Several Swing Cats members are broadening their variety of dancing skills with weekly blues dancing lessons.

Abilene Blues and Swing hosts free dancing lessons at St. Luke’s Orthodox Church every Friday night 8-9 p.m. Several members of ACU’s Swing Cats attend these dance lessons to acquire more dancing skills and gather new show material.

Blues dancing is based on swing and jazz dancing, but is generally slower. Blues allows dancers to interpret their movements to the music. The classes also incorporate Blues Fusion, which allows dancers to put blues-style interpretations on any type of music, including modern.

Lauren Fjordbak, senior education major from Grapevine, is a Swing Cats member who attends the Blues lessons.

“To create an inspiring show with your dancing partner, you need to have a connection,” Fjordbak said. “Dancing together every week is a fun way to learn different people on that deeper level that you need.”

The class does not require previous experience dancing and is open to the entire community. Students, St. Luke’s members and even members from Dyess Air Force Base have attended the weekly meetings.

Timmy Fuentes, junior management major form Monahans, was intrigued by the thought of the weekly lessons.

“I do not go dancing a lot, but I do enjoy two stepping,” Fuentes said. “Now that I know what Blues dancing is, I can see some similarities between the two. Blues could be fun to try.”