltz

1^st Place Lead – Dante Gloria, 1^st Place Follow – Kerris Cole
2^nd Place Lead – Charles Cruse, 2^nd Place Follow – Cayenne Temple
3rd Place Lead – John Keefer, 3^rd Place Follow – Claudia Fraijo
4^th Place Lead – Elias Corosso, 4^th Place Follow – Olivia Cole Thank you, Rulon Jensen, for hosting the Fairbanks Open competition, and our judges, Siri Johnson,
Bri Gentry, Samantha Walker, and Elizabeth Warlick.

Country Swing Fusion Workshop

Sunday, April 27, 2025 – 3 Hours

3:00 pm -6:00 pm Country Swing Fusion Workshop ~ w/Zack  
* Partner dance experience required.  This class is not for beginners that have recently started dancing. Leads should be able to move progressively as they spin the Follow in a star shaped pattern.

Cost:

Members $30, Non-Members $40 (Online).
Members $35, Non-Members $45 at the door the day off class.

Class size is limited to 30 students so please register early. 
No Partner necessary.

Participants should bring comfortable, non-marking shoes.

Register Here: https://fairbanksballroom.dance/product/country-swing-fusion-workshop/

Country Swing Fusion Demo

Please choose if you are participating as a Lead or Follow. In partner dancing, dancers seek to work together to create synchronized or complementary movements. The leader is largely responsible for initiating the movement, whereas the follower’s role is to maintain this movement.

We’re encouraging everyone to sign-up online to ease the burden on our volunteers on the day of registration. We understand not everyone is comfortable with online registration. You can still register on the day of class. If you would like to register early instead of online, see one of our Board Members to assist you during a practice session.

Location: Pioneer Park Dance Center, 2300 Airport Way, Fairbanks, AK 99709.

For information, email: Info@fairbanksballroom.dance

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Country Swing Fusion
Country swing is a social dance that combines elements of swing dance and country line dancing, characterized by its upbeat tempo, simple footwork, and partner spins, often performed to country music, but not exclusively.

Social Dances

We offered two social dances each month (which were well attended.  There will be plenty of social dances offered throughout the rest of the year.  If you haven’t attended one of our social dances, there are all types of music played from Waltz and Foxtrot, Swing (East Coast, West Coast, Hustle), Latin (Salsa, Bachata, Cha Cha), Tango, Country Two-Step, and some Line Dances. 

Disney Themed Social Dance – Friday, April 18, 2025, 8:30 PM – 11:00 PM

Cinco de Mayo Social Dance – Saturday, May 3, 2025, 8:30 PM – 11:00 PM

Aloha Social Dance – Friday, May 16, 2025, 8:30 PM – 11:00 PM

Ice Cream Social Dance – Saturday June 7, 2025, 8:30 PM – 11:00 PM (this one is free and weather dependent it will be outside at the Square Dance Pavilion next to the dance hall).

Back to School Social Dance – Friday August 15, 2025, 8:30 PM – 11:00 PM

Pioneer Park Dance Hall

No partner necessary.
Please bring clean, non-marking shoes.

Members:  $5
General Public $10

Your more than welcome your favorite dish, snack or appetizer to share with all the participants.

Dance Practice

Practice will be shifting to Wednesdays beginning May 7, 2025 (7:00 – 9:00 PM) and we will return to Saturday dance practices (4:00 – 6:00 PM) beginning on September 20, 2025. 

The board has made a few changes to practice, to benefit our dancing community.  Practice is now free for everyone.  While we are in our six-week dance lessons, the first hour of dance practice will favor the music and genres of the classes that are taught.  The second hour will open dance practice for any genre.

Midnight Sun Run

The Midnight Sun Run is Saturday, June 21, 2025, and we’ve had several express interests in walking as a group together, with some casual dance routines throughout the residential areas.  We checked with the race director, and she indicated they do not have any method for a group entry, but said it sounded like a fun idea.  Each person would need to register as a participant for the race and then we could assemble as a dance club towards the end of the start line to not interfere with those running the race. We’re in the initial planning stages and will have the information posted on our website as we get closer to June.

Summer Schedule

We will not have dance practice or any social dances in July.  Typically, in July, the Fairbanks Summer Arts rents the dance hall for two weeks.  We will resume dance practice in August and host one social dance.

Membership Benefits

Our membership has grown significantly since 2023 (40 members in 2022 and 142 members presently) and we are always looking for methods to give back to our members.  Thus, we are implementing a Membership Monthly Award that will be given during one of our social dances.  Must be present at the social dance to be entered into the drawing. 

Thanks to those who have already shown their continued interest in the well-being of your Club by renewing your membership. Your forward thinking means so much to us!  Membership with the Ballroom Dance Club of Fairbanks (BDCF) benefits you and our local dance community.
  

• Membership Prices
  
  
  • Individual- $40
  • Individual (Student/Military (Active or Veteran) – $35
  • Couple-$70
  • Couple (Student/Military (Active or Veteran) – $50

• Membership Benefits
  
  
  • Membership Card (Must present card for benefits)
  • 2 Free Social Dances*
  • Lesson Discounts**
  • $5 – for each Social Dance***
  • Free Dance Practices
    
    

** Workshops and Special Classes not included
*** Balls and Special Dances not included

https://fairbanksballroom.dance/about-2/membership/

Dance Instructors

We’re extremely privileged to have so many talented dance instructors to contribute to our dance community.   Each dance instructor holds a special bond with us, and we extend our heartfelt appreciation for their dedication and devotion. 

• Rulon Jensen (Waltz, Foxtrot, Hustle, East Coast Swing, Next Level West Coast Swing)
• Michele Mouton (Line Dancing, Partner Line Dancing)
• Felix Bambury (Salsa, Merengue)
• Samantha Walker (Country Two Step, Cha Cha, Argentine Tango, Bachata, Waltz)
• Galen Cook (West Coast Swing, Night Club Two Step)
• Danielle Knapp (Lindy Hop)

A very special thank you to Samantha Walker as she departs Fairbanks.  We will miss you! 

Fall Dance Lessons

The Fall Dance Lesson will begin on September 15, 2025. Throughout the Summer we will be working with our dance instructors to determine our class offerings and hope to have the schedule posted in early to mid-August 2025.

• Members: $70
• Non-Members: $80
• Registration at the door incur $5 additional

We’re encouraging everyone to sign-up online early to take advantage of the early registration discount as well as to assist in the administration overhead on our volunteers to get the class registration organized.  We understand not everyone is comfortable with online registration.  You can still register on the day of the class, or you can register early by asking one of our Board Members during practice.

Board Members

Thank you to our Board Members for the countless hours you devote to making each Ballroom Dance Club of Fairbanks event happen in a professional manner.  Our By Laws allow for a minimum of 5 board members and a maximum of 13 board members to serve on the Board of Directors and we are fortunate to have exceptionally talented individuals plan and execute each practice, dance, lesson and workshop flawlessly. 

Volunteers

We couldn’t manage all the club activities without the countless volunteers that keep the organization functioning.  If you are interested in volunteering, for any of our club activities, please let one of the board members know or email info@fairbanksballroom.dance to let us know.