Links to Iowa Social Dance Groups and Bands
ISU and Ames Social Dance Links
Social dancing in Ames: This weekly calendar includes ballroom, swing, folk, and salsa provided by Valerie Williams of Co'Motion Dance Theater.
ISU Ballroom Dance Club: That's us! We exclusively dance social ballroom featuring dances like swing, waltz, foxtrot, tango, cha cha, rumba, salsa, and merengue. Music is typically big band with pop music played for swing and foxtrot. Both students and non-students are welcome.
NOTE: Those primarily interested in competition ballroom should check out Cyclone Ballroom below, which also does some social ballroom. There's about a 10% membership overlap between both groups.
Cyclone Ballroom: Formerly the ISU Ballroom Dance Company, they promote ballroom dancing in both American and International competition styles. In addition, all members have the opportunity to join their competition ballroom team. Every October, they host the Cyclone Ballroom Classic, which combines a weekend of instructional workshops that would interest any experienced ballroom dancer with a Midwest intercollegiate ballroom competition.
Cyclone Swing Society: ISU based swing group emphasizing triple-time east-coast swing (ECS) and smooth-style Lindy hop. Also check out their MySpace blog. They were previously named ISU Swing & Lindy.
Descarga: ISU based Latin dance group emphasizing salsa.
Red Friars Dance Club: They sponsor live big-band semi-formal dances once a month on Fridays during the academic year. Annual, discounted memberships are available during early September, but couples can attend/purchase individual dances by first contacting any current member.
High Society Big Band: Ames' only ballroom-dance-oriented big band.
Central Iowa Social Dance Links
Lake Robbins Ballroom: One of the closest ballrooms to Ames. They have a very nice and large wood floor.
Dance Club 76: They host a ballroom dance typically on the second Friday of every month, from 7-10pm, at Dixon American Legion Hall, 68th Street & Douglas Ave, Urbandale (DSM), IA. DJing by Carr Tunes playing foxtrot, waltz, Latin, polka, and requests. Dress is business casual. Purchase either an annual membership or individual dances.
Des Moines Ballroom Dance Studio: They sponsor dance instructors for numerious forms of social dance, especially ballroom. They also host ballroom socials every Friday night from 8-10pm and have a very active calendar for all nights of the week.
Swing Des Moines: They hold swing dances on the third Friday of each month. They also have a swing-dance calendar and a swing-dance discussion forum, which talks about places to go dancing in Iowa. Their swing e-mailing list posts their events about twice a month.
Step Into Swing: They offer swing and Lindy hop classes in Des Moines as well as a swing dance party on the first Saturday of every month. They also have many good links about dance places and groups in Central Iowa. Sign up for their swing-dance e-mailing list. During middle fall, they host the Iowa Lindy Blizzard, which is a 3-day swing weekend of live-band dances, competitions, and instructional workshops by nationally recognized swing dancers.
Drake Swing Club: Focusing on the collegiate crowd, they offer introductory swing classes on Thursday nights taught by instructors from Step Into Swing (above) at Drake University in Des Moines. Following each class is a free open social, which includes dancers from both Grandview College and the University of Iowa.
FreeStyle: Very energetic, up-beat quintet from Des Moines that plays a wide variety of classic dance music including big band, 50s, 60s, Motown, classic rock, and jazz. Great band for dancing.
Caliente Iowa Salsa: Formerly Salsa Iowa, they host weekly and monthly salsa dances and classes in Des Moines, IA.
Salsa Des Moines: They exclusively teach Latin classes primarily for salsa, merengue, cha cha, Bachata, and salsa rueda at the Des Moines Ballroom Dance Studio (link above). Their website also links to Latin dance places and upcoming salsa dances (events calendar) in central and eastern Iowa.
Latin Rhythmz: They host a blog of Latino dance venues typically in Des Moines featuring Latin Rhythmz DJing. Sign up for the Latin Rhythmz Newsletter to receive e-mails about Latin Rhythmz DJing and their upcoming Latino dances in central Iowa. Occasionally, they feature Latin music articles (about artists, albums, events) that readers can comment about.
Orquesta Alto Maiz: Definitely the best Latin-jazz dance band in the Midwest. And they cut eight CDs in the past 15 years to prove it. See their website for upcoming performance venues in Iowa. Eastern Iowa based.
Eastern Iowa Social Dance Links
Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Dance: USA Dance chapter for Cedar Rapids & Iowa City, IA. Their website links many Iowa social-dance groups and ballrooms.
The Cedar Valley Dance Club: USA Dance chapter for Waterloo & Cedar Falls, IA. They host monthly dances and semi-formals for Christmas and spring (April), afternoon workshops often included. Their website also lists a number of studios and instructors for obtaining group or private dance instruction in eastern Iowa.
Gregorio's Latin Dance Links: Covers Latin dances and topics, as well as lessons, events happening in Iowa City, Des Moines, and surrounding areas.
UI Swing Dance Club: They're an upbeat swing group promoting east-coast swing and Lindy hop for the Iowa City area. They also host the annual Hawkeye Swing Festival in April that features nationally known swing instructors.
State-wide Iowa Social Dance Links
IowaDance.com: Lists Iowa ballroom places, dance halls, bands, organizations, and events. More focus is on eastern and some of central Iowa. They also host an Iowa ballroom dance hall forum to discuss Iowa dance venues.
Swing Out Iowa: Covers social ballroom, swing, and salsa dancing in the Quad City and eastern Iowa area. They also include a cool calendar of dance events for all of Iowa.
Iowa swing forum: Iowa swing and Lindy discussion forum hosted by Swing Des Moines.
If you liked the above Iowa dance links, then you'll like these USA-wide dance resource links even better.
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Our Featured Upcoming Events
Thanksgiving Friday social
(Fri; Nov 27)
As with all University holidays, we'll be meeting in the ISU Memorial Union during the week of Thanksgiving. Learn more …
Xtra Moves Nights
On select Friday nights, the ISU Ballroom Dance Club hosts free dance instruction by guest instructors. Discover Xtra Moves Nights.
