Dance partners in fancy evening dresses glide across the floor to the slow time of a waltz. Spinning, twirling, they step in time to the beat. What is most striking isn’t that the dancers are all wearing masks, but that they are of all different ages. From 18 to 74, they come from all over the Eugene and Springfield community to join the Oregon Ballroom Dance Club at their masquerade ball May 25. @@http://ballroom.uoregon.edu/index.shtml@@
“We have a formal every year,” said Marissa Abreu, Oregon Ballroom Dance Club member. “Last year, our lessons coordinator had the idea to throw a masquerade ball. Everybody went on and on about it. It was so popular that we decided to do one every year.”  @@http://www.facebook.com/marissa.abreu@@
The music during the night switched back and forth between genres of ballroom. Salsa, meringue, swing (both East Coast and West Coast styles) made their rounds on the speakers. Even some top-40 hits were played and danced to in ballroom style.
“West Coast swing is pretty universal. You can dance to anything with West Coast swing,” said Nathan Zelick, swing coordinator for the club. “One of the misconceptions is that a lot of guys don’t think it’s very cool to dance ballroom. But how did James Bond look cool at all those fancy parties?”
Prior to the ball (and all of the weekly dances they hold every Friday) a short lesson was taught about the type of dance being focused on that night.
“Ballroom has been on campus for around 20 years,” Zelick said. “Everyone is so willing to teach you. I know so much more about how to dance after having come to the social dances.”
Along with traditional students, there were people of all ages at the event. Everybody danced with everybody and no one was turned away.
Kayla Smith is the membership coordinator for the Oregon Ballroom Dance Club. Dressed in a long, white silky dress and wearing a matching half mask, she flitted between members and took them out onto the dance floor.

“(Ballroom is) considered a social dance,” Smith said. “The goal is to switch partners, chat and have a good time. I get to look pretty and dance, and that’s fun, but it’s really about the people you meet here. Some of the older dancers come here with a partner, but they only dance once or twice through the night. But when they do it’s pretty incredible. Most of the older dancers are really, really good. When they dance all of the students just ogle them. You only get that good from lots of practice.”
“I’m one of the older ones. I’m 66,” community member Carol Scherer said. “I’ve been coming to the ballroom nights for about ten years. It’s a great place for all kinds of people to get together, socialize, make connections and enjoy a little bit of exercise.”
Gwyn Black began attending the University this fall. Wracked by anxiety, she would hole herself up in her dorm for days until she met up with the ballroom club. @@http://uoregon.edu/findpeople/person/Gwyn*Black@@
“I would just shut the door, and not come out except for class,” Black said. “I didn’t really have any friends. I signed up for one of the ballroom classes on a whim. I became friends with Marissa, and things have gone from there. Dancing is really important to me because it allows me to connect with a community.”
No matter where they came from or how, the Oregon Ballroom Dance Club is a place to meet new friends and learn new dances, regardless of age or origin.