Founded in 1994, 4 happy feet has grown to be the largest cultural association on campus. We offer weekly Ballroom, Salsa and Bachata dancing classes at various levels. Every other week members have the possibility to practice their skills and to socialize at social dance evenings. Moreover, 4 happy feet organizes a broad range of other events, such as a teammatch, a Christmas ball and all kind of fun parties and activities. Each year you can show your new skills to your friends and family and earn a diploma at the annual dancing exam.
The association suits dancers with all different degrees of ambition. Not only social, but also competitive dancers will find their desires satisfied. On a regular basis, groups of 4 happy feeters travel down to competitions of different levels all over the country. Multiple times a year 4 happy feet competes with many members in both Dutch and European student ballroom dancing tournaments. These tournaments are great experiences and accessible to dancers of all different levels. For more information about competitions see its information page here.
History
In September 1993, a small group of students felt a strong urge to brush up their old dancing education. They decided to hire a classroom and dance a night away. The evening proved to be a great success and was soon followed by another dance night. More and more dancing enthusiasts joined the club an on March 28th 1994, “Drienerlo(ooo)se Stijldansvereniging 4 happy feet” was acknowledged by the University of Twente. A six-headed board (Anke Kolkman, Bunna Koster, Marc Schrijver, Carlita van den Berg, Jan Hugo Prins en Roalt Zijlstra) was established to lead the association onwards.
As an official cuture association, 4 happy feet gained access to the Auditorium in the Vrijhof building for their lessons. Licensed teacher Marion Tuininga enthusiastically took care of two hours of group lessons a week. In its first year of existence, the brand-new dancing association attracted 50 new members and besides social dancing, 4 happy feet started to pay attention to competitive dancing. The social dancing nights continued to take place on biweekly basis at café Gerritsen.
In its second year of life, 4 happy feet grew to a 100 members. As the lessons became more and more crowded, the group was split up into three different levels and an instruction committee was founded to teach the beginner classes. The association flourished and grew more and more active. With the motto “4 times 4 happy feet, 1 not so happy trainer and 10 teddy bears” 4 happy feet founded its own show dance team with the name TEDDY. All the training nights were concluded with a sign on the wall of the Vestingbar. The dancing season was closed with a teammatch competition in which 5 teams of dancers competed for the titles of best and most original team.
In 1997, 4 happy feet grew to be the largest culture association on campus with 124 members. Sadly, Marion Tuininga moved to England this year and left 4 happy feet without a trainer. But luckily, the enthusiastic dancing teacher Yvonne Schrijver was willing to fill the gap. For the very first time, 4 happy feet participates in the Batavierenrace this year.
In the academic year 1998/1999, 4 happy feet celebrates its first lustrum. By this time, the association consists of seven different groups. The lustrum is celebrated by means of a week full of parties and a camping trip in the summer holiday. Also, the first 4 happy feet dancing diploma’s are granted this year.
By the time of the second lustrum in 2004/2005, the first generation of 4 happy feeters has almost died out. However, the association maintains its position as largest cultural association on campus. The CD’s have meanwhile been replaced by a laptop and breaks in the lessons are introduced for the members to recover and to socialize. After 6 years of enthusiastic teaching, Yvonne Schrijver left the association. On January 18th 2005, she is replaced by our passionate Ballroom trainer Gert Rickhoff. Today, Gert is still the main teacher of 4 happy feet.