The Harvard-Radcliffe Ballroom Dance Club swept away their competition last weekend, winning first place in the 1994 Intercontinental Intercollegiate Dance Festival.

The Harvard-Radcliffe team beat Imperial University in Britain and Catholic University in Washington, D.C. to claim the championship.

Sixteen members of the Harvard-Radcliffe Ballroom Dance Club traveled to Clearwater, Florida for the week-long series of events, running from January 4 through January 10.

"It was exciting because there were a lot of people there who were very enthusiastic about ballroom dancing," said Alexander Samual '94. "It was nice to see how people who competed with us last year have improved, and to realize that we have as well."

The most important event occurred Friday, when the Harvard "A" Team, consisting of four couples, competed against more than a dozen teams representing other colleges and universities.

Each couple did a separate dance and was compared in style and technique with pairs from other teams.

Club President Juliet E. McMains '94 claimed fifth place with her partner Samual in the finals of the American Smooth competition.

Jennifer M. Fung '97 and Cris Brengeo '88 followed in sixth place. The American Smooth consists of four different dances, including the waltz, fox trot and tango.

Third-year school student Jennifer Fung '91 and second-year law school student Quan Vu placed third in the finals for the International Latin Competition.

The festival also featured both all female and all-male waltz competitions. The Harvard-Radcliffe team placed first in both events.

McManus, who danced with Fung, said that after event she became "more convinced than ever that ballroom dancing is dress-up--it's all a big performance where you're playing with gender roles."

The Harvard-Radcliffe Ballroom Dance Club wasfounded three and a half years ago by Vu andBrengeo after they were inspired by a ballroomdance class they took at the MassachusettsInstitute of Technology.

The club, now consisting of about 40 members,not only participates in competitions but alsooffers dancing classes at the Malkin AthleticCenter. Some members devote up to 15 hours a weekbetween practicing and competing.

The members who attended the Clearwatercompetition seemed pleased not only with victory,but with the more social aspects of dancing aswell.

Vu said it was a good chance "to see a lot ofdifferent people from different universities, allparticipating in ballroom dancing...it's reallyinspiring.