Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha.
Terry and Angel Dahlgren dancing at a Steel City Swing class. The group, led by instructors Ben Dill and Katie Morgida, teaches Lindy Hop, East Coast Swing, Balboa, Charleston, shag and Peabody and requires no prior dance experience or partner to participate.
Back in 2011 at a Huntsville ballroom, music thundered and couples whirled beneath dim lights. Twenty-two-year-old Ben Dill spotted a beautiful young woman standing quietly to the side. Around her, dancers spun across the floor while laughter rose above the music every time someone missed a step and burst into giggles.
Dill had been obsessed with swing dancing since middle school while growing up in Auburn, Alabama. Long before adulthood arrived with careers, bills and responsibilities, he had already fallen deeply into the joyful chaos of spinning dancers, blaring big band jazz and crowded wooden dance floors vibrating beneath fast-moving feet.
On that cool autumn evening, he noticed Katie Morgida. He gathered his courage, walked over and asked if she wanted to dance.
Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha
Ben Dill and Katie Morgida demonstrate an under-arm turn with Steel City Swing at The Magnolia Ballroom in Vestavia Hills.
She said no.
“I was too shy and honestly a little nervous,” Morgida said with a laugh. “At the same time, I found his enthusiasm inspiring.”
Thirty minutes later, Morgida gathered her own courage and approached Dill. This time, they danced.
The band played “In the Mood” by Glenn Miller as the two stepped awkwardly into rhythm together for the first time. After the song ended, they kept talking for two hours. A few years later, they were married.
Today, more than a decade later, swing dancing remains woven deeply into their lives and marriage.
“We’ve loved teaching together for more than 10 years now,” Dill said. “I have this uncontrollable urge to move whenever I hear a beat, and with Katie, we love giving our students an experience they’ll remember.”
The couple now teaches through Steel City Swing, which meets every Wednesday evening at The Magnolia Ballroom in Vestavia Hills. On dance nights, the ballroom fills with beginners nervously gripping water bottles, experienced dancers greeting old friends and music echoing warmly through the room.
While Dill works professionally as a software engineer and Morgida holds a doctorate in occupational therapy, dance offers something entirely different from the pressure of their careers.
“It’s something we genuinely enjoy together,” Morgida said. “I especially love Lindy Hop because there’s so much room for improvisation and creativity. Watching students come up with their own style and personality on the dance floor is wonderful.”
Lindy Hop originated in Harlem during the 1920s and exploded in popularity during the big band era. The dance blends athletic movement, improvisation and playful connection between partners. Nearly a century later, it still carries the same contagious energy.
Steel City Swing teaches other forms of swing dancing, including East Coast Swing, Balboa, Charleston, Shag and Peabody.
The group is active throughout Birmingham’s community events. Recently, Steel City Swing participated in a fundraiser benefiting the Rosedale Food Pantry in Homewood, dancing outdoors at SOHO Square to the sounds of the Magic City Big Band.
One of the things that makes Steel City Swing inviting is that participants do not need to bring partners.
“Dancing is an incredible way to meet people,” Dill explained. “We rotate partners constantly during lessons, so everyone gets the chance to dance with different people and make new friends.”
Morgida added that beginners are often surprised by how quickly they learn dances.
“You really don’t need any prior experience,” she said. “Our beginner lessons are designed to teach people from the ground up.”
That welcoming atmosphere was immediately noticeable during a recent class.
Photo by Karim Shamsi-Basha
Two dancers enjoy swing dancing class with Steel City Swing at The Magnolia Ballroom.
The Dahlgren family from Gardendale was attending for the very first time. Angel Dahlgren arrived with her husband, Terry, and their 23-year-old daughter, Torri.
“We’ve gone to USO dances and some 1940s-style swing events before,” Angel Dahlgren said. “It looked like a lot of fun, and we wanted to try something together as a family.”
Her daughter Torri added, “Mom and Dad used to watch me swing dance in middle school. We’ve talked about doing this together for years.”
Nearby stood 31-year-old Daniel Robinson, who heard about Steel City Swing through a friend.
“I figured it sounded like fun,” Robinson said, smiling. “I’ve never danced before in my life, so this should be interesting.”
Dill and Morgida began class by showing the 20 students a series of basic steps before everyone paired off to practice. A few minutes later, Dill played “Tuxedo Junction” by Erskine Hawkins, and the couples began stepping side to side across the ballroom floor while Morgida and Dill demonstrated movements from the front of the room.
At first, the beginners looked hesitant and uncertain. Feet missed steps. Hands fumbled awkwardly during turns. But slowly the room loosened. Strangers laughed together. Couples relaxed. Confidence replaced nervousness.
Then “As Long As I Live” by Ella Fitzgerald exploded through the speakers, and the room became alive. Beginners found their rhythm while experienced dancers spun effortlessly through underarm turns, swing outs and fast footwork across the polished ballroom floor.
In one corner, the couple Mike Cowie and Michelle Dowd moved smoothly through the crowd.
“We’ve been doing this for two years now, and we absolutely love it,” Cowie said during a break between songs. “It’s something we can share together as a couple, and it’s incredibly social. We have met so many fascinating people.”
At the end of class, the Dahlgren family high-fived each other.
“We loved this and enjoyed learning something new,” Angel Dahlgren said. “Terry and I laughed every time we messed up, but we kept trying. It was fun to watch each other and see the progress. I don’t think we will win any competitions anytime soon, but we found class very welcoming.”
Dill reflected on what Steel City Swing means.
“For me, meeting new folks and introducing them to swing dancing is my happy place. Everyone reaches this realization of what it takes to make the dance work, and when that hits, they get the biggest smiles on their faces,” Dill said. “And I do, too.”
That shared joy is what makes Steel City Swing special. Yes, there is music. Yes, there are steps to memorize and rhythms to follow.
But somewhere between the drumbeats, nervous first dances and spinning couples laughing beneath ballroom lights, strangers slowly become friends, and ordinary Wednesday evenings begin to feel unforgettable.
