The Devil DanceSport team is a group of ballroom dancers that do both Latin and standard dances. The Latin division of ballroom includes dances such as salsa, samba, cha-cha-cha, rumba and paso doble. Standard dances include the waltz, tango, quickstep, foxtrot and the Viennese waltz. If you’ve ever watch “Dancing with the Stars,” you know what these dances are.
This is what the Devil DanceSport, also known as DDS, team practices day after day. The team is an official Sun Devil sport and student organization. The team has 40-50 members which practice over 26 different types of dances.
Club president Carlos Ballesteros, Ph.D. candidate in aerospace engineering, suspects the club will grow to 70 members by the end of the spring semester, as many people like to join to participate in the popular Las Vegas competition.
Most of the competitions take place during the spring semester, usually averaging seven competitions. DDS hosts its own competition in the fall at the Tempe campus.
The club has an open enrollment period so students are allowed to join at any time in the semester.
The club accepts all levels of dancing as well. Ballesteros began when he was an undergraduate student at ASU and learned everything he knows from taking classes at the University and through his involvement with the club.
Although the team is primarily focused on promoting dance as a competitive sport, they are also heavily involved in community. They do charity work, support other ASU teams and activities and work with other campus organizations to coordinate events.
There are many advantages, such as weekly lessons, practice space, workshops and extra help for students taking classes with the School of Film, Dance and Theatre. Not to mention the fact that it is a great way to meet new friends who share a similar interest in dance.
Engineering senior and DDS member William Robinson said when he first began ballroom dancing in 2003 he preferred the Latin dances because of the music. Although after years of dancing Robinson now prefers the standard dances, stating that there’s nothing like the level of connection between dance partners.
“My favorite part about being a part of the Devil DanceSport club is watching the new people develop and be able to help them grow and develop as ballroom dancers,” he said. “It’s nice to see them grow to love something I’ve become so passionate about.”
The club accepts both faculty and staff. Staff member Michael Crandall has been dancing for three years. His 24-year-old daughter, Rebekah, is also a member of the club.
“They all work very hard and are very involved, not just in the club, but in the community," Michael said. "They care about each other.”
Ballroom dancing is a great way to meet new friends and get involved in the ASU community. For more information visit http://www.devildancesport.com/.
You can reach the reporter at mercedes.santana@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @MercedesMS17
