In the late 1940s, dancers crowded into the national guard armory on Millwood Avenue in Winchester, enjoying themselves in a building designed to house the technology needed for World War II and conflicts to come. 

Now called the Hazel-Pruitt Armory, after being renovated by Shenandoah University, the building houses SU’s Hub for Innovators, Veterans and Entrepreneurs, connects to Shenandoah’s Esports Arena, and features a glass-walled Collaboratory. Dancers are meeting there again, too, in the Collaboratory, to learn rock steps and triple steps, alongside technology that 1940s dancers would likely consider science fiction. 

And now, as then, the dancers are having fun. 

Making meaningful connections

Shenandoah University College of Arts and Sciences Assistant Dean for External Relations and Associate Professor of Psychology Kimberly Newberry, Ph.D., and Doctor of Pharmacy student Jeff Sinclair lead Winchester Swing Dance, which hosts the current dances. Dr. Newberry began swing dancing in her undergraduate days at The College of New Jersey, while Sinclair took up social dancing about three years ago. For both, dancing is a joyful thing. 

The sense of community, camaraderie, and friendship that comes with social dancing forms the appeal for Sinclair. “Legendary swing dancer Frankie Manning once said, ‘I’ve never seen a Lindy Hopper who wasn’t smiling. It’s a happy dance. It makes you feel good,’ and that really captures the experience,” Sinclair said. “Beyond the social aspect, it’s also a great way to stay physically fit while engaging your brain — remembering patterns, listening to music, and responding to a partner all help keep you mentally sharp.” 

“Everywhere I’ve danced, the atmosphere has always been friendly and welcoming,” Newberry agrees. “No one really cares if you are a beginner or if you’ve been dancing for 20 years. We dance with everyone (that’s how you learn). We make mistakes. And we have fun all the same. The number of people I’ve met and formed friendships through social dancing is ridiculous. Those friendships open doors, too. I’ve met engineers, graphic designers and marketing specialists, clinical psychologists and counselors, and more. We are all more than willing to help each other out or at a minimum discuss future opportunities. Social dancing is a great way to make meaningful connections. I even know a few people who have met their life partners through swing dancing.” 

A long time coming

Newberry has long wanted to bring this experience to Shenandoah, in some form. She initially incorporated it into her cognitive psychology class, and then offered a few swing dance classes for students for Beyond the Classroom (BTC) credit. “Then a couple years ago, my colleague told me about a student (Jeff) who loved swing dancing and was trying to find a way to bring it to SU and Winchester. I connected with Jeff, and we started doing the BTC events together. Then last summer, we decided to offer lessons and social dances that are open to both SU and Winchester (the general public). We thought it would be a great way to encourage that community connection. The HIVE felt like a natural place for this type of thing. It’s literally meant to connect SU to the larger community. And the windows are a huge plus – anyone walking by can see us dancing and pop in. Ultimately, I just want to share swing dancing with others.” 

Sharing happiness (and health)

Each event, which begins with a half-hour lesson and then transitions into open social dancing, draws about 40-50 attendees from the community as well as SU students, faculty, and staff, Newberry said. Teaching steps is natural for Newberry, who called it kind of an extension of what she already does. “I am a cognitive psychology associate professor, so my regular job is predominantly teaching. And in cognitive, we talk about how important exercise is for physical AND mental health. Social dancing is literally one of the best things you can do (backed by science!). So, I love sharing that information with people who don’t know and I appreciate being around others who are open to trying new things and having some fun. Learning should be fun.”

“Teaching social dancing is fun because it gives me a way to share something that has brought me a lot of happiness, while also offering something meaningful to the community,” said Sinclair, who along with being a dancer and graduate student, is also a U.S. Army veteran who served for 14 years. “Watching people connect, laugh, and build confidence together on the dance floor is incredibly rewarding, and it’s a great way to bring people together in a positive, welcoming environment.” 

The response to the events has been extremely positive, the pair said, and local interest in social dance is apparent. This past fall, Winchester Swing Dance hosted a larger event with a live big band in Shenandoah’s Brandt Student Center, in partnership with Swing Dance Front Royal. Newberry, whose favorite dance is the Lindy Hop (she says swing outs are the best) and Sinclair, who loves East Coast Swing, have high hopes for the future. 

So many ideas for growth

“We’d love to see attendance continue to grow and to deepen our connections within the community by finding unique ways to collaborate locally,” Sinclair said. “Personally, I would also like to begin offering structured weekly dance classes here in Winchester. While we currently provide a brief beginner lesson before each dance, it can be difficult to build on that format alone. A recurring, structured class — similar to the weekly classes I attend — would allow dancers to develop skills progressively, with the social dances serving as a place to practice and apply what they’ve learned. The two really go hand-in-hand.” 

“I’d love to continue offering free or low-cost lessons and dances to SU and the general public,” Newberry said. “I’d love to be able to offer more live music events. If students wanted to create a student swing dance organization on campus, I’d happily be the faculty mentor for that. We could get folks together to carpool to the big dances at Glen Echo near D.C. That would be a cool experience for anyone new to the scene. There are many interdisciplinary opportunities for swing dancing. For example, it would be a nice history lesson, music lesson, dance lesson, Exercise is Medicine event, etc. I know that Jeff has a long-term goal of offering more progressive, series-style lessons, but how that will happen or when, I’m not sure. All that being said, I am beyond grateful for how well things have turned out. It was a lot of work to get Winchester Swing Dance up and running, but I am having a blast and hopefully some form of this will continue for years to come.”

Ready to hit the floor?

Admission to Winchester Swing Dance is free to Shenandoah University students, faculty and staff and $10 for the general public. Upcoming dances are from 7-9 p.m. on Feb. 12, Feb. 26, April 9 and April 23. Interested in learning more? Contact winchesterswingdance@gmail.com.