These professors don’t just spend their nights grading papers.
At the first annual “Dancing with the Professors” event last night, four professors paired with Ballroom at Maryland student dancers to hop, trot and waltz their way to glory. The competition was modeled after the popular TV show Dancing with the Stars, complete with three judges — experienced dancers who gave feedback and advice to the couples.
Cell biology and molecular genetics professor Kenneth Frauwirth and his dancing partner Lindsay Ross claimed first prize for their performance of the Tango.
The pair competed against three other couples: French professor Katherine Tek and her partner Robert McCabe; associate dean of undergraduate programs at the business school Patricia Cleveland and her partner Derek Winkler; and history professor Richard Bell and his partner Iyen Acosta.
“It was a lot of fun,” Frauwirth said after his win. “I had a great partner.”
“Winning always feels good,” he added.
Bell and Acosta, who danced the Cha-Cha to “Play That Funky Music,” came in second place. Tek and McCabe, who performed the West Coast Swing, came in third place. Cleveland and Winkler, who danced the Waltz, came in last.
Results were determined based on judges’ scores and votes from audience members, who were given ballots at the beginning of the event.
All of the professors agreed that they enjoyed the experience.
“I had so much fun,” Tek said. “That’s what matters. It was nice to connect with the other professors.”
“[I was] thrilled to win second,” Bell said. “I have a lot more respect for ballroom dancing than I possibly could have imagined four weeks ago.”
Some students who came to the event said they are interested in dance, while other students said they came to support their professors or friends, who were competing.
“I love dancing. That’s the main reason I came,” information management studies graduate student Arnaud Lawson said. “I like to see the students on the campus that are into this as well. I want to discover the kinds of talent on campus. I’m looking forward to it.”
“It’ll be really fun. I wish one of my professors were in it,” civil engineering graduate student Jill Koehler said. “That would make it more fun, but I’m sure it will still be exciting.”
Students seemed to enjoy the event.
“I thought it was really good,” freshman aerospace engineering major Michael Aberg said. “The themes were well-picked out. The professors did very well with the time they had.”
Lawson said he found the performances “very entertaining.”
“I was surprised by people’s talents and skills,” he said, adding it makes him want to pursue dancing.
Anna Lukyanchenko, a graduate student studying second language acquisition, agreed.
“I had a similar inspiration. It makes one want to dance. It’s inspiration and motivation to dance,” she said.
estelle@umdbk.com
