Students who fear they have two left feet can learn a variety of dances with free lessons offered by a local dancing organization.

The Crimson Tide Ballroom Dancers is a Tuscaloosa-based group involved in a variety of ballroom dancing and music. The organization was initially founded by Jimmy Kunz in October 2006. In 2010, CTBD formed an official student organization affiliated with The University of Alabama.

Evan Blitzer, president of CTBD, said he is proud to be a part of an organization that brings ballroom and swing dancing to students.

“Crimson Tide Ballroom Dancers teaches people of all ages how to ballroom, swing and country line dance,” Blitzer said. “We try to have our dances themed with music that corresponds to make it more fun. We have mostly students at our dances, but do have some adults that come and laugh when they see what fun us students have ballroom dancing.”

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CTBD offers free beginner and intermediate dance lessons every semester.

“We wanted to do free lessons so that everyone would be able to participate,” Kunz said. “Our lessons are open to everyone.”

Shannon Robinson, current vice president of the group, said the free lessons are intended to promote dancing on campus and throughout the city.

“As an organization, we want to get college students interested in ballroom dancing and also to promote dancing in the Tuscaloosa community,” she said. “The best way we could think of to do that was with free lessons that are open to anyone.”

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Blitzer said the free lessons are held every Sunday for 12 weeks, with beginner sessions from 3 to 4 p.m. and intermediate sessions from 4 to 5 p.m. Most lessons take place at Calvary Baptist Church but sometimes are held on campus in Moore Hall. CTBD also has country line dancing lessons Monday nights from 7 to 8 p.m. in Presidential Village.

“We have these free lessons to help people learn how to dance the various dances,” Blitzer said. “If we didn’t do this, people would not know what they are doing when they come to a dance.”

Kunz said that the organization has grown, as has the skill of the regular attendees. He said students will have an opportunity to show off their skills at a competition in April.

“We have had as many as 70 people at our lessons, but we average between 25 to 30,” Kunz said. “Our regular students have become very good dancers, and some of them will be competing at the University Ballroom Competition on Saturday, April 12, at 1 p.m. at the Rec Center.”

For more information and an up-to-date schedule of the dances and lessons, visit ctbd.org or their Facebook page.

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