Cool Shoes

Cool Shoes is a group of OSU students who have come together to share the joys of ballroom dancing by performing choreographed ballroom dance routines. The time we invest is purely voluntary (peer pressure notwithstanding) and all we ask for in return is a floor to dance on and a big table to gossip at. Someone to take our food order is a plus, but we're not above ordering ourselves.

This little niche of the web is dedicated to sharing the fun we have being members of the OSU Performance Ballroom Dance Team, Cool Shoes

Please browse through our Photos and Archive.

Our History

Cool Shoes was conceived while our fearless leader, Cathy Dark, was interviewing for the position she now holds. Asked by the Dean what would make her happy, she replied with the idea of having a performance class where she could do choreography, shows, etc.

In the fall of 1990, Cathy's first term at OSU, she quickly followed up on the idea and introduced it to her Ballroom III students. Asked if they were interested, they replied with, "Yes!" Thus began the legend.

The first dance performed by the OSU Ballroom Performance Class was the Lindy Hop. "I wanted to start with something totally new to everyone. It seemed very wild and crazy back then," comments Cathy. And wild and crazy it was. Their first performance was held downstairs at the Regency. Because the routine had a lot of sliding, and they had to perform on a rug, the Regency graciously applied generous amounts of talcum powder over the rug to make it slick. A good idea, however the performers were quickly breathing in clouds of talcum powder and coughing. Yet somehow they managed to keep smiling. The performance was a success.

The OSU Ballroom Performance Class's first major show was in the Spring of 1991, held in the gym of the Women's Building at OSU. Converting a basketball court into a dance stage was no small feat. Having to set up the lights, pulling out the curtains, and putting down a dance floor was a major undertaking. Also, the OSU Ballroom Performance Class needed a new name. Although several names were tossed around, they finally decided on, "Cool Shoes," thought up by Robert Lodzinski.

Since then, Cool Shoes has performed every term during the normal school year at OSU. The smallest class was 18 students. The largest class, to date, was the Winter, 1997 Waltz performance - 37 students!

Our Leader

Cathy Dark - Our Leader Not only is Cathy the instructor of Cool Shoes, but she is also its inventor, choreographer, seamstress, tour manager, and all around stress capacitor.

But none of this is new to her. She comes to us with a BS Degree in Dance from the University of Oregon (we are still pondering what possessed her to go there.), a Master's Degree from Goldsmith College, University of London, and twenty years of experience in teaching and organizing dance.

In 1996, she received the Northwest District Dance Educator of the Year Award. Some of the positions she's held, include:

Artistic Director, Choreographer, Administrator, and Tour Director for the Spokane Silver Spurs.
Folk Dance Instructor, Performing Group Director, and Community Recreation Dance Instructor for the Laban Centre for Movement and Dance.
Instructor for beginning Jazz Dance at Risseik Gakuin (Japan).
Tour Manager and Performer for the School Assembly Service Inc, Chicago


	Limit results to this site.		Health and Human Sciences » Exercise and Sport Science » Physical Activity Courses » PAC 169 Cool Shoes. Cool Shoes Cool Shoes is a group of OSU students who have come together to share the joys of ballroom dancing by performing choreographed ballroom dance routines. The time we invest is purely voluntary (peer pressure notwithstanding) and all we ask for in return is a floor to dance on and a big table to gossip at. Someone to take our food order is a plus, but we're not above ordering ourselves. This little niche of the web is dedicated to sharing the fun we have being members of the OSU Performance Ballroom Dance Team, Cool Shoes Please browse through our Photos and Archive. Our History Cool Shoes was conceived while our fearless leader, Cathy Dark, was interviewing for the position she now holds. Asked by the Dean what would make her happy, she replied with the idea of having a performance class where she could do choreography, shows, etc. In the fall of 1990, Cathy's first term at OSU, she quickly followed up on the idea and introduced it to her Ballroom III students. Asked if they were interested, they replied with, "Yes!" Thus began the legend. The first dance performed by the OSU Ballroom Performance Class was the Lindy Hop. "I wanted to start with something totally new to everyone. It seemed very wild and crazy back then," comments Cathy. And wild and crazy it was. Their first performance was held downstairs at the Regency. Because the routine had a lot of sliding, and they had to perform on a rug, the Regency graciously applied generous amounts of talcum powder over the rug to make it slick. A good idea, however the performers were quickly breathing in clouds of talcum powder and coughing. Yet somehow they managed to keep smiling. The performance was a success. The OSU Ballroom Performance Class's first major show was in the Spring of 1991, held in the gym of the Women's Building at OSU. Converting a basketball court into a dance stage was no small feat. Having to set up the lights, pulling out the curtains, and putting down a dance floor was a major undertaking. Also, the OSU Ballroom Performance Class needed a new name. Although several names were tossed around, they finally decided on, "Cool Shoes," thought up by Robert Lodzinski. Since then, Cool Shoes has performed every term during the normal school year at OSU. The smallest class was 18 students. The largest class, to date, was the Winter, 1997 Waltz performance - 37 students! Our Leader Not only is Cathy the instructor of Cool Shoes, but she is also its inventor, choreographer, seamstress, tour manager, and all around stress capacitor. But none of this is new to her. She comes to us with a BS Degree in Dance from the University of Oregon (we are still pondering what possessed her to go there.), a Master's Degree from Goldsmith College, University of London, and twenty years of experience in teaching and organizing dance. In 1996, she received the Northwest District Dance Educator of the Year Award. Some of the positions she's held, include: Artistic Director, Choreographer, Administrator, and Tour Director for the Spokane Silver Spurs. Folk Dance Instructor, Performing Group Director, and Community Recreation Dance Instructor for the Laban Centre for Movement and Dance. Instructor for beginning Jazz Dance at Risseik Gakuin (Japan). Tour Manager and Performer for the School Assembly Service Inc, Chicago