As Bozemanites, we pride ourselves on combining our outdoor playground with a thriving urban culture. Think art, music, theatre. Take a closer look and you’ll also find a vibrant social dance scene.
That’s what Baltimore native Linda Barnsley discovered after moving to Montana to pursue her passion for wildlife painting. As a newcomer to the area, Barnsley took social dance classes offered through the Livingston Center for Art and Culture, both to meet people and to pick up some new skills in something she’d always enjoyed.

“I was surprised to find the area offered such diverse opportunities for dancing,” she says. “From swing to salsa, country two-step, and even ballroom, bars and clubs in Bozeman offer a wide variety of music for a fun night out.”
Those opportunities have increased in recent years as the pool of dancers and musicians has grown in Bozeman and neighboring cities.

“Between the formal dance club, the seasonal dances offered by local instructors, dances sponsored by the local specialized dance clubs, and the live music available around town it’s very easy to find a place to dance on any given weekend,” says Stephen Dobelbower, a chiropractor and avid swing dancer who hosts monthly Bozeman Swing club dances with his wife Kathi.

While the area’s many talented bands attract dance enthusiasts mainly on the weekends, there’s no shortage of places to move and groove during the week as well.

“I believe one could easily dance seven days a week here if they wanted to!” Barnsley adds.

Bozeman’s informal community and university dance clubs sponsor low cost or even free weeknight lessons and dancing for anyone who wants to drop in and join in the fun. The gatherings run the gamut from popular American styles of West Coast swing and Lindy Hop on Mondays, international favorites Argentine tango and Scottish folk dancing on Tuesdays, to latin-flavored salsa on Wednesdays and Thursdays and rocking country and swing dancing on Fridays.
For those who catch the dance bug, local instructors and visiting pros offer multi-week classes, weekend workshops and private lessons throughout the year.

“I love our dance community!  “The dancers are smiling and having fun because they have an opportunity to dance,” says B.J. Plum, president of the Bozeman Formal Dance Club. “Lessons are also available for every level, which makes us better dancers, which makes it even more fun.”

Ballroom and partner dancing in Bozeman isn’t a new craze inspired by TV shows such as “Dancing with the Stars.” The Bozeman Formal Dance Club, a non-profit social organization, has provided dance opportunities for members and guests for more than 60 years. Its growth reflects national trends. According to USA Dance, Inc., there has been a 35 percent spike in the number of people taking lessons and attending ballroom events over the past ten years.
Most of the groups in town cross-promote to the dance community and coordinate their schedules when possible to reduce conflicts, but they invariably happen.

“It’s a nice problem to have,” says Michael McNicholas a web designer who maintains BozemanDancing.com, a site that serves as a central hub for dance news in Gallatin and Park counties and nearby areas and has hundreds of subscribers. “I’ve talked to dancers who come down from other Montana cities such as Missoula and Great Falls and from out of state. They wish they had the resources and community that we have here.”
What’s especially encouraging to many is the age mix. It’s common to see spunky high schoolers dance alongside spirited seniors. The weekend dances at larger venues such as the Emerson Center, Bozeman Senior Center, Gallatin Gateway Inn and the Eagles Lodge ballroom also offer an alternative for those who aren’t old enough or prefer not to frequent the bar scene with limited dance space and start times later in the evening.

Those dancers who do enjoy kicking up their heels at local watering holes say that learning how to dance has changed what they look for in live entertainment. Partner dancing in swing, ballroom, latin and country works to a wide range of musical genres and tempos, but what some groups bill as “danceable” music doesn’t always ring true for these dancers. Musicians and DJs who cater to social dancers’ rhythm, tempo and shorter song length preferences can build a fiercely loyal following.

One advantage Bozeman’s larger dance community provides is the opportunity for people to go out and dance even if they don’t have a partner, or if their partner doesn’t dance. While some couples stick to themselves, most welcome the chance to take advantage of the “social” side of social dancing and mix it up with fellow enthusiasts.

Some dancers go beyond the fun, social aspects to dancing as a sport. They’ll work to compete in amateur competitions such as the annual Big Sky State Games, in regional competitions or more informal contests at area dances. Others prepare performances, either on their own or working with instructors, and strut their stuff at seasonal dances, dance showcases such as IndepenDance, the Sweet Pea Festival or charity events.

No matter what their goals are, Bozeman’s social dancers always encourage anyone to learn to pulse, sway, glide and shake it for fun, exercise and community involvement.   A cooperative event called Just Dance! is doing just that – promoting social dance as a great way to get active and fit with an open contest for couples and teams along with dance party scheduled for April 7th at the Baxter Ballroom.

For more information or to sign-up as a contestant, visit DanceKinexion.com or www.sizzlingsalsabozeman.com   Registration is available February 6th through March 9th.

Kerie Hagler is a dance instructor, mobile disc jockey and freelance writer based in Bozeman.