One of my favorite places to dance was at Parkes Hall at Northwestern University, which is the university's chapel. Phil Moss has been leading dancing there since the 1970s.

I first learned Israeli dancing there in 1989. I was working in Chicago and had gone to a Jewish singles party. The entertainment at the party was Israeli dancing, led by Phil. They left some flyers for their weekly session and that got me started.

This Thursday is their last night in Parkes Hall.

They got kicked out. No one is to blame. They became a community based group, with few students. They had the same problems we have. Here is the note I wrote to Phil.

Hello Phil,
 
If it makes you feel any better, the same thing happens here in Gainesville with many dance groups. I saw it in Miami too. Seen it happen with International, Swing and Tango groups too.
 
Doubt there is anything you could have reasonably been expected to do that would have gotten more students.
 
Without student leadership, you cannot keep students coming. You need students to bring other students.
 
The problem with students is, even if you manage to recruit some good ones, they graduate. Every year, you need to bring in new ones. It is hard to find ones that, as one of my friends said, "has the fire."
 
If you do find any that are real leaders, they want to run their own group.
 
You did a great job to have kept going there as long as you have.
 
I appreciate it,
Andy

By Andrew Weitzen, DanceCalendar.info, Bronze Inc. (c) 2010.

Andrew Weitzen is the author of Partnership Dancing™, How to Communicate Every Step in Every Social Dance Unambiguously.