********************************************************************** Swing News, Tuesday 2/2/99, Issue #29, (Next Issue, 3/2/99) Send submissions to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Send addition/deletion/address-change requests to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Send all other e-mail to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear everyone, This month brings a rare, perhaps once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet and learn directly from a swing legend, one of the pioneers and originators of swing dancing, Frankie Manning. Still dancing and teaching with great energy and vitality at age 84, he's a prime example of how "if you keep on dancin' you'll never grow old". The Gulfport Casino continues its all-ages swing night every Wednesday. With its friendly crowd and lots of floor to spare, many dancers are finding it a great place to learn or practice those new moves. Lots of great bands are coming to the Sugar Palm this month. Check out the schedule below. Enjoy the rest of this issue, and we'll see you out on the dance floor. Sam ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FRANKIE MANNING SWINGS THROUGH ORLANDO Roy Rydbeck writes: The legendary Frankie Manning will be giving two lindy hop classes in Orlando. The first is at Atlantic Dance in Orlando, Thursday Feb 11 at 8pm. The price will be $10 and you need to pre-register. Frankie will also be giving a 5-hour workshop in Orlando on Saturday Feb 13 at 10am. This worship will start off at a beginning level and move on from there. The location will be determined by how many pre-registered people they have. The price of this event is $30. The organizers want one list of dancers from Tampa for both events. E-mail me at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX and I will put you on either or both lists. All charges are payable at the door of the given event. Frankie Manning was one of the original Lindy Hoppers. He is 84 years old and travels the world sharing with us his knowledge. He was a member of Whitey's Lindy Hoppers from 1935 to 1942. Frankie Manning has been described by Norma Miller as the best Lindy Hopper who has ever lived. Frankie Manning is also the first dancer to incorporate aerial moves into swing dance. For anyone who is interested in or is thinking about learning the Lindy, this is a can't miss event. Frankie also loves to tell stories from the early days of the swing scene and the Savoy Ballroom. So, come and meet one of the people who has had a huge impact on swing dancing. Directions to Atlantic Dance (for Thursday night): Atlantic Dance is at Disney's Boardwalk. Take I-4 toward Orlando. Take the Epcot center exit. Go north. Look for signs for the Epcot Resort. Make your 2nd right. You will then go down several exits and there will be a gas station on the corner. Make a right and then make the first left into the guard station. She will tell you where to park. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FEBRUARY AT THE SUGAR PALM This Thursday (Feb 4), the Sugar Palm Club debuts their new Thursday swing night, with fresh local rockabilly band, the Jumpin' Jukes. The Jukes' lead previously played swing in NY, and the band has two hit singles on NP3.com . Thursday nights feature no cover before 9pm. After 9pm, it's $3 for ages 21 and up; $5 for ages 18-21. Thursdays also feature free dance lessons 8-9pm and swing karaoke in the martini bar. The Sugar Palm's ballroom has a large wooden dance floor. It's nonsmoking, with adjacent rooms provided for smokers. A dress code is enforced. Phone 813-248-5549 or visit www.SugarPalmClub.com for more info. Directions: Corner of Palm Ave & 15th St in Ybor City. 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. This Friday (Feb 5), Orlando band and local favorite, Rocket 88, blasts into the Sugar Palm. Doors open at 8:00pm and dancing continues to 2:30am. A beginner's lesson runs 8-9pm; an intermediate lesson, 9-10pm (in the practice room). A swing show-off takes place at 11pm, where any couple can sign up to get the dance floor all to themselves and dance their favorite song for the crowd. This Saturday (Feb 6), Rocket 88 plays a second night at the Sugar Palm. Lindy Hop lessons continue on Saturday nights with instructors Roy Rydbeck and Kris van Ingen. Beginning is 7-8pm; intermediate, 8-9pm. Cost is $5 per lesson. Other swing-night details are the same as Friday's, except there's no 9-10pm intermediate lesson Saturdays. This Sunday (Feb 7), the Blue Flame Combo (made up of three guys from Rocket 88) plays the Sugar Palm's all-ages swing night, 7-11pm. A free beginner's dance lesson runs 6-7pm. There's also a swing show-off later on. Next Friday (Feb 12), Dan Electro and the Silvertones return with more of their smooth jump-blues and swing. Next Saturday (Feb 13), the Sugar Palm holds its Valentine's Day dance, with band Swingerhead from Orlando, along with complimentary champagne, hors d'oeuvres, and party favors. Advanced tickets are recommended. (The prior holiday bash on New Years Eve was a sellout.) Tickets are $20 for general admission, $25 for patio-room seating, and $30 for ballroom seating. Friday, Feb 19, it's Dan Electro and the Silvertones. Saturday, Feb 20, is the Gasparilla Night Parade in Ybor City. The Sugar Palm will have a float in the parade, and the band (Dan Electro and the Silvertones) will be on it. After the parade, the band will return to the club for the rest of the night. Cover charge will be lower than usual, because of the parade. Also, for those who have never been to Ybor for a Night Parade, expect it to be very crowded and parking extra hard to find. Friday, Feb 26, the Eddie Reed Swing Band from California surfs into the Sugar Palm. The club says, "California Clarinetist Eddie Reed has opened for Ray Charles and Tony Bennett, and was voted Best Swing Act of 1998 at the L.A. Music Awards. He's bringing his quintet all the way to Florida for an evening of great music you shouldn't miss." Saturday, Feb 27, the Cigar Store Indians, a rockabilly-flavored group from Atlanta, returns to Tampa, this time at the Sugar Palm. In the past, the band played at WMNF's Tropical Heat Wave and at The Rubb. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- MARCH AND BEYOND Fri Mar 5: The Camaros at Sugar Palm; 813-248-5549 Sat Mar 6: The Camaros at Sugar Palm; 813-248-5549 Fri Mar 12: Rocket 88 at Sugar Palm; 813-248-5549 Sat Mar 13: Rocket 88 at Sugar Palm; 813-248-5549 Fri Mar 26: Ron Sunshine & Full Swing at Sugar Palm; 813-248-5549 Sat Mar 27: Ron Sunshine & Full Swing at Sugar Palm; 813-248-5549 Sun Mar 28: Sock Hop with the Blue Moon Boys from Indiana at Sugar Palm; All Ages; 813-248-5549 The Sugar Palm describes The Camaros: "This NYC 7-piece is led by two smart gals with big pipes and great choreographed dance moves. Their 1998 disc, Evil, displays a bluesy Swing style that is our dance floor fave." The Sugar Palm describes Ron Sunshine & Full Swing: "One of the biggest swing names and recording artists in NYC; jump-bluesy sound" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- GULFPORT CASINO SWING NIGHT * Every Wednesday, 8pm to midnight * All ages * Second largest dance floor on the west coast Dance-floor capacity 600, seating 400! * Free East-Coast Swing beginner's lesson at 7pm * An intermediate dance move will be taught at some point during the night * Door prizes * Smoke-free * Bar serves coffee, soda, beer, wine, and canned mixed drinks * DJ (Jumpin' James Norman) and occasional bands * $4 for DJ nights (more for band nights) * For more info, e-mail James and Arleene Norman at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Directions: If you're coming from the north, take I-275 south to St Pete's 22nd Ave S exit. (From the south, take I-275 north to the 26th Ave S exit and find your way to 22nd Ave S.) Head west. Turn left onto Beach Blvd. (55th St will be on the right.) Head south until the street ends at the Gulfport Casino, located directly on the water. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SWINGIN' MOOKS UPDATE The Swingin' Mooks had the release party for their very first CD last Friday at Gasoline Alley. It's now available at some local music stores and through the band. The Mooks play regular gigs on Wednesdays at Club More, Thursdays at Storman's, and Saturdays at Gators and Planet 9-Ball. Contact the clubs or check the Mooks' web site for more info. The band writes, "Nominate the Swingin' Mooks for a Jammy award" at http://www.jammyawards.com/vote.htm . Web site: http://md24.com/swinginmooks.htm E-mail: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX ---------------------------------------------------------------------- MIRROR BALL TOUR Vince Gudzinskas writes: The Mirror Ball Tour is coming to Orlando's UCF campus Monday March 8. The Tour features The New Morty Show headlining, with 8 1/2 Souvenirs, Alien Fashion Show, and The Recliners. No info on ticket prices or exact venue, but I do have contacts on the case. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- THURSDAY NIGHT LINDY LESSONS AT THE SUGAR PALM Roy Rydbeck writes: As part of the Sugar Palm's new Thursday swing night, we will be giving Lindy Hop lessons for $5 from 7pm to 9pm in the downstairs room. [Editor's note: the club may open the lindy lesson to all ages, while the swing night is ages 18 and up; call to confirm.] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Swing News Know any upcoming swing happenings or other news? Send them in to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . The deadline for each issue, which generally comes out on a Tuesday, is the prior Sunday at 5pm. 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 . **********************************************************************