Barley Ball blends swing and fundraising for STU food bank
- Suzanne Shah
- Nov 10
- 3 min read
On Nov. 1, students, staff and community members gathered in the Great Hall at George Martin Hall for the first-ever Barley Ball, a formal fundraiser supporting the STU Food Bank and the Hearty STU program.
The evening paired live swing music, dance lessons and student-led service, offering a celebration that doubled as a direct response to food insecurity on campus.
The event, hosted by STU Campus Ministry in collaboration with Fredericton Swing
Dance, kicked off at 6 p.m. with an introductory swing class led by local instructor and dancer Alexander Carleton, followed by a live performance from the Alex Bailey Swing Band.
For Carleton, swing lessons translate into more than social movement — they shape social mindsets.
“You learn to cooperate intimately with total strangers,” he said.
Tickets were priced at $30, with free entry for Trick or Eat student volunteers. All proceeds were directed to campus food support programs.
For organizers, the night represented more than event planning — it was about bridging community, artistry and care.
“It’s been like over a year in the making,” said Claire Morrison, STU's campus minister and coordinator of the event. “It just turned out so much more beautiful and sparkly than I imagined it would.”
Morrison tied the goal of Barley Ball to a larger, recurring belief: community care moves further when it moves together.
Reflecting on her own introduction to swing at a similar campus fundraiser more than 20 years ago, she recalled a moment of initial reluctance that became pivotal.
“I remember putting on my high heels and telling my roommate, ‘Like I don't even know why I'm going to this stupid dance. I'm not even interested in any of these categories.'”
But that night unfolded differently than she expected.
Looking at the room, full of students trying spins, steps and pauses, Morrison described the atmosphere as a “blessing.”
At 7 p.m., the Alex Bailey Swing Band took the stage for their Barley Ball debut.
Together for nearly 15 years, the band mixes traditional swing with revived renditions of modern tracks, folding decades of sound into one dance floor.
“It’s a privilege to play with such great musicians,” said band leader Alex Bailey.
He emphasized the enduring pull of swing music, not as nostalgia, but as an evolving soundscape.
“Some of it’s 100 years old or older,” he said. “We’re bringing it back, and people are listening to it, and it's kind of making it relevant again.”
The fundraiser extended beyond dancing and enjoying music. Earlier in the week, students participated in Trick or Eat, a door-to-door food collection campaign supporting the same campus food programs funded by Barley Ball.
Volunteer Elisabeth Vigneau described the experience as both logistical and heartfelt.
“We just walked, like we did [on] a street, and we went to every house on that street,” she said. “A lot of the people already had, like, prepared boxes for us.”
For Vigneau, the volunteer structure created an entry point into campus service.
“It was a really good opportunity to get involved with the campus ministry and Student Union.”
While turnout was high, the $30 ticket price prompted some student discussion around financial accessibility.
Volunteer and attendee Fátima Anamilé acknowledged the barrier while reinforcing the purpose.
“I heard of some students [say] that the ticket was really expensive for them, because it was about $30,” said Anamilé. “They, of course, sell their ticket because of the charity.”
For Anamilé, any hesitation disappeared once the live music filled the room. She described the night as “joyful.”
“When the music starts, the life music starts,” she said. “I was so happy.”
As the final songs wrapped up and the décor was packed away, Morrison was already looking ahead, hoping the fundraiser would happen again in two years.
With files from Sabrina Zabatiero.
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