Welcome to Our Family
In this community, it’s not a product of our dancing that makes us close, it’s the culture we cultivate, the events we hold, the acts we do, and the way we talk.
Each of us is tempered a bit differently. Some of us wear shoes, some of us don’t. Some of us like to talk, some of us are quiet. Some of us like it vintage, some keep it modern. Some of us are drawn to the music, others just want to move. Indeed, we are all individuals, but underneath, we each come here with a heart for each other. What never changes is how we’d like to care for the people we see here every weekend.
As with any family, we have guiding principles that are both talked about and lived, on and off the floor. All skill levels have a right to our floor; beginner-to-advanced, we would like to dance with them all. We’re happy to say, “yes” to a dance and respectful when saying, “no.” We believe people, (especially beginners), should feel safe with who they are dancing with and we strive to remedy anything that would stand between us and that goal. We are invested in dancing for a long time, not just for today, so we pursue a fun but injury-preventative mode of dancing. Last, but hardly least, we are focused on the more calculated aspects just as much as the playful aspects of dance.
These values we so strongly tie our community to with our words and actions can be seen before, during, and after our night. Before dance we’re tidying up as best as we can, preparing for your experience. We do our best to keep the hall cool and the lounge quiet for those learning something new. In all of our classes, we make sure everyone has a chance to dance with each other, teaching you what you can do to dance a perfect blend of play, care, and attention to detail. During our main event we try to dance with everyone, whether you just walked in and missed the crash course or you’ve been dancing for years, (and if you’re feeling up to it) most of our DJ’s are itching to dance too! We have managers available to make sure that you have the best experience we can provide, and our staff are dancers just like you who care about our community and volunteer out of a desire to see it grow. When the DJ leaves the stage and the hall is quiet, many of us like to go out in groups for an after-swing snack, enjoying solely the company of our friends around the table.
Please stop by, and we hope you enjoy being a part of Stumptown Dance as much as we do.
~Ryan Kubow- a present day dancer
writing from the heart about our beloved dance community