Fargo Excelsior Waltz

Come together for an evening of one of the oldest community activities - dance!

Dancing has been proven to have similar therapeutic benefits as meditation, such as emotion regulation and trauma healing. It also builds cognitive function, emotional intelligence, and creativity while functioning as amazingly healthy low-impact physical fitness. Beyond that, it's a phenomenally effective method for building your personal network and the wider community, even for introverts!

Where: The Spirit Room on Broadway in Downtown Fargo

When: 8pm to 10:30pm

Cost: FREE!

We'd love to have you join us! We focus specifically on welcoming those who have never danced before to the joy of dancing.

There are a lot of hurdles that make it difficult to take that first step! We realize that.

While dancing used to be as fundamental a part of human connection as eating together, our increasingly individualist society has gradually lost this collective skill. We've also become a touch-starved society, unsure of how to relate to each other in safe and healthy ways. Dance has become a competitive act of performing arts, reserved for professional entertainers and celebrities.

But it doesn't need to be this way!

There are a lot of other activities that can collectively provide similar benefits as dancing - like aerobics, yoga, meditation, martial arts, and book clubs. But dance plays a unique role that cannot be replaced.

In every culture throughout history, dance has served to embody and communicate the values of society in a way that no other medium can. It didn't use to be an optional athleisure hobby - it is so much more!

So let's come together as a community to overcome these challenges together!

What to Expect:

Our goal is to explore personal development through the medium of dance. We invite our attendees step into an alternative culture with us: a culture of the good, the true, and the beautiful.

Dueling with swords is also included within our programme; participation is optional but welcomed. What does sword fighting have to do with dancing? Come and find out!

Community is the focus, so you will be invited to join us for dinner and conversation afterward!

Dress Code:

Casual dress is welcome, but we encourage you to dress as formally and beautifully as you are comfortable - or even better, take just one step outside of your comfort zone! Provocative or outré clothing is not appropriate to our aims, thus we request that you dress thoughtfully. Clothes communicate culture, and we ask that you dress to inspire honor.

On a practical note, unless you are confident in your ability to waltz for an extended period of time in them, we advise against wearing high heels. Slip-on shoes are also hazardous, so we recommend picking footwear you are secure in.

Schedule:

The first opening ceremony will begin at 8pm, followed by a dance lesson in the fundamentals of waltz. Please arrive 5-15 minutes early to get checked in and comfortable so we aren't rushed at the beginning.

A formal dance will follow the lesson in a structure unique to this event, exploring the etiquette of honor. Come and see!

Cost:

There is no fee for attendance. We accept donations to enable us to make these events accessible. The average cost to put on an Excelsior Dance, regardless of attendance, is $250 (to cover venue fees, administration, and other costs). Donations via cash or Venmo are welcome as you feel appropriate to your honor.

Dance style:

We are focusing on social waltz variations for this event. No prior experience is expected or needed, as the basics will be introduced well enough for you to enjoy the formal after the lesson.

FAQ:

Do you charge anything to attend?

There is no fee for attendance. We accept donations to enable us to make these events accessible. The average cost to put on an Excelsior Dance, regardless of attendance, is $250 (to cover venue fees, administration, and other costs). Donations via cash or Venmo are welcome as you feel appropriate to your honor.

Do I need any dance experience? Do I need to be coordinated or have rhythm? Do I need to be creative or good at improvisation?

None whatsoever! Avoiding learning dance because you are uncoordinated is like avoiding learning to cook because you don't know how to cook. Dance is simply the natural next step of developing coordination, like learning to walk after learning to crawl.

We've developed a method of teaching that is able to reliably get anyone started with dancing enjoyably. The designer of the event, Jaymes, struggled with dance significantly and had no natural talent in it, so he knows how hard it can be! He's focused on making your first steps on your dance journey as accessible as possible.

Even experienced dancers have found our method beneficial, so join us no matter where you are in your experience! The more of a range of dance skills that are represented on the dance floor, the better.

Do I need to bring a partner?

Nope! While we recommend registering in couples to help have an even number of gentlemen and ladies, be aware that you will not only be dancing with the person you arrive with. No matter how many leads and follows attend, however, everyone will get a chance to participate, and no one will be left out!

Who all tends to attend these?

We have a wide range of demographics who attend regularly. College students, retirees, introverts looking to get out of the house but in a safe and chill environment, parents wanting to connect with people who aren't co-workers, dancers who just can't get enough, people curious about swords, and more! There are always fun conversations to be had to be sure!

Is this faith-based, and do I have to be a Christian to attend?

You do not have to profess Christianity to be welcome at our events. The leadership includes Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant members, and much of the traditions of our events are designed with that background and context in mind. Attendees who are able to affirm at least a belief in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit will therefore be better able to enter into our experiences. That said, everyone is welcome to attend and fully participate even if they themselves are not professing Christians, and we do not proselytize or make this a platform for preaching of any kind.

What will I learn?

We will primarily focus on the ballroom frame, which is applicable to many styles, including waltz, foxtrot, tango, polka, and more. Starting here allows us to lay a foundation for safe and enjoyable dancing even before we introduce any steps. We will then introduce the basic left-turning box of standard waltz, and if there is time we sometimes will also add a turn, a dip, and/or progressive steps. This is more than enough to put some spice and variety into your repertoire!

Why waltz? Isn't it boring and old-fashioned?

Waltz is the mother of nearly all partner dancing traditions in the world, with a diverse and richly expressive range of styles. It is also one of the most straightforward and easily learned styles for the widest variety of personality and aptitude types. It has endured the centuries for a great many very good reasons, and is still being adapted and innovated on. You can even include moves and styling from other dance forms, including swing, tango, blues, and more! Waltz also best embodies the character traits we most want to exercise - honor, communication, collaboration, active listening, and more.

Are these dances or balls?

While these events are more formal than typical dances, and you might very well see attendees show up in tuxedos or ballgowns if they feel inclined, they are not full balls. However, they are practice for balls. A ball is an elaborate affair with elevated dress, decorum, and venue, creating a uniquely unforgettable experience. But it takes some getting used to and learning the etiquette that makes for a quality ball is tricky in today's world. Our Excelsior experiences are designed to bridge the gap between an ordinary dance and an extraordinary ball.

What does 'Excelsior' mean?

"Go Higher!" Excelsior is an old motto (predating Stan Lee and Marvel comics) capturing the aspirational spirit of pushing for excellence and endless growth. We want to invite you to expand your confidence zone outside of your comfort zone and "go higher" with us!