NYU Ballroom Club

Top Hat & Tails

Every November, the NYU Latin & Ballroom Dance Club proudly hosts its annual intramural competition and social known as Top Hat & Tails. For the past twenty years, Club members in all levels of dance take to the competition floor to show off the moves they have learned that Fall for a chance to win gold, silver or bronze medals. Top Hat is more than just a competition, however, it is a way for the whole NYU Ballroom community (new and old) to come together and dance the night away! This semi-formal event is a catered affair that features competition, social dancing as well as a professional performance. So don your top hat, your white tie and your tails and we’ll see you on the dance floor at this year’s Top Hat!

The night starts with a buffet and dancing for everyone, and then the competition heats up the floor, followed by a professional showcase. Only NYU students and their partners are eligible for the competition. Participants can compete in beginner, intermediate, advanced, or alumni categories.

Top Hat & Tails Categories:

Beginner: Couples for which both partners have never competed in a ballroom dance competition before and began ballroom dancing no earlier than the summer before Fall term
Intermediate: Couples for which both partners have been dancing and/or competing in ballroom dance competitions for one year or less
Advanced: Couples for which one or both partners have been dancing and competing in ballroom dance competitions for longer than one year
Alumni: Any level couples for which one partner is an alumnus of NYU

Each category competes in three dances - typically one Latin, one Ballroom and one “fun” dance - that have been taught during the Fall term. Each couple must compete in all three dances which will be announced ahead of time. Competitors must be registered two days before Top Hat via surveymonkey in order for their names to appear in the program. Registration will also occur at the door, but the dancers’ names will not be in the program.

Who: The NYU Latin & Ballroom Dance Club
What: Top Hat & Tails Competition and Social
Where: Eisner & Lubin Auditorium, Kimmel Center, 4th Floor
When: 2010 TBD

Registered Competitors: FREE!
NYU & Non-NYU:$5
*Tickets MUST be purchased in advance at Ticket Central on the 2nd Floor of Kimmel, NYU/Gov’t Issued ID required

*TOP HAT & TAILS 2009 Winners*

Beginner

1st Place - Rhoen Pruesse-Adams & Shizuyo Ichileawa
2nd Place - Jiayi Li & Jane Zhu
3rd Place - Steven Pennings & Kelly Martin

Intermediate

1st Place - Jean Paul Laurent & Martina Lee
2nd Place - Laurie Scherer & Laura Young
3rd Place - Liz Allison & Laura Kurimai

Advanced

1st Place (uncontested) - Brian Lawton & Laurie Scherer

Alumni

1st Place - Ron Hagiz & Joanne Ip
2nd Place - James LaFarge & Jamie Schiffer
3rd Place - Chih-Hong Wang & Liz Allison