Fighting cancer with world-record swing dance

From staff reports

CJ’s Nightclub’s regular swing dancing nights take a twist this Saturday as community members attempt to break the world’s swing dancing record.

CJ’s Nightclub is hosting their first “Break The Record” event in hopes of raising money through Cancer Care Northwest for Jeff Hinz, a Post Falls High School teacher and football coach who has been diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer.

The current world record for the largest swing dance stands at 756 people. Teams of swing dancers, football teams, track teams, Greek fraternities, and various other groups and community members are already prepared to beat this record.

Zachary Goytowski, a former student of Jeff Hinz and member of the football team Hinz coached, has been swing dancing since he was a freshman in college and decided to coordinate this event. He began with the idea of a small dance to raise money for Hinz’s medical bills.

After getting in touch with Zane Larson, owner of College Cabs, and Phil Roderick the owner of CJ’s Nightclub, the group decided to create this record breaking event.

“We’re hoping we can raise a decent amount of money to help the family with medical bills”, says Goytowski, who attends University of Idaho. “But we’re doing it for him and his family. It’s more about the message were trying to send than anything.”

The event coordinators are asking for a $5 charge at the door and will be raffling off prizesto increase donations. College Cabs will raffle off limo rides, party bus rides and gift cards.

Zeppoz and CJ’s Nightclub have also provided various donations for the event.

The event coordinators plan on filling the multiple floors of CJ’s Nightclub, each prepared with deejays, to manage the swing dancing. After the floors have been filled, the dancers will be taken outside to complete the breaking of the record. The street in front of CJ’s Nightclub will be blocked off.

After breaking the record, participants will be certified into the Guinness Book of World Records.

Those not interested in swing dancing are still encouraged to come and enjoy the music and entertainment.

“People go through hardships in their life, you only get so many chances to come together and make people feel special and that is what this event is really about,” Goytowski said.

The event will begin at 6:00 p.m. and event coordinators hope to break the record by 7:30 p.m.  The event will take place at CJ’s Nightclub and is open to all ages.