********************************************************************** Swing News, Tuesday 10/27/98, Issue #21 Send submissions to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Send addition/deletion/address-change requests to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Send all other e-mail to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello everyone, Friday night's Costume Ball at the Sugar Palm looks like this week's standout event, allowing us to slip in and out of Ybor before Saturday's Guavaween madness. It's good to be back. Sam ---------------------------------------------------------------------- THIS HALLOWEEN WEEKEND On Friday and Saturday, Oct 30 and 31, the Sugar Palm is having a Halloween Costume Ball, with Dan Electro and the Silvertones, costume contests (scariest, funniest, swinginest), dance contests, prizes, and hors d'oeuvres. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door. Costume or appropriate swing attire is required. The Sugar Palm is also giving Lindy Hop lessons this Saturday and next Saturday, with different steps covered each week. Beginning Lindy is 7-8pm ($5 cost) and Intermediate Lindy is 8-9pm ($5 cost). Those who pay for the beginning lesson may stay for the intermediate at no charge. The Sugar Palm also gives free beginner's dance lessons 8-9pm on Fri and Sat. Doors open at 8pm and dancing goes to about 3am. Call 813-248-5549 for more info. The Sugar Palm Ballroom has a large wooden 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 the street. For the big spenders, the Florida Aquarium is hosting a Nauti Night Masquerade, 7pm-Midnight, on Fri Oct 30. The night features live swing and Cajun music, with dancing in the lobby, to the sounds of the 42nd Street Little Big Band and the Porch Dogs. (The Porch Dogs are first.) The night also features a full bar, delicacies, coffee and dessert rooms, and the aquarium itself. The Aquarium is nonsmoking, but an outdoor cigar bar will double as a smoking area. Proceeds will benefit the Aquarium's veterinary programs. Cost is $40 in advance for nonmembers; $30 for members. At the door it's $10 extra. Halloween costumes, fancy attire, or business casual attire is required. Phone 813-273-4568 or 813-273-4000 for tickets or more information. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NEXT WEEK AND BEYOND Fri Nov 6: Royal Crown Revue at The Rubb; 813-247-6234 Fri Nov 13: The Delegates (from NYC) at Sugar Palm; 813-248-5549 Sat Nov 14: The Delegates (from NYC) at Sugar Palm; 813-248-5549 Fri Nov 20: Rocket 88 at Sugar Palm; 813-248-5549 Sat Nov 21: Rocket 88 at Sugar Palm; 813-248-5549 Sun Nov 22: Cherry Poppin' Daddies at Jannus Landing; 727-896-1244 Vince Gudzinskas writes: If you feel like making the trip, Saturday November 7th is SWINGFEST 98, featuring The Lost Continentals, The New Morty Show, and The Woody Herman Orchestra. Tix are 15.00. The show is in Brevard County, at the Space Stadium(?). I'll get the exact location and e-mail it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SPATS IN SARASOTA Pam Callender writes: Spats Grand Opening was a major success, and I want to thank you all for your support. Our dance contests are growing in popularity as well as in level of proficiency. There were some real fine dancers. Spats holds a dance contest every night at 10pm with gift certificates from local merchants as prizes. Then, the second Saturday of every month, all the winners of the nightly contest are invited back to compete against each other. It's pretty cool, as each night at Spats is a different form of swing: Tuesday is Big Band music for a Foxtrot, East Coast Swing, and Quick Step style; Wednesday is Jammin Oldies for West Coast Swing, Hustle, and a taste of Latin in the Mo Town sound; Thursday is all Latin; and Friday and Saturday are Jump Swing. There were all ages at the Opening, and Darren Fernandez came back with part of his Zoot Suit Swing Dance Revue, which some of you witnessed at Sugar Palm. He'll be back at every monthly finals with a new pro dance show. The following is our upcoming schedule: Oct 28 (Wed): The New JO 101.5 FM Jammin Oldies radio station will remote broadcast at Spats' fund raiser for our Youth Dance Program. $20 includes lesson and contest. Oct 31 (Sat): Vintage Thriller HalloSwing party. $8 @ 8pm or $5 after 9pm. Nov 4 (Wed): Dan Electro Nov 11 (Wed): Dan Electro Nov 18 (Wed): Dan Electro Nov 14 (Sat): Monthly Finals Dance Contest and Pro Show, $12 @ 8pm or $10 after 9pm Nov 25 (Wed): The Worx Band, "Bird's The Word". Celebrate Thanksgiving with Spats. $8 @ 8pm or $6 after 9pm. Spats is located at the Town and Country Plaza, corner of Fruitville and Beneva Rd, in Sullivan's Courtyard, Sarasota. Call (941) 954-8696. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- WEST COAST SWING WORKSHOPS AND MORE David McRee writes: A workshop on West Coast Swing taught by Kal Branson will be held on November 14th (Saturday) at Zendah Grotto Hall, 4901 Lauber Way in Tampa. I have never taken lessons with Mr. Branson, but I have seen him perform with numerous partners and I attended his 4th of July Swing Bash in Ft Lauderdale. It was a fantastic event and he certainly has earned his title as Mr. West Coast Sleaze. He has all the moves. The schedule for the workshops is as follows: 10:30am - Fun & Easy East Coast Swing (Triple Swing) 11:45am - Simple & Sexy West Coast Swing 1:00pm - Easy Syncopations - W. C. Swing 2:00pm - Hustle with Sizzle Each workshop is $10; all 4 for $30. Registration deadline Nov 1st. There will also be dinner, a show, and a Jack & Jill Swing contest. For more info or to register, call 813-935-7458. I got this info from a flyer at the Swing City Dance Studio in Tampa. David McRee, Bradenton ---------------------------------------------------------------------- LINDY WORKSHOP A one-day intensive workshop in Beginning Savoy-Style Lindy Hop will held Sunday, Nov 8, 1-5pm, at the Right Step Dance Studio, 2319 9th St N, in St Petersburg. Professional dance instructors James and Arleene Norman will teach. E-mail XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX or phone 821-9420 for more info. The class is limited to six leaders and six followers. Prepayment is required with registration and no walk-ons will be allowed. Cost is $35. The studio's website is http://rightstepdance.digitalchainsaw.com/ . ---------------------------------------------------------------------- MOOK UPDATE Here's a list of the Swingin' Mooks regular weekly gigs. Their web site is http://md24.com/swinginmooks.htm . Call clubs for more info and be sure to confirm dates before going. All clubs below allow smoking. Thursdays at Storman's Palace, 9:30pm - 1:00am, 2675 Ulmerton Road in Clearwater Saturdays at Gators, 5:00 - 9:00pm, Treasure Island at John's Pass, http://www.gatorscafe.com Saturdays at Bourbon Street, 11:00pm - 1:30am, Oakbrook Plaza at McMullen Booth & Enterprise Roads in Safety Harbor ---------------------------------------------------------------------- THE MASQUERADE Vincent Ogan writes: FYI. Previously The Masquerade had Swing night on Friday and Saturday, but due to low turnout on Fridays, they recently reduced to Saturday only. They have free lessons, the female instructor is very good, and she can dance both male and female parts. It's great if you don't enjoy getting kicked and stomped on like in the over-crowded Sugar Palm. Vincent [Editor's Note: The Masquerade is a smoking club.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- RAT PACKS QUESTION XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX writes: Has anybody been out to the new club in Orlando, "Rat Packs on the Avenue"? I can't find a listing for it anywhere, but it was written up in Entertainment Weekly two weeks ago as the best club in the area. If anyone's got some info or a phone number, I'd sure be interested. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FREE PASS WINNERS Congratulations to Vincent Ogan, Joey Norton, and Monika Mathis, who got the first requests in for the free passes for two to Bourbon Street's swing night. The passes are in the mail. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- EVOLUTION OF SWING DANCING Pam Callender has written an article on the evolution of swing dancing. Check it out at members.tripod.com/~SwingDanceNetwork/index.html . ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Swing News Submissions are not only welcome, but required to keep this newsletter going. Send them to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . The deadline for each Tuesday issue is Sunday at 2pm. Editors reserve the right to edit submissions or to select based on relevance. Be sure to call and confirm events before going! The 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/address-change requests to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . **********************************************************************