*************************************************************************** Swing News, Monday 5/11/98, Issue #4 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi all, Sometime around the last batch of year-end holidays, a crew of us swing dancers, summoned by Laura, descended upon a tiny place in Clearwater called the Ritz. We'd heard that a big band called the 42nd Street Band played swing there, and we came ready to dance. To walk in there was to enter a time warp, roughly 50 years back; that was my impression. It was such a fun experience that we returned on several occasions. This Friday brings another chance to blast to the past, when the 42nd Street band plays the Sugar Palm. Hope to see you all there! This week's newsletter brings other tales of mystery and intrigue, including nights out, workshops, lessons, and insightful guest editorials. Be sure to check out the list of swing summer camps. Happy reading. Sam --------------------------------------------------------------------------- THIS FRIDAY (May 15) AT THE SUGAR PALM * The 42nd Street Band * Swing DJ Matt Mikas during the breaks * Intermediate Swing Dance Workshop 8-10pm (see below) * Free Beginner's Dance Lesson 9:30pm in the side room * Dance Contest continues: dance for 3 songs; winners go to May 29 finals; $50 bar tab and name on glitterball trophy to finals winners * Dancers Showcase: Bring your favorite song and partner; dance for the audience; up to four couples can sign up at the DJ booth * Doors open at 9pm (8pm for those taking the intermediate workshop) * Admission is $7; $8 for those taking the intermediate workshop Intermediate Workshop: Dance instructors Arleene and James Norman of the Right Step Dance Studio will present a workshop on East-Coast Swing for those already solid with the basic six-count footwork. They'll cover useful moves and help participants become better dancers. The $8 cost also includes admission to see the 42nd Street Band! The Sugar Palm Ballroom has a large (2000 sq ft) floating-wood dance floor, is nonsmoking (with adjacent rooms provided for smokers), and is located at the corner of Palm Ave and 15th St in Ybor City. (Directions: Take I-4 to Exit 1, go south about 2 blocks, turn right on Palm Ave and go to 15th St; the Sugar Palm's on the left; turn left and pay to park or turn right and park on street.) Call 248-5549 for more info. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALSO THIS WEEK Swing City is having a "Pre-Benefit Kick-Off Bash" Sat May 16th from 7PM til ? ...benefits the make a wish foundation....don't know the cost....is a covered dish event with food (duh?), free beer, open dancing and exhibitions. Another Benefit similar to above takes place on 5/23. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEXT WEEK AND BEYOND Fri May 22: DJ Night at Sugar Palm; 248-5549 Fri-Sun May 22-24: Florida Folk Festival at White Springs, FL; (850) 488-1673; http://www.dos.state.fl.us/dhr/folklife/fff.html Fri May 29: Dan Electro and the Silvertones at Sugar Palm; 248-5549 Dance contest finals Fri Jun 5: Swingerhead at Sugar Palm; 248-5549 Sat Jun 27: Swing & Contra Dance at Pinellas Park Auditorium Fri Jul 31: Rocket 88 at Skipper's Smokehouse; 971-0666 Skipper's says the Love Dogs are not going to be playing there in August, but that Skipper's might try to bring the Love Dogs back around New Years. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- REVIEW Denise Moore and Then Some at the Sugar Palm on Fri May 1: Hey everybody, Stephanie Ford here. I've been asked to be the guest columnist this week and what a pleasure that is!!!!! My mission is to report on the events of last night at the Sugar Palm / Denise Moore show. I arrived too late - as usual - and missed the dance contest so I don't know who won. But I did get to see the 4 couples dance to their separate songs after midnight and they were GREAT! I need to find out where they're learning their moves. I take lessons at the Sugar Palm every other Thursday (the swing lesson) and have been learning a lot of stuff - it's amazing how quick people learn how to Swing Dance - even people who have only one lesson pick it up in a heartbeat. Well, back to last night... I hung out in the pool room for a big part of the evening. Big Daddy was at the door being the usual watch dog - he's such a gentle person though. Kim was serving up the drinks, very tasty indeed. I danced to a few songs and was flipped by Alan and WOOHOOOOOO that was so exhilarating!!!!! I had so much fun and meet so many new and interesting people, as always, that I missed out on the most of the band. Matt Mikas was spinning records and playing really cool music. There's always something to dance to when Matt's around. By the way, SWINGERHEAD from Orlando is going to play at the Sugar Palm on June 5th. I saw them a few weeks ago and they ROCKED!!!!!! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- VOTE The vote for a name for our swing group resulted in a 3-way tie, so we're holding a run-off. Please vote for one of the following three, via e-mail. The deadline is Saturday. Unfortunately, "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" received no votes. Cigar City Swingers Swing Gang SwingNet --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LESSONS AND WORKSHOPS Tue at 7:00pm: Arleene & James Norman, Beginning, Downtown St. Pete, $30 for 4 weeks, 821-9420, XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . The next series of lessons starts May 12. 1 hour. Thu at 8:00pm: Connie Gee & Brian England, Beginning/Intermediate, Ybor City, $8, 248-5549. Lesson 8-9pm; Practice 9pm-12am. Sun, May 17th: Frank Ingo will give a workshop on aerials or basic lifts for intermediate and advanced dancers, as well as a lesson for beginners. The aerials workshop is 7:30-9:30pm. The beginner's class is 6:45-7:30pm. Beginners can practice or watch after their class. Cost is $8 or $25 for 4 lessons. Address: 3601 S. Manhatten in Tampa. Call 835-5804. Also call Frank if you're interested in taking future Saturday night workshops. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- SARASOTA The Dan Electro and the Silvertones (no horns) gig at the Downunder (Fruitville Rd and US 41) from 9pm-12am is every Tuesday night. It is sometimes smoky at the end of the evening. There is a small, wooden floor. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMER CAMPS (1998) May 22-25: Lindy Hop Weekend, Baltimore. Leslie Coombs at (410) 869-9771. May 29-31: "Swing on a Star" Dance Weekend, Camp Ramblewood PA. Jitterbug, Lindy, West Coast, Other Styles. $200. (610) 676-0123. Jun 19-21: Boogie in the Mountains, Fallsview Resort Hotel, Ellenville NY. Jitterbug, Lindy, West Coast, Carolina Shag, Hustle, Salsa, Cha Cha. $259. 1-888-21-swing or XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . Jun 29 - Jul 5: Beantown Lindy Hop Summer Camp, Wheaton College, Norton MA. Lindy Hop, Charleston, Shim Sham, Balboa, Authentic Jazz, Big Apple, The Madison, Jitterbug Stroll, Aerials, Music Theory. Daytime Classes, Evening Dances to live music and DJs, Late- Night Dancing. $525. (508) 435-2363 or XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX or http://www.HopToTheBeat.com . Jul 12-17: Swing Week, Augusta Heritage Center, Davis & Elkins College, Elkins WV. Classes, Dances, and Jam Sessions for dancers and musicians. Jitterbug, Lindy, West Coast, Slow Dancing to Blues, Two Step, Tango, and more. $555. 1-800-624-3157 or XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . Sep 4- 7: Savoy Swings Again, Buffalo Gap Camp for the Cultural Arts, Capon Bridge WV. Swing Dance Classes & Parties. Leonard Koenick at (301) 567-1291 or XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . All camps typically include dances, lessons by several instructors, and live bands. Costs above typically include room & board. Early registration is required. Descriptions here are approximate. Call or write for details. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- MUSIC JAM Sunday night jazz jam at the sugar palm was super hot!!!! The musicians were all wonderful..... a must see for jazz fans! It is a jam so any one who plays is invited to bring their instrument and join in. For those of us who are not so musically inclined, come out and just dig the groove. Musicians can come as early as 8pm to set up. The jam begins at 9pm to...? It will be held in the "Big Orange" room downstairs, and I will be bartending. See you there! --Angel Johnson --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Swing News Submissions are not only welcome, but required to keep this newsletter going. Send them to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . The deadline for each Monday's issue is the Saturday before. Editors reserve the right to edit submissions or to select submissions based on relevance. Your yet-to-be-named swing network is committed to promoting swing events in places with large, smoke-free or open-air dance areas; to encouraging great music & instruction; and to building a united swing community! To be safe, call to confirm events before going. Send addition/deletion/address-change requests to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . ***************************************************************************