By Sara Holodnick
Chuck Crooks began offering group dance classes as Shall We Dance? in 2011. He’d moved to Bellingham just a couple years before, and wanted to bring the skills he learned in Chicago as a Core Motion and Arthur Murray certified instructor to local students. Meeting weekly at Bell Tower Studios in the York neighborhood, Chuck’s group classes are a fun, relaxed way to learn social dances such as ballroom, Latin, and swing.
“The group classes are meant to give you small snippets of a dance that you can take out and do right away that evening if you want to,” he explains. “I want people to learn good quality dancing, not just moves.”
And good quality dancing feels easy to achieve when you’re in class with Chuck. He breaks styles down into small parts, building on them progressively until you’re dancing along to his mix of classic and modern pop music. This approach has built a loyal following of regular students.
“[Some of] the regulars I’ve had have been coming every single week,” he explains. “That’s what’s kept me doing this.” The class I attended included a married couple who have loved his classes so much, they’ve been coming regularly for years.
“I still remember when she dragged me in here,” jokes Norman Pendergraft, recalling that night three years ago when his wife, Rebecca, asked him to join her. “But it’s actually changed our whole lives. Now we can go out to weddings and we can actually dance instead of jumping up and down holding a beer.”
And Chuck says that’s the whole point of his classes – making dance fun and accessible. This supportive, easy-going environment welcomes anyone who wants to dance, regardless of experience. And because Chuck only offers a group class and private lessons by appointment, he doesn’t require his students to buy a package up front. This means that first-time dancers can test drive his classes without feeling pressured to purchase more than they’ll use.
“I want my students to be confident that they can lead or follow when stepping onto the dance floor, and feeling like they’re going to have a good time instead of being stressed out,” Chuck says. He acknowledges that some dance studios can be competitive, but he prides himself on a drama-free environment. “This is a no-pressure zone. I’ve never heard a single negative comment from one student to another.”
Singles and couples are welcome, and Crooks advertises his classes as LGBT-friendly. Anyone can join – from high school students (with parental permission for minors) to retirees, the only requirement is a pair of closed-toe, no-skid shoes and easy-moving clothing.
This positive, welcoming atmosphere means Chuck’s students have so much fun in class that they want to use what they learn when they’re out on the town.
“It’s increased our social life,” explains student Norman. “Through Chuck we’ve met all of the people here, we go out to dance and we meet other dancers… If we travel, we’ll go out and listen to a band and dance until the early morning. The sun comes up, and we’re still out there dancing.”
His favorite dance?
“For me, swing is the most universal. You can use that anywhere– a country bar, a rock ‘n roll bar, weddings. As long as you can swing you can dance to anything.”
It’s been good for his marriage, too. “We teach martial arts, and we beat each other up,” he laughs. “After 25 years of hitting each other, we can actually move together.”
Shall We Dance?
Bell Tower Studios
1430 N. Garden Street in Bellingham
360-398-3133
Group Lessons:
- Friday nights, 7:00 p.m. – 8:15 p.m.
- $10 per dancer, $7 for students
- Singles and couples welcome, LGBT-friendly
Private lessons: $50 in-studio, or $40 at your home or other location of your choosing (by appointment).
