Hello, I'm Muscan and I'm here to present an all-new daily Cal production, Bear Necessities. This podcast talks about people's experiences and things that they do to make them feel like they belong in Berkeley. Today's episode is about swing dancing at Berkeley. So when I was back at home, I remember when I was younger, my mom would always enroll me in these summer science classes that used to take place in a museum, surrounded by a lot of art galleries.
And I used to go there so often, basically every summer, throughout every summer. And I got really attached to that place, but it was not the science museum. It was the art galleries that I got attached to. So eventually, even after I stopped going to the science classes, I made a rule that every Sunday I went to those art galleries just to that area to look at different art and to just sit there and waste my time for two hours.
And I eventually realized that I wasn't actually wasting my time because that place made me feel happy, inspired. It gave me ideas, so whenever there was no matter how busy I was, even if I had an exam the next day, I would just go there, sit there and find my mind at peace and be inspired. And that's how I eventually kept on going there, kept on looking at new paintings and got inspired. And that's how I fell in love with colors and that's how I myself started painting.
So now, coming back to me being an international student, when I came all the way to the United States from India, there's like the other side of the world, I did not have anywhere any place to go, any place where I could go and I could feel at peace. Where I could just waste two hours just feeling inspired. And so, I was really nervous, energetic, frustrated one day and I decided to have an adventure. I just took off randomly all alone and I hiked to the Berkeley Rose Garden.
I spent, again, I wasted or spent two hours there. And I realized that no matter where you are, places are so important because they are connected to your emotions. No matter where you are, if you go there and you feel at peace, that is basically your place. So that's when I decided, now I'm going to come to the Berkeley Rose Garden and feel at peace.
So that's when I got the legendary idea of having a podcast about places going Berkeley or things to do in Berkeley. Because that probably gives me a purpose or a place to go do in Berkeley, which is basically my new home now. Because I feel like many of the students studying at UC Berkeley are from many different places and they're away from home. And so, when they came away from home, they basically lost their signature place where they went to just sit and reflect.
And so, I'm looking for places, stories. Today's episode is going to be about swing dancing. I myself started swing dancing after I came to Berkeley. I took a decal and how is another story.
So I was just walking on campus one random day with my friend on a Saturday and I was near Sproul Plaza and I see a bunch of people just dancing like experts and laughing and being so heavy and with amazing jazz music. I was like, oh my god, I know how stupid I would look dancing like that, but I want to learn how to dance like that. And I want to be that happy. It just felt like an amazing thing to do.
And so, I approached them, which is not me. I never approached people. I just approached them and I was like, oh, where do I learn this? And they're like, oh, join our decal.
And I joined it. And that's another story altogether. But I remember when I went to my first class, I was so nervous that I'm going to have to talk to people and I'm going to have to interact rather than like while dancing. But all that I did in my first class was just smile, say hi and dance.
I did not even have a proper conversation with anyone in my class. And that just made me feel so heavy. You're just jumping, dancing, listening to good music and moving to the beat. And when those two hours are over, you just leave and go home and feel happy all by yourself.
And so, I feel like me doing this class is a different thing. But people in general doing an activity gives them memories to take with them. And so, I had the opportunity to talk to one of my mentors in the decal who told me about why swing dancing is very important to him because it gave him memories to take into the future with him and to look back to him. Also, it's just a great fun thing to do on a weekend or a Friday night.
So, yeah, I think my favorite memory would definitely be Lindy at night. Because people from all over the Bay Area come by and they swing dance with us and we have alums who come back. And it's just a really great time. And I think everyone really enjoys it.
Oh, that's awesome. So, Lindy at night basically happens in Berkeley? Yes, yes. It's something that's put on by Lindy on Sproul every other month.
Yeah, it's a great opportunity to come by and learn a couple moves and hang out with your friends. So now you all know where to go if you want to dance. If you want to go every week, it's a recedede, if you want to go every month, it's at Lindy at night which I don't know happens when. But yeah, it's an amazing opportunity to meet a lot of people.
The point is it's about coming back to a place. When I was talking to a friend, she told me how when she left her high school for the last time, she just knew that she did not belong there anymore. That there was more in store for her. But just imagine when you leave Berkeley and when you know that oh, this place or this activity is always going to be right here, waiting for me.
People always want to come back, right? It's one element that makes you feel like this place is still mine and this place is still home. I had the opportunity to talk to someone else who told me how she doesn't care about how weird she looks or how she dances anymore just because she's so at peace when she swing dances. Yeah, I just think that when it comes to social dancing, I really love going there and seeing my friends and just being able to hang out because it's kind of a space where I can just be myself.
I think I've kind of hit a point where dancing isn't something that I'm embarrassed about anymore. I've seen it as more a hobby that I take on and that I really cherish. And so going to dance is now kind of like a core part of who I am and I really just enjoy that. Okay, so coming to all the new students who just got to work with me, I feel like fitting in into a new place, making connections, meeting new people is very difficult.
And so doing new activities like swing dancing or going to new places can basically make you feel at home or like you fit in. And honestly everyone at Berkeley, as my other friend said, is so smart. You just literally learn a new thing from each and every person that you meet. And so you start learning from them, you start making connections, you start feeling like you fit in in at least one part of the puzzle.
And honestly just because I mentioned that I was so happy I didn't have to talk to anyone on swing dancing doesn't mean that you cannot talk because some people literally go to swing dance so that they can make new friends. I talked to one of my friends like that and she told me about how swing dancing reminds her of being at home just because she has so many memories and just because swing dancing is such a worldwide thing now. And how despite being an international student swing dancing literally helped her feel to feel like she fit in to Berkeley and she was able to make new friends. So here's my conversation with Jen where she's just poured her heart out.
I love how close you can get to people without having to have that. You don't need to talk to them to meet them and I love that about it because you know like I'm like an international student right so I came here and I didn't know anyone. And the first thing I did was go to the audience and then I met all the people who are now like my friends. Yeah it's an amazing way to connect right?
And it's so and it's also easy to start because there are so many people who start with a no experience. So it's a great way to get into a community that's really loving because you know there are so many different levels of you know experience and like dance experience in general. So it's really easy to just get in there. If you as long as you like it and have a passion for it it's like it's so easy to get in.
Yeah because I think about Lindy on Sproul, they also have lessons so you can just basically go learn and say sorry it's so it's so easy to start. You just the only thing is to get past that initial like oh no like that insecurity that we have like I'm not good enough. But that's also the thing about Lindy Hop. It's like you get these people who are able to overcome those initial fears and then you just meet a bunch of people who are just like living their lives because they have you know they're not held back by their insecurity.
So okay so now that we're all done talking about swing dancing I'd like to add two details that number one they're both very obvious but number one you don't need to have any dancing experience and number two that it's no commitment so you can just show up whenever you want and learn and enjoy and have fun and don't worry we'll all eventually feel like we belong in Berkeley like it's home. I already feel that way. So hopefully the ones who don't will feel the same too very soon and so please keep listening to their necessities.