********************************************************************** Swing News, Tuesday 10/19/99, Issue #46, (Next Issue, 11/2/99) XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX - Submissions to this newsletter XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX - Addition/deletion/address-change requests XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX - All other correspondence http://www.SwingNews.com - Swing News web site ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi everyone, This Friday night (October 22nd), the Suncoast Swing Gang brings swing back to Ybor City! It's Swing Night at the historic Italian Club, the most prominent building on Ybor's main drag (1731 E 7th Ave), which features a 2000 square-foot wooden dance floor, all of it open for dancing! The evening starts at 8pm with a free lesson by Mack Sprouse (who instructed at the Sugar Palm & Cuban Clubs) & his partner Simone. From 9pm to 1am, it's all swing music & dancing, to the fine musical selections of DJ Paul Mallett, whose credits include DJing at the Fortunate One, the Gulfport Casino, the Sugar Palm, the Suncoast Swing Gang's 1st Event, and at last year's Big Bad Voodoo Daddy concert. Full details are below. Please do your part to support swing in Tampa Bay -- help spread the word, especially to those without e-mail! On a similar note, at Friday's event, I expect a lot of newcomers. If you're a local swing veteran, let's please welcome the beginners, get them to dance, introduce them to others, and otherwise help them out. If you're just beginning to swing or you feel like you're not on the floor as much as you'd like, then check out the tips for maximizing your dance time at the bottom of this issue. It's the people at an event that make it happen, so let's make sure, like our last event, that it's a great time for all! I look forward to seeing everyone there Friday! Sam ---------------------------------------------------------------------- THE UPCOMING TWO WEEKS This Friday (Oct 22), 8pm-1am, don't miss the Suncoast Swing Gang's second-ever event! Our first event in June brought an exciting and energetic hall full of dancers, was huge amounts of fun, and was one of the most successful and best attended swing events this year. So join all your favorite swing people for ... * Swing Night at the beautiful & historic Italian Club in Ybor City * 8pm-9pm: Free Beginner's Swing Dance Lesson; Mack & Simone instruct * 9pm-1am: Dance, Dance, Dance! DJ Paul Mallett spins the swing music * All Ages Welcome * Admission $5 * Bottled Water, Juice, Soft Drinks, and Full Bar Available * Spacious Ballroom; Newly Renovated; 2000 sq ft Wooden Dance Floor! * Smoke-Free Dancing! The entire 2nd Floor of the Italian Club, including its Ballroom, is nonsmoking. A 1st-Floor Cantina is provided for smokers. * For more info, phone 813-248-3316 or e-mail XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX * Address & Directions: 1731 E 7th Ave in Ybor City. Take I-4 to Exit 1, head south a few blocks, then right on your choice of Avenues. Park. Walk to 7th Ave. The Italian Club is between 17th & 18th St -- the tallest building on the south side of 7th Ave. * Parking: Early on Fridays, before 10:30pm, finding parking is not a problem. There's free street parking on and around 12th Ave & 15th St. Or, you can pay to park in a lot (usually $3 or $5); paid parking should be readily available throughout the night. For added safety, there's now even a shuttle bus, the "Good Time Connector", that runs between parking lots on 12th Ave/15th-17th Streets and the rest of Ybor, from early evening to early morning. * Co-sponsored by the Suncoast Swing Gang, Inc., your nonprofit swing network for the greater Tampa Bay area, and the Italian Club. Proceeds will be used to support the Swing News e-mail newsletter and web site, to promote & build swing in Tampa Bay, and to sponsor future events! Next Friday (Oct 29), Skipper's Smokehouse hosts its 20th annual Halloween party, the Freaker's Ball. Headlining will be the Swingin' Mooks. It starts at 8pm and admission is $7. It's outdoors in the "Skipperdome" and open to ages 18 and up (under 18 admitted if accompanied by parent). In addition to the main plywood floor in front of the stage, you can dance wherever you find room on the surrounding wooden decks. Skipper's is located at Skipper Rd & Nebraska in North Tampa. Call 813-971-0666 for more info. Also next Friday (Oct 29), the Florida Aquarium in downtown Tampa swings with the 42nd Street Little Big Band, blues band TC Carr & the Catch, and the No Request Jazz Duo. This is their second annual Nauti- Night Masquerade fundraiser. Admission of $50 gets you "gourmet food by Tampa Bay's finest restaurants", drinks, live music & dancing, plus a view of the Aquarium. There will be a costume contest, though costumes are optional. The event runs 8pm to Midnight. The Aquarium is nonsmoking, and an outdoor cigar bar will be provided for smokers. Tickets are limited and available at 813-273-4568. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- AFTER THAT Fri Nov 5: Frankie Manning Workshop & Dance at Casino; 727-893-1070 Sat Nov 6: Southeast Savoy Swing Dance Competition in Sarasota, featuring Frankie Manning & the Visual Impact swing band; 941-954-8696 or XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Sat Nov 6: Candye Kane at Skipper's; WMNF benefit; 813-971-0666 Sun Nov 7: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at Jannus Landing; 727-896-1244 Sat Nov 13: Coliseum's 75th Anniversary Gala w/ 4 Bands; 727-892-5202 Sat Nov 20: Dan Electro & the Silvertones at Largo Cultural Center; 727-587-6793 Sat Nov 20: Millenium Ball at Suncoast Dixieland Jazz Classic, with 3 Swing Bands; Sheraton Sand Key; 727-536-0064 Fri Dec 3: Kimberly Kaye & Swing Fever at Casino; 727-893-1070 Fri Dec 17: Hepcats' Christmas Dance at Casino, with Bombed Out Cat & Lounge Cat; Benefits All Children's Hospital; 727-893-1070 You have until October 30th to register for Frankie Manning's Lindy Hop workshop at the Gulfport Casino. The workshop runs 4-7pm, Friday November 5th, and the $32 fee includes admission to that evening's dance. Space is limited to 100 leaders and 100 followers. The workshop will be at an intermediate level, so participants must already know the Lindy basics (Swing-Outs, Lindy Circle, Basic Charleston, Texas Tommy). To register, send your name, address, phone, e-mail, whether you'll be a leader or follower, and a check for $32 to Right Step Studio, 2319 9th St N, St Petersburg FL 33704. Phone 727-821-9420 for more information. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy will be returning to town, live outdoors in the Jannus Landing courtyard, Sunday Nov 7th, with opening act, the Blue Hawaiians. Doors open at 7pm for this all-ages show, which starts at 8pm. General admission tickets are $15 in advance or $18 at the door. Tickets are available without surcharge at DaddyKool.com (671 Central Ave, St Pete, cash only, 727-822-5665) or, with surcharge, at Ticketmaster (813-898-2100). The event will take place rain or shine. Jannus Landing is located at the corner of 1st Ave & 2nd St N in downtown St Pete. Phone 727-896-1244 for more information. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- RIGHT STEP DANCE STUDIO Swing News welcomes the Right Step Dance Studio as our first web-site advertiser. You can now find their web site by visiting http://www.SwingNews.com , then clicking on the Right Step logo. The Right Step Dance Studio, located at 2319 9th St N in St Pete, offers a wide range of dance classes for babies to adults, including basic movement, ballet, tap, jazz, flamenco, modern dance, and social dance. In swing, they offer several levels of east-coast swing and Lindy hop classes. The Right Step is perhaps best known for their sponsorship of and instruction/DJing at major swing events, at places like the Gulfport Casino, the St Pete Coliseum, and numerous other venues, festivals, and special events. The Right Step is owned and run by Arleene & James Norman, who have been dancing and teaching for the last two decades. For more information, visit their web site, e-mail XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX , or phone 727-821-9420. The Swing News web site accepts ads from dance instructors, studios, bands, vintage stores, music stores, nonsmoking or open-air music venues, and other swing-related entities. All revenues support the Swing News, Tampa Bay swing, and the activities and events sponsored by the Suncoast Swing Gang, Inc., your nonprofit network. For more info, visit http://www.SwingNews.com or e-mail XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . ---------------------------------------------------------------------- LOCAL SWING NIGHTS & BANDS Weekly Swing Nights: Thu: Storman's Palace in Clearwater; 727-571-2222; Smoking Thu: The Rare Olive in Ybor City; 813-248-2333; Smoking Fri: Swing City Dance Studio in Tampa; 813-935-7458; Nonsmoking Sat: South Beach Grille on St Pete Beach; 727-363-7623; Smoking Tue: Dancelovers in Clearwater; 727-582-9499; Nonsmoking; All Ages Wed: Gulfport Casino; 727-893-1070; Nonsmoking; All Ages Wed: Club More in downtown Clearwater; 727-466-6673; Smoking The Swingin' Mooks write: Please advise your readers that swing is still alive and well at Storman's Palace on Thursday Nights! - Free Swing lessons with Frank Ingo 7-9pm - Swing Dance Contest at 9pm - Swingin' Mooks 9:30pm to closing - Smoking permitted - Storman's Palace is located on Ulmerton in Clearwater in Feather Sound (across from the Raymond James Building) The Swingin' Mooks are now in the studio recording their new CD! Release date TBA. For future gig info, check out our home page at http://md24.com/swinginmooks.htm . Keep On Swingin'! --The Mooks Billy of Bombed Out Cat writes: Hey Cats, If you're looking to swing on Thursday nights, remember The Rare Olive on the corner of 7th Ave & 16th St in Ybor City. We're there 9:30pm-1:30am and will move Thursday Swing Nights with us to the new Rare Olive on the corner of Central Ave & 3rd St in St Pete, starting Nov 18th. [Smoking's permitted.] Frank Ingo writes: Starting in November, on Fridays until the end of the year, the Blues Ship in Ybor (1910 E 7th Ave) will be holding a swing night with live bands and dance instruction. It's an experiment to bring swing back to Ybor in a big way. I will be producing the evening and will be doing the initial beginner instruction. The Swing Sisters will be the regular band. My plan is to have different instructors and bands spotlighted throughout the run. Instruction will be 8-9pm. The band will run 9pm-midnight. We will also do dance contests and show-off dances like the old Sugar Palm. The floor is old wood and gigantic. The high ceilings and air conditioning should make it comfortable to dance [smoking will be permitted]. We'll have a hot dance mix on tape after midnight. Please get the word out! Thanks, Frank. James Norman gives details on the South Beach Grille's Saturday Swing: - DJ Jumpin' James 9pm-1am - No Cover; 2 Drink Minimum - Smoking Permitted; Well Ventilated - Serves Food Until Closing - Unique Art Deco Dining Room & Lounge - Large Dance Floor - 6800 Sunset Way, St Pete Beach - I like this place a lot; this is going to be a good venue In other news, Jesse's Haven has cancelled their swing parties planned for Thursday nights due to the club's going out of business. Bombed Out Cat schedule: Tuesdays: Cadillac Jacks, Treasure Island, 9:00-1:30 Wednesdays: 20th: Ringside Cafe, St Pete, 9:30-1:30 Thursdays: 21st,28th: Rare Olive, Ybor City, 9:30-1:30 Fri/Sat: 23rd: Citrus County Wine Auction, Le Canto FL 29th,30th: Rare Olive, Ybor City, 10:00-2:30 Finally, the Dancelover's Ballroom in Clearwater is still holding its Tuesday night swing, although no longer with DJ Jumpin' James. It runs 7:30-10:30pm with a free swing lesson 7:30-8:00pm. Admission is $4 and the floor is big. Bring your own drinks & food (alcohol ok) and, to be safe, your own partner to dance with. Other details: nonsmoking, all ages, phone 727-582-9499. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SWING NEWS WEB SITE UPDATED Bob Sutter, our swing webmaster, and I have recently completed an overhaul of the Swing News web site, www.SwingNews.com . Not only is it fresher & cleaner, but it also contains lots of new & useful stuff! * Photo Album, updated with Dozens of New Pictures * Swing News: Current & Past Issues * Dance Partner Want Ads * Discussion Group on Tampa Bay Swing * Links to Swing Sites Around the World * Links to other types of Dance in Tampa Bay * A History of Swing * Information on the Suncoast Swing Gang and Our Events Check it out! http://www.SwingNews.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- COUCH SPACE FOR LINDY HOPPERS Michelle Gilbert writes: Several people are coming to the Frankie Manning workshop from south Florida. I'm trying to find places for a few of them to stay. If anyone's willing to lend a couch to a fellow Lindy hopper, please let me know ASAP. E-mail XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX or phone 561-417-6982. Your help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Michelle. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- REVIEW: SWINGERHEAD/SOUND AT THE ST PETE COLISEUM Barb Bayliss writes: I was about ready to give up on swing events at the St Pete Coliseum... until last Friday evening happened. In the past, even the best bands sounded poor in the acoustically challenged, beautiful Coliseum. Much to my amazement and pleasant surprise, Ozie, the Coliseum's sound guy turned mud into music on Friday night! Swingerhead sounded every bit as good as they are! What a fabulous difference it made! With my renewed faith in how terrific bands can sound terrific at the Coliseum, I will be attending more swing dance functions there and hope that others will too. It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that correct musical sounding swing! --Barb ---------------------------------------------------------------------- REVIEW: LINDY HOP NIGHT Sam writes: I'd like to thank all the people who came out to the Pinellas Park Auditorium last Saturday and who made the first-ever Lindy Hop night a success. I think I saw just about everyone there who's done Lindy Hop in Tampa Bay the last couple of years. Plus, many beginners showed up to get the flavor of the dance. Roy and Liz did a good job with the lesson on front-to-back Charlestons, giving it to a near-capacity audience. After the lesson, several hours of dancing followed. A few die-hards did Lindy the entire night. I, myself, danced several times as much Lindy as I ever had at a dance. But most people exhausted their Lindy repertoire fairly early in the night and either retired or mixed in east-coast or other types of swing. I think that more events like this and more experience will build Tampa Bay's Lindy Hop capabilities. So I will definitely try to have another Lindy Hop night in the future. Rich Katz did sound for the night, and I must say the sound that night was very impressive, as was DJ Roy's selection of Lindy tunes. Because of preparation for Hurricane Irene, all the windows were boarded shut. This created a very cozy, speakeasy-style atmosphere, especially when we propped open the door and, from the dark street, you could catch a glimpse of dancing & colored lights, and hear music filtering out. The only thing missing were the brown bags, which would have been shielded by the boards from the police station next door. For people interested in Lindy Hop, I recommend Frankie Manning's upcoming workshop. The dance after will likely provide a second night of Lindy for the Bay area. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DINNER THEATER Tia Mapes writes: The Stage Door Dinner Theater in Tampa is taking its customers on a Sentimental Journey back to the great days of swing: "The Boogie Woogie Show". Our fast-paced song and dance extravaganza opened October 1st and runs until November 29th. Our talented cast of singers and dancers will swing, swing, swing our way into your hearts as we feature such greats hits as: "Jump, Shout, Boogie", "How 'ya Baby", "Drop Me Off in Harlem'", "That Cat is High", and "Bill Bailey", just to name a few. Before the show, enjoy our sumptuous buffet. Don't miss this Swingin', Singin', and Dancin' Party. Feel free to check out our website at http://members.aol.com/stagedoortheater/index.html or give us a call at 813-910-0221. The Stage Door is located at 15212 N Nebraska Ave in Tampa. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- MAXIMIZING YOUR DANCE TIME Sam writes: Here's something I wrote and sent out to my dance classes a little while back. I've modified it slightly for the Swing News, because I think everyone will be able to benefit from it. Without further delay, here are some tips for maximizing your time spent on the dance floor: * Take the free beginner's lesson at an event, even if you're an experienced dancer and don't need it. You'll be out on the floor for the first hour of an event, and you'll meet dozens of people you can then ask to dance when the lesson's over. * If you came with a group or you're part of a dance class, dance at least once with everyone in your group or class. * If you know people at the event that you've enjoyed dancing with in the past, ask each one of them for a dance. * If you sit at a table, you're invisible. Stand up and put yourself at the edge of the dance floor. Even better -- women especially -- go up and ask others to dance. It's common practice these days. * Each evening, ask at least one person you've never danced with. After a while, you'll get to know a lot of people. * Dance, at least once, with anyone who asks you. To refuse a first request, for almost any reason, is just plain rude. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FOUND CAMERA James & Arleene Norman write: Who left their camera on the stage at the Gulfport Casino on Wed 10/6? E-mail (XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX) or call (727-821-9420) with a description, and we'll make sure it's returned to you. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Swing News Know any upcoming swing happenings or other news? Send them in to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . 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 Suncoast Swing Gang, Inc., publisher of Swing News, is a nonprofit network of swing dancers and other enthusiasts, committed to promoting events in places with large, smoke-free or open-air dance areas; to encouraging great music & instruction; and to building a united swing community! Send additions/deletions/address-changes to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . Check out our companion website at http://www.SwingNews.com . **********************************************************************