User:Zuazman/sandbox

The Grand Rapids Original Swing Society or G.R.O.S.S. is an all ages swing dance club that meets weekly in Grand Rapids, Michigan with the mission of creating a fun, healthy, social experience while learning multiple forms of swing dance.

The group hosts weekly outdoor dances in the summer at Rosa Parks Circle in Grand Rapids, MI and in the winter hosts weekly indoor dances in places like the Grand Rapids Public Museum with over 3,000 members.

The group currently holds the Guinness Book world record for the largest number of people swing dancing in unison (756 individuals) on August 7,2012.

History
The Grand Rapids Original Swing Society started in 2004 as just an informal group that met in a college cafeteria at Reformed Bible College now Kuypier College in Grand Rapids, MI. The group was started by Steve Zaagman and Deane Campagner. The group met on Wednesdays and had instruction in East coast swing. Participants were college students, but members the group was quickly taken over by members of the community, and as such was asked to move to a different location.

In 2007, G.R.O.S.S. moved to a larger location at a local church which itself was a Grand Rapids downtown warehouse at Monroe Community Church. Average attendance grew to around 150 people a week. The group switched from Wednesdays to Tuesdays and continued to meet weekly.

In 2009, the group moved it's summer location to Rosa Parks Circle and the winter events to the Grand Rapids Public Museum and the Masonic Lodge of Grand Rapids. The group has been meeting at those locations every Tuesday ever since.

On August 7, 2012 the Grand Rapids Original Swing Society met at Rosa Parks Circle to attempt to break the world for Largest Swing Dance. 756 members swing danced in unison for five minutes breaking the old record to become the Guinness Book of World Record's Largest Swing Dance.