*************************************************************************** Swing News, Tuesday 5/19/98, Issue #5 Send submissions to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Send addition/deletion/change-of-address requests to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Send all other e-mail to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hey Everybody, Lots of good stuff is happening this Memorial Day weekend and after. Our group has a brand-new name (see below) and new e-mail addresses, so don't reply to Bob or whoever else you got this e-mail from unless that's really who you want to talk to. I'd like to thank all the contributors to this week's and past issues, and to encourage everyone to keep submitting (to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX). Be sure to include full details on events: Description of Event, Date, Time, Place, Address, Directions, Cost, Smoke info, Dance Floor description. The editors usually don't have time to fill in missing details. Special thanks to James Norman of the Right Step dance studio for contributing the Swingmanship column; it contains some excellent tips for the men out there. As long as we're thanking people, I'd like to acknowledge the great efforts put in by Michelle (organizing), Sherrie (workshops and more), Bob (newsletter, e-mailing, and more), Dwayne, Chris, Stephanie, Alyson (business cards), and any others I didn't mention by name. Thanks, and keep up the good work! Sam --------------------------------------------------------------------------- THIS WEEKEND Memorial Day weekend brings many exciting opportunities. Swingin' Friday Nights continue at the Sugar Palm with Swing DJ from 9pm-3am, free beginner's lessons, a dance contest, and a dancer's showcase. Admission is $4. Address: Corner of Palm Ave & 15th St in Ybor City. Phone 248-5549. Up in White Springs, the Florida Folk Festival gets underway Friday and continues through Sunday. Eight hours of various dancing a night and more. Phone (850) 488-1673; http://www.dos.state.fl.us/dhr/folklife/fff.html . In downtown Clearwater, The Belaires, an oldies rock & roll band, play at Station Square Park (600 block Cleveland), 5:30-8:30pm on Friday. And you can pick up some vintage clothing or other collectibles from the 40's through 70's at the BabyBoomBazaar, held Sat 11am-6pm and Sun 10am-5pm at the Coliseum, 535 4th Ave N in St Pete. In addition to items for sale, the Bazaar features era music & TV themes, vintage fashion shows, and special guests signing autographs. $4 admission. Phone (954) 564-2002. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEXT WEEK AND BEYOND 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 Fri Jun 12: DJ night at Sugar Palm; 248-5549 Intermediate/Advanced Swing-Dance Workshop TBA Sat Jun 27: Swing & Contra Dance at Pinellas Park Auditorium; 852-9150 Sat Jun 27: Summer Swing Series at Coliseum; 892-5202 Sat Jul 25: Summer Swing Series at Coliseum; 892-5202 Fri Jul 31: Rocket 88 at Skipper's Smokehouse; 971-0666 Sat Aug 29: Summer Swing Series at Coliseum; 892-5202 Sat Sep 26: Summer Swing Series at Coliseum; 892-5202 I'd like to give a personal recommendation for everyone to check out the Swingerhead show next month at the Sugar Palm. I saw them open for Big Bad Voodoo Daddy in Orlando a few months back and they were great. I didn't think too much of them when I heard the name, but once they took the stage they were awesome. Nothing too too fast, and all very entertaining songs. They impressed me so much I had to buy their album the next day (very few bands can do that to me). -- Vince Vega Hey Swingers! I have the schedule for the St Pete Coliseum's "Summer Swing Series." The title "Summer Swing Series" is a misnomer, as the bands will be playing ALL the popular social dances: Fox Trot, Waltz, Rhumba, Tango, Samba, Peabody, Swing, Charleston, Jive, Rock & Roll, Blues, Cha Cha, and probably the Hokey Pokey. I, however, will be at all four dances, tearing up the floor. Saturdays at 8:00pm on Jun 27, Jul 25, Aug 29, and Sep 26. $7 in Advance, $9 at the Door. BYOB. The St Pete Coliseum is conspicuously located at the bottom of the ramp of the last exit of I-375 (yes, I-375, not 275) in downtown St Pete (535 4th Ave N). -- James Norman [ Editors note: The Coliseum has the largest dance floor in the Bay area and is also smoke-free. Phone 892-5202. ] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- WORKSHOPS, PAST & FUTURE Got the basic swing moves down but want to add more variety and style to your dance? Twice a month, Sugar Palm has let us bring in a variety of teachers to show us their stuff. Cost is low, $8 total, which includes the workshop (2 hours) and dancing afterward (as late as 3am). So far, we've had Abdul Mohammed who showed us several twisty moves including the pretzel and the tunnel, and then Jamie & Arleene Norman who sharpened up our dancing with rhythm and style. Don't miss the next one on June 12th ... instructor to be announced. -- Sherrie --------------------------------------------------------------------------- WHAT'S IN A NAME Our name-the-group election resulted in brilliant ideas, passionate exchanges, and a voter turnout even lower than the US presidential election. One person even threatened to move to Cuba if we had "cigar" in our name. Of those who had an opinion, 6 cast their vote for Swing Gang, 4 for SwingNet, 4 for Cigar City Swingers, 1 for SwingBay (a write-in), and 1 for none-of-the-above. In the end, Swing Gang took home the top honor. Congratulations to Chris Paulick for suggesting the winning name! He wins much fame and notoriety. An ever-expanding group of organizers met Sunday to, among other things, tally the votes. We all thought, Chris included, that the name looked better if we shoved it together into one word -- SwinGang . So until our first-grade teachers find us to correct the spelling, we'll give it a try. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LESSONS AND WORKSHOPS Thu at 7:00pm: Arleene & James Norman, Beginning, Downtown St. Pete, Right Step Dance Studio, 2319 9th St N (Park in back), $30 for 4 weeks, 821-9420, XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . The next series of lessons starts May 28. 1 hour. Thu at 8:00pm: Arleene & James Norman, Beginning Lindy, Downtown St. Pete, Prerequisite: solid foundation in six-count swing or any other social dance. Right Step Dance Studio, 2319 9th St N, $30 for 4 weeks, 821-9420, XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . The next series of lessons starts May 28. 1 hour. Thu at 8:00pm: Connie Gee & Brian England, Beginning/Intermediate, Ybor City, Sugar Palm, Corner of Palm Ave & 15th St, $8, 248-5549. Lesson 8-9pm; Practice 9pm-12am. Sun, Jun 14th: Frank Ingo, Beginners 6:45-7:30pm, Intermediate/Advanced 7:30-9:30pm, South Tampa, 3601 S. Manhatten, $8 or $25 for 4 lessons, 835-5804. Beginners can practice or watch after their class; advanced dancers can practice at 6:45. Also Jul 12, Aug 9, & Sep 13. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- SWINGMANSHIP, WITH JAMES NORMAN If a woman asks a man to dance, there is no worthy excuse -- he really has no option. Consider it a compliment, brother, and NEVER say "no" when a woman asks you to dance. I can say from experience that your new partner is not interested in participating in an exhibition in Olympic-level twists and stunts -- she wants to dance with YOU. Take it easy. A true swingman need only lead two or three moves when he's dancing with a partner for the first time. Even a novice can have fun leading an experienced partner if he has two or three moves. -- James Norman Please watch for more Swingmanship columns in the coming weeks ... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE MOOKS The Swingin' Mooks report that they've been getting a lot of calls for gigs lately. They're playing at Club 1509 in Ybor on Thursdays (1509 8th Ave, 10:30pm-12:30am) and at The Ritz in downtown Clearwater on Fridays (Ft Harrison, 9pm-1am). [ Editors note: Both clubs are closed-air with smoking allowed on the dance floor. 1509 has a fairly large floor; the Ritz, a fairly small one. Call before going! Schedules may change. ] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- SATURDAYS AT THE SUGAR PALM ... ... are now swing too! DJ Belinda Montgomery debuts this Saturday, May 23, with swingin' tunes starting at 9pm. Call 248-5549. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Swing News Submissions are not only welcome, but required to keep this newsletter going. Send them to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . The deadline for each Tuesday's issue is Sunday at 2pm. Editors reserve the right to edit submissions or to select submissions based on relevance. Be sure to call and confirm events before going! The newly named SwinGang is a network of swing dancers and other swingsters committed to promoting swing events in places with large, smoke-free or open-air dance areas; to encouraging great music & instruction; to building a united swing community; and to publishing this newsletter! E-mail XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . Send addition/deletion/change-of-address requests to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . ***************************************************************************