Boston University professors reversed roles with students and showcased what they learned in lessons taught by students on the jive, tango, quickstep and other dances during “Dancing With the Professors” in the School of Management Trustee Ballroom on Sunday.
After two months of practicing, seven ballroom dancing students paired with seven professors to perform two dances each in front of more than a hundred audience members during the show hosted by the BU Ballroom Dance Club.
“It was harder than I expected, but I learned a lot through it,” said Mariko Henstock, a professor of Japanese language, culture and linguistics who danced the cha-cha in a red and white sparkled dress with SMG junior Steven Adam.
“I decided to do this event because it’s so exciting,” Henstock said. “I’d really like to be a star.”
“Incredible, incredible energy,” said Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore, who judged the performances, of Mariko and Adam’s dance.
Judith Chaffee, an associate professor of movement in the College of Fine Arts, said she always dreamed of dancing a tango or a waltz with the famous Alan Rickman, but felt confident with Ryan Carey, her partner and a junior in the College of Engineering.
“If Ginger Rogers could do everything Fred Astaire did in heels and backwards, I can do that,” Chaffee said she thought during practice for her waltz because she is recovering from leg surgery.
Other professors said they were more weary of joining the competition at first.
“My first reaction was ‘this is stupid,’ then my next reaction was ‘what am I afraid of?’ said Erol Peköz, an SMG associate professor of operations management.
“I’m most nervous about screwing this thing up after Kerri taught me so well,” Peköz said of his partner, Kerri Furbush, a senior in the School of Education.
The two danced a waltz that judge Helle Rusholt-Yi, a co-owner of dance studio Extreme Dancesport, said was well done.
Dancing as an amateur male with a professional female is much more difficult than the reverse because learning how to lead and be the frame is tough, Rusholt-Yi said.
Leonid Reyzin, an associate professor of computer science, agreed.
“This is a lot harder than I expected,” Reyzin said. “I have the same complaint every student has: my teacher is giving me too much homework.”
Elmore said he thought the homework paid off.
“Dude, you got some sway, you got some flow,” Elmore said of Reyzin’s Viennese Waltz with Jessica Lee, a sophomore in the College of Communication.
Students came out to cheer on and watch their professors.
“We hope to see Dino embarrass himself,” said Maggie Helms, a graduate student in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of Dino Christenson, an assistant professor who the hosts said was recently teased for practicing his samba routine while waiting for the subway.
“You can see that all of them put a lot of effort into working very hard, knowing their partner and having a connection with them, said SMG freshman Jessica Muñoz-Torres.
“And you can tell not only that they’re good partners, but good friends, too.”
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