********************************************************************** SWING NEWS, OCTOBER 2000 (Tuesday 9/26/00), ISSUE #66 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX - Submissions to this newsletter XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX - Addition/deletion/address-change requests XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX - All other correspondence http://www.SwingNews.com - Swing News web site Next Issue: Submission Deadline 5pm, 10/23/00; Publication on 10/25/00 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi Everyone! Swing News has a new and exciting format, which I think you'll find more useful than ever. We've organized the events into four sections, with an "executive summary" at the top of each section. At a glance, you'll be able to locate those events that most interest you and then read on down for the full details. The four sections are: 1. Dance Concerts; 2. Dances; 3. Concerts; and 4. Clubs. As always, after the event sections, the rest of the news follows. Have you ever asked yourself the question, "What is swing, anyway?" Even if you haven't, many of our top local swing personalities have wrestled with this question, and come up with different conclusions. If you'd like to read the official perspective of the Swing News, and find out what has driven this publication from the start, check out the article at the bottom of this issue. The answer may surprise you! Finally, some people have asked what they can expect from the new Swing News, now that it's an independent publication. The short answer is "better and more useful things", like the new format for event listings. Another innovation you'll see very soon is the Swing News Bulletin, to be occasionally sent out between the regular monthly publications. Each Bulletin will highlight an event or provide other late-breaking info. Swing-event organizers are invited to get the word out about their events and to support the Swing News at the same time by sponsoring a Bulletin, or by placing an ad on the Swing News web site. The Swing News monthly e-mail edition, as always, and unlike most newsletters out there, will remain ad-free. Enjoy this issue, & I hope to see everyone out at this month's events! Sam ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DANCE CONCERTS Tue Sep 26: Camaros & Urbane Cowboys @ Orpheum in Ybor City; Smoking, All Ages, 813-248-9500 Sat Sep 30: Bombed Out Cat & GodSwing Dance @ Swing City Dance Studio in Tampa; Nonsmoking, All Ages, $8 Sat Oct 14: Johnny Varro Swing Seven w/ Frankie Manning @ Coliseum; Nonsmoking, All Ages, $13/adv or $16/door, 727-892-5202 Thu Oct 19: Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers @ Magnolia Bldg in Lakeland; Nonsmoking, All Ages, $15, 863-603-6281 Fri Oct 27: Oldies Stomp w/ The Sevilles @ Coliseum; Nonsmoking, All Ages, $11/adv or $13/door, 727-892-5202 Sat Nov 25: Bombed Out Cat @ Zendah Grotto in Tampa; Nonsmoking, All Ages, $5, 813-985-8216 Tonight (Tue Sep 26), the Camaros from NYC play the Orpheum in Ybor City. The Urbane Cowboys warm up and DJ Paul spins between sets. Doors open at 9pm, the show is all ages, and the price is still to be determined. Smoking is allowed. The Orpheum has a dance floor around the stage and is located at 1902 Republica de Cuba (corner of 8th Ave & 14th St) in Ybor City. Phone 813-248-9500. For Camaros info, visit www.thecamaros.com . This Saturday (Sep 30), Bombed Out Cat plays the GodSwing dance at Swing City Dance Studio in Tampa. GodSwing is a Christian swing dance that's open to everybody and that's held at Swing City the last Saturday of each month. The dance starts off with an opening prayer at 8:00pm, followed by a beginner's lesson 8:30pm-9:30pm. Dancing runs 9:30pm-1:00am. You may bring your own refreshments or buy them there. For more info, visit www.GodSwing.com . Swing City is located at 7532 N Armenia in Tampa, between Sligh & Waters. Directions: Take I-275 to Armenia, and head north until you find the correct address. Saturday (Oct 14), swing returns to the historic Coliseum in St Pete with local jazzers, the Johnny Varro Swing Seven, plus swing legend & pioneer, Frankie Manning. The event runs 8pm-Midnight and starts out with a 7-8pm beginning swing lesson by James & Arleene, which is included in the price of admission. At some point during the evening, Frankie Manning will lead the Shim Sham. The Coliseum, true to its name, has a gigantic dance floor. It's all ages and nonsmoking. While snacks and soft drinks/setups are available for purchase, it's BYOB. (In fact, you can bring a whole feast if you want.) Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door (plus $1 service charge); they're available via phone at the Coliseum Box Office (727-892-5202, 10am-4pm M-F). For band info, visit www.arborsjazz.com . The Coliseum is at 535 4th Ave N in St Pete; Directions: Take I-275 to I-375 (Exit 10); the Coliseum is at the bottom of the ramp where I-375 ends. Thursday (Oct 19), Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers make a rare Florida appearance at the Magnolia Building in Lakeland to play at the Thursday-night swing dance. The band, together since 1989, is one of the very best in the swing world, drawing accolades from press and fans alike, ranging from Frankie Manning to Dan Akroyd to Bill Clinton. The band's second CD, "Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout Miss Thing", has soared to the Top 10 of the Billboard Jazz charts. If you've gone to any local swing nights the last year or two, then you've already heard some of their music -- songs like "Big Fine Daddy", "Oo Papa Do", and "Blue Skies". If you haven't yet made the Magnolia Building's Thursday-night dance, this would be the night. They say it's a beautiful place with a giant dance floor, overlooking Lake Mirror. Other details: * Dance: 8pm-Midnight * Lesson w/ James & Arleene: 7-8pm * $15. Pay at the Door. * All Ages * Smoke- & Alcohol- Free * You may bring your own food & drinks, but no alcohol. * Phone 863-603-6281 * Band Info: www.lavaysmith.com * Address & Directions: 702 E Orange St in Lakeland. From Tampa, take I-4 to Exit 16 (Memorial Blvd). Head east to N Florida Ave, then south to downtown Lakeland. Turn left at Orange St, pass the municipal parking garage, and the Magnolia Bldg & its parking lot will be on your left. Friday (Oct 27), The Sevilles, the area's best-known oldies band, play the Halloween Stomp at the Coliseum, 8pm-Midnight. There's a costume contest, cash prizes, and it's BYOB. Tickets are $11 in advance or $13 at the door. Phone 727-892-5202 for tickets or info. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DANCES Sat Sep 30: USF Swing Dance @ Marshall Center Ballroom; Nonsmoking, All Ages, $3 Donation Sat Sep 30: Lindy Hop 411 @ Pinellas Park Auditorium; Nonsmoking, All Ages, 727-894-6325 Sat Oct 7: Lindy Hop 411 @ Pinellas Park Auditorium; Nonsmoking, All Ages, 727-894-6325 Fri Oct 13: Swing Time @ Centro Asturiano in Ybor City; Nonsmoking, All Ages, $5, Other Details TBA Sun Oct 15: Frankie Manning Brunch, Lecture, & Dance @ Orange Blossom Groves in St Pete; Nonsmoking, All Ages, $30, 727-821-9420 Every Sun: Swing Sundays @ Zendah Grotto in Tampa; Nonsmoking, All Ages, $5, 813-985-8216. Every Tue: Raunch-n-Roll @ Orpheum in Ybor City; Smoking, All Ages, 813-248-9500. Special Events: Camaros 9/26; Not Held 10/3. Every Wed: Swing Dance @ Polish American Society in St Pete; Nonsmoking, All Ages, $5, 727-821-9420. Every Thu: Swing Dance @ Magnolia Bldg in Lakeland; Nonsmoking, All Ages, $4, 863-603-6281. Special Event: Lavay Smith 10/19. This Saturday (Sep 30), the University of South Florida's (USF's) University Swingsters host their next dance at the Marshall Center Ballroom. The public is invited. Abdel, who's organizing and DJing the night, tells us that the dance runs 7pm-1am, with free lessons by Mike & Jessica 7-8pm and dancing 8pm-1am. Free food & drinks are provided and a $3 donation is requested. Abdel is still looking for volunteers, especially USF students, to help with some organizing and publicity. (E-mail XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX). He writes: "It should be a lot of fun. Please pass the word out to all your friends. I hope to see everyone there and I promise that I'll play some new music for you all." Directions: I-275 to Fowler. Head East. Left onto 50th St. Continue until you're one block before the next traffic light, then left onto N Holly. Left at 2nd traffic light. Park in Crescent Hill garage. Head to ground floor and follow curved road to Marshall Center. Ballroom is on the 2nd Floor. This Saturday (Sep 30), Lindy Hop 411 presents its next event, "Lindy Hop: Part of a Balanced Diet", at the Pinellas Park Auditorium. On the menu are three classes and an evening dance. The classes are: 1. Balboa, 2:30-4:30pm; 2. Lindy Hop Fundamentals, 4:45-6:15pm, taught by Gabe & Anna; and 3. Lindy Hop Variations, 6:30-8:00pm. The dance runs 8pm-Midnight and features Tim & Gabe DJing. Admission is $18 for everything, $15 for two classes and the dance, $12 for one class and the dance, and $5 for just the dance. Call 727-894-6325 for more info. The event is smoke- and alcohol-free, and open to all ages. The Pinellas Park Auditorium is located at 7690 59th St N in Pinellas Park. Directions: From I-275, take Exit 15. Go west on Gandy/Park Blvd. When you cross the railroad tracks, turn right onto 59th St N. Cross the tracks again. Auditorium is on the left. Next Saturday (Oct 7), Lindy Hop 411 puts on another event at the Pinellas Park Auditorium. All details are the same as the prior week, except the classes are as follows: 1. Shag, 2:30-4:30, taught by Tim & Jenny Faye; 2. Lindy Hop Fundamentals, 4:45-6:15, taught by Gabe & Anna; 3. Lindy Hop Variations, 6:30-8:00. Sunday (Oct 15), Frankie Manning will lecture about his life as a swing dancer at Orange Blossom Groves, 220 4th St N in St Pete. This event runs 11am-3pm and includes a brunch buffet, followed by an afternoon dance. Mr. Manning, now 86, is one of the famous dancers from the heyday of Harlem's Savoy Ballroom. He was chief choreographer for Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, performing on stage and in movies during the '30's and '40's. He's credited with introducing the first aerial to swing dance. Just recently, Frankie Manning was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts. Still a very strong dancer and teacher, he's also an excellent story-teller, which should make this event all the more entertaining. Be sure to check out www.savoystyle.com/frankie_manning.html for an excellent bio. Admission is $30 and reservations are required by September 28th. To register, call the Right Step studio at 727-821-9420. Sunday nights are Swing Sundays at the Zendah Grotto in Tampa. The night features five full hours of dancing, 7pm-Midnight, to suit both early- and late-birds. The night also features the largest dance floor of any weekly swing dance in Tampa Bay. It's all ages, smoke-free, and $5. Admission includes a free Beginning Swing lesson, 6-7pm, on the main floor. Workshops are offered throughout the night in the side room, for an additional fee of $5 per workshop. These include Intermediate Swing, 7-8pm; Beginning Lindy Hop, 8-9pm; & Intermediate Lindy Hop, 9-10pm. For the month of October, Fran will teach Beginning & Intermediate Swing, and Kris will teach Beginning & Intermediate Lindy Hop. Snacks, soft-drinks, juice, and bottled water are available for purchase; it's BYOB if you're 21 and up. Phone 813-985-8216 for more info. Directions: Take I-275 to E Dale Mabry (Northbound). Left onto Tampa Bay Blvd (just before Raymond James Stadium). Pass HCC, fork left at Lois, and turn right onto Lauber two streets after Lois. Zendah is the only building on the right. Park free in Zendah's lot. Map: http://www.mapquest.com/cgi-bin/share?sai4bcw0z9uevswk . Tuesdays are Raunch-n-Roll nights at the Orpheum in Ybor City. Paul Mallet spins a mix of modern rockabilly, 50's rock & roll, swing, greaser rock, and whatever else people want to hear. Some nights have bands, so covers vary. The Camaros & Urbane Cowboys play on 9/26 -- price is still to be determined. On 10/3, the night will not be held. Otherwise, the rest of October is on. Doors open at 9pm. The Orpheum allows smoking, is open to all ages, and is located at 1902 Republica de Cuba (corner of 8th Ave & 14th St) in Ybor City. Call 813-248-9500. Wednesday-night dances, formerly at the Gulfport Casino, are in full swing at the Polish American Society in St Pete. The dance runs 8pm-Midnight, with a 7-8pm lesson by James & Arleene. It's all ages, nonsmoking, and $5, with a good-size dance floor. Soft & hard drinks are available for purchase. (Do not bring your own.) Directions: Take I-275 to I-175 E (5th Ave S) and follow it all the way to the end. Go east, turn right on 3rd St S, left on 18th Ave S, then follow the road. (Don't turn into any road that says "Dead End".) It's at the corner of 14th Ave S & Beach Dr SE (1343 Beach Dr SE). Warning for the directionally challenged: Some people have gotten lost leaving, so you might want to ask for directions before heading home. Thursday swing dances are held each week in Lakeland at the Magnolia Building. "Lindy-Friendly DJ Jumpin' James" writes "The dance is held at one of Florida's most beautiful vintage rooms, on a glass-smooth wooden floor ... the biggest, best dance floor of any weekly Florida swing dance. Features the best of traditional jazz and jump blues. Bring drinks and a picnic if you wish, however, the Magnolia Building is alcohol-free [and smoke-free]." It's all ages, $4, and starts out with a free lesson 7-8pm by James & Arleene. Dancing is 8pm-Midnight. A special event will be held 10/19 with band, Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers; admission for the event is $15. The Magnolia Bldg is located at 702 E Orange St, East of City Hall and on Lake Mirror, in Lakeland. Phone 863-603-6281. For directions, see the Lavay Smith event in the earlier "Dance Concerts" section. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CONCERTS Fri Sep 29: Swingin' Mooks @ Skipper's Smokehouse in Tampa; Outdoors, Ages 18+, $5, 813-971-0666 Fri Oct 20: Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers @ Clearwater Jazz Holiday; Outdoors, All Ages, Free, 727-461-5200 Sat Oct 21: Bellevue Cadillac @ Clearwater Jazz Holiday; Outdoors, All Ages, Free, 727-461-5200 Sat Oct 21: Rocket 88 @ Skipper's Smokehouse in Tampa; Outdoors, Ages 18+, $6, 813-971-0666 Fri Oct 27: Swingin' Mooks & Freaker's Ball @ Skipper's Smokehouse in Tampa; Outdoors, Ages 18+, 813-971-0666 Fri Nov 3: Jerry Lee Lewis & Dion @ Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater; Nonsmoking, All Ages, $32.75-$42.75, 727-791-7400 Mon Nov 20: Count Basie Orchestra w/ Diana Reeves @ Van Wezel in Sarasota; Nonsmoking, All Ages, $27-$33, 941-955-7676 Tue Nov 21: Count Basie Orchestra @ Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater; Nonsmoking, All Ages, $11, 727-791-7400 Tue Nov 28: Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra @ Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater; Nonsmoking, All Ages, $11, 727-791-7400 This Friday (Sep 29), the Swingin' Mooks play Skipper's Smokehouse. The show's at 8pm, costs $5, and is open to ages 18 & up (under 18 admitted if accompanied by parent). It will be held in the open-air "Skipperdome", with dancing in front of the stage. Skipper's features a full bar & restaurant, and is located at Skipper Rd & Nebraska in North Tampa. Phone 813-971-0666. Directions: Take I-275 to Fletcher, head east, turn left on Nebraska, and right on Skipper Rd. Friday (Oct 20), Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers play a set at the Clearwater Jazz Holiday, 7:45-9:00pm. Admission is free. Other famous names in the jazz world appear that day and throughout the festival. For a full lineup, see www.jazzholiday.com . The festival is held in Coachman Park in downtown Clearwater. Directions: Take 60 West to downtown Clearwater. Follow the other 10,000 cars that are trying to find parking. Saturday (Oct 21), Bellevue Cadillac make their second consecutive appearance at the Clearwater Jazz holiday, 7:30-8:45pm. The swing band hails from Boston and is no stranger to the Tampa Bay area, having appeared previously at places like the Sugar Palm. Admission is free. Saturday (Oct 21), Rocket 88 from Orlando appears at Skipper's Smokehouse in Tampa. This is a great band to dance to, and it'll likely be cooler weather by then. The show starts at 8pm and costs $6. All other details are the same as the Mooks' concert above. Friday (Oct 27), the Swingin' Mooks return to Skipper's Smokehouse for Skipper's 21st Annual Freaker's Ball. This yearly Halloween party features costumes, prizes, and more. Phone 813-971-0666 for additional details. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CLUB EVENTS Tue Sep 26: 42nd Street Band @ Legendz in Clearwater; Smoking, Ages 18+, $3, 727-791-8050, 7:30-11:30pm. Wed Sep 27: Bombed Out Cat @ BG-011 on St Pete Beach Fri Sep 29: Bombed Out Cat @ BG-011 on St Pete Beach Sun Oct 1: Bombed Out Cat @ Cha Cha Coconuts on St Pete Pier Mon Oct 2: Swingin' Mooks @ Katie Belles Tue Oct 3: 42nd Street Band @ Legendz in Clearwater; Smoking, Ages 18+, $3, 727-791-8050, 7:30-11:30pm. Fri Oct 6: Swingin' Mooks @ Bourbon Street in New Port Richey; Fri Oct 6: Bombed Out Cat @ King Creole in Sarasota Sat Oct 7: Bombed Out Cat @ BG-011 on St Pete Beach Sun Oct 8: Bombed Out Cat @ Cha Cha Coconuts on St Pete Pier Wed Oct 11: Bombed Out Cat @ BG-011 on St Pete Beach Fri Oct 13: Swingin' Mooks @ Gasoline Alley in Clearwater; Smoking, 727-532-0265 Fri Oct 13: Bombed Out Cat @ Living Room in Clearwater Sat Oct 14: Bombed Out Cat @ Living Room in Clearwater Sat Oct 14: Swingin' Mooks @ Jimmy B's Sun Oct 15: Bombed Out Cat @ Cha Cha Coconuts on St Pete Pier Mon Oct 16: Swingin' Mooks @ Katie Belles Fri Oct 20: Swingin' Mooks @ Green Parrot in Largo; Smoking Mon Oct 30: Swingin' Mooks @ Katie Belles Every Thu: Bombed Out Cat @ Rare Olive II in Downtown St Pete; Smoking, Ages 21+, $3, 727-822-7273, 9pm-1:30am. Every Sat: Bombed Out Cat @ Bahama Mama's on St Pete Beach; Outdoors, All Ages, Free, 727-360-1811, 3-7pm. Sarah Kuss from Legendz writes: "Hi, We are having the 42nd Street Band playing at our club on Tuesday nights from 7:30 until ... We have a great dance floor & a full liquor bar. We would like to invite anyone who likes the swing music to come & join us. You can contact Roger or Sarah at 727-791-8050 or at 727-789-4925. Come and enjoy -- we'd love to meet you all. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FRANKIE MANNING WORKSHOPS Frankie Manning is coming to town! While he's appearing as a special guest at the Coliseum dance on 10/14 & at the Sunday brunch on 10/15, his main focus will be teaching at an all-day workshop on Saturday, October 14th, at the Coliseum in St Pete. The workshop schedule is: 9:30-11:00am: Frankie Manning teaches the Shim Sham 11:00am-4:45pm: Intermediate Lindy Hop Workshops: - Frankie Manning & Mickey Davidson teach Lindy Hop Variations - Tony & Aurelie Tye, owners of Beantown Lindy Hop Summer Camp, teach Partner Dynamics - James & Arleene Norman of Right Step Dance Studio teach Mechanics of Turning The workshop fee of $65 includes the Shim Sham, afternoon workshops, and that evening's dance with the Johnny Varro Swing Seven. The Shim Sham workshop may be taken a la carte for $20. After Oct 5, prices go up an additional $15. To take the intermediate workshops, participants must already know the Lindy basics; the Shim Sham has no prerequisite. To register, phone 727-821-9420. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ORLANDO'S MAJOR NEWS Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers will appear at Peter Scott's Supper Club on Saturday, October 21st. The Club is located at 1811 West State Road in Longwood (407-834-4477). The show starts at 8pm. Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys will appear at the Sapphire Supper Club on Friday, October 27th. For band info, visit www.bigsandy.net . Swingerhead will be appearing every Wednesday night at the Blue Room in Orlando. Swingerhead writes: "We're thrilled to be asked to come back to one of the coolest downtown Orlando nightclubs every Wednesday this fall. The band starts swingin' at 9pm -- $5 cover. Call the club for more info at 407-423-2588. The Blue Room is located at 17 W Pine Street in Orlando." For band info, visit www.swingerhead.com . ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DAYTONA BEACH SWING CATS The Daytona Beach Swing Cats were nice enough to forward us a copy of swing happenings in their area. They dance every Tuesday & Thursday at the River Deck in Daytona, plus take frequent field trips to events in Orlando and elsewhere. If you're in the Daytona Beach area, check them out at www.mindspring.com/~theswingcats . ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NAPLES SWING & LATIN DANCE Kyle Larsen writes: "Starting Friday, September 15th at 8pm, 'Swing & Latin Dance Party' will premiere at Etudes de Ballet in Naples. The Friday-night parties will feature West-Coast Swing, East-Coast Swing, Hustle, & Salsa in one of the most beautiful ballrooms in SW Florida. Dance on a sprung wood floor. Enjoy a view from arched windows that look out to a luscious lawn. Relax with refreshments between dances in the lounge. Your hosts Honey (Kyle Larsen) and Buddy (Dale Stotts) are former US Open Swing Dance Champions, American Swing Dance Champions and Hustle USA Champions. They are from NYC. They have performed (Film, TV, and Broadway) and taught (out of Stepping Out and Sandra Cameron studios) with nationally known instructors Mario Robau, Angel Figueroa, Maria Torres and Frankie Manning. Honey and Buddy will offer three hours of DJ dancing, mini classes, and mixers. For more information, please call 941-415-1951. Etudes de Ballet is located at 3285 Pine Ridge Rd in Naples (1 mile west of I-75, Exit 16, on the north side of the street)." ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 3RD STREET SWINGERS TO APPEAR ON TV SPECIAL The 3rd Street Swingers are a group founded by Joseph Camerieri, now a Clearwater resident. The group dances outdoors every couple of weeks on Santa Monica's (CA) famous and very popular 3rd Street Promenade. Not only do they have a lot of fun dancing in public, but they're able to introduce thousands of passers-by to swing dancing, many of whom have become dancers themselves. The group has a great story, which can be found on their web site, www.geocities.com/thirdstreetswingers (see "In The Beginning" page). Joseph writes: "My group '3rd Street Swingers' and I will be on Bravo Network, Thursday September 28th, on a two hour television program called 'This Joint Is Jumpin'. We will be in a two-minute segment, as I am told. This was filmed last year. Please spread the news." By the way, you may have met or danced with Joseph, if you were at an Italian Club dance around last Christmas or New Years. He tells us he'll be back in action, out and about at the local dances very soon. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BOMBED OUT CAT UPDATE Billy writes: "Hey Cats & Kittens. For all of you who have inquired about Ally, she's doing fine in Alabama. In fact she's appeared with her dad on a local TV show he does & sung a few songs. As a result, she's been getting some offers to do some demo & studio work, so we're extremely happy for her. (Also, you may have noticed, Mark has been sitting in with us a bit on a few gigs.) If you didn't notice, we were featured on the cover of the Weekend section of The St Pete Times last week for our Thursdays at The Rare Olive II in downtown St Pete, so come on out & join the party. We're finally locking down arrangements for Atlantic City; it looks like we'll be at The Tropicana in late Feb & early Mar. I'm very happy to say that we start playing Atlantic Dance in January, and we'll be back in Key West Nov 14-19." ---------------------------------------------------------------------- HOP THE TURKEY CANCELLED Hop the Turkey weekend in Miami has been cancelled due to a lack of turkey hoppers. You'll just have to travel to Sweden to catch the next appearance of the Rhythm Hot Shots. Thanks to Andrea Onstine of Gainesville for letting us know. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SUPPORT DANCING AT GLEN ECHO IN WASHINGTON DC Those who have danced at Glen Echo Park in Washington DC know what a great & unique place it is. The following message recently went out to members of Swing Out DC: "The swing dance programs (and other social dance programs) at Glen Echo are in serious peril! The Park Service does not want to designate the principal use of the Ballroom for social dancing, nor does it want to ensure that current cooperators (like the Washington Swing Dance Committee) can come back in after the Spanish Ballroom is 'rehabilitated.' They want to use the Ballroom for short-term, private rentals! Please, please -- if you like dancing on that huge, wonderful dance floor, send your written comments to Audrey Calhoun of the National Park Service: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . Out-of-town Dancers: this is a NATIONAL park service issue, so they will listen to out-of-towners who also love the regular dance scene at Glen Echo. Please write in and let them know social dancing must stay at Glen Echo!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SUNCOAST SWING GANG MEETING The Suncoast Swing Gang will hold its next regular meeting Thursday, Sep 28, 7:30pm, at Fran's place. Elections will be held for President, Vice President, and Director. Also on the agenda will be a discussion of Swing Sundays and items such as developing a swing library. All are invited to attend. Directions: Take I-275 to Busch and head east. Pass Busch Gardens and go one block past 78th St. On your left will be a brick wall that reads "Rolling Terrace". Turn left into subdivision & continue straight to the dead end. Turn right and go to corner. Hollyridge Pl is the first street on your right. Turn right, and go to the first house on your right. Phone 813-985-8216. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- WHAT IS SWING? (A SWING NEWS EDITORIAL) Way back in Swing News #38 (6/23/99; available at www.swingnews.com), an opinion piece appeared entitled "What Is Swing?", authored by none other than our good pal James Norman. The article said that "swing is a rhythm" and went on to explain in detail why swing is a rhythm. Since then, the author has changed his tune, joining the camp that says swing is actually a type of music. Legitimate arguments can be made for either of the above viewpoints. However, a third perspective also exists. Imagine a swing organizer talking to ordinary people on the street, trying to drum up business for his upcoming dance. The conversation might go something like this: "Hey, guys -- Come to the swing dance I'm sponsoring next Thursday at the Moose Lodge. It's gonna be great!" "I haven't heard of swing before -- what is swing?" "Well, swing is a type of music that ..." "I thought you said it was a dance!" Therein lies the distinction to be made. If our community's main type of event is a concert, then swing should indeed be regarded as a type of music. If, however, our main type of event is a dance, then swing should instead be regarded as a dance. In Tampa Bay, the main driver for the swing community is dancing. Of course, music, bands, and retro culture are all part of the equation, and some people are primarily into one of these other aspects, which is fine. But our community's main focus is the dances. So the answer to "What is swing?" easily follows, and this serves as the official perspective of the Swing News: Swing is, first and foremost, a type of dance. To be more precise, swing is actually a set of dances that include Lindy Hop, East Coast Swing, Street Swing, Collegiate Shag, Balboa, Boogie Woogie, and Jitterbug (1). Swing is, secondarily, a type of music. To be more precise, swing is whatever songs fit the various swing dances. Third, swing is a culture which, apart from music & dance, has elements of history, fashion, etiquette, photography, tradition, and art. If someone were to ask the question, "What kind of music does Swing News cover?", let's forget the fact that this question would miss most of the above point. But the answer would be "any type of music that encourages swing dancing". Does this include big-band jazz? Of course! Such music supports many of the swing dances. Does this include early rock&roll / rockabilly? Most definitely! Such music also supports many of the swing dances. How about Disco? Sorry ... Although many people like all kinds of swing dancing and hence all kinds of swing music, not everyone needs to. Feel free to pick & choose. Swing News will continue to cover it all! (1) Most people also consider West Coast Swing and Carolina Shag to be types of swing dances. A few people go so far as to consider Foxtrot or Hustle to be types of swing dances. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Swing News Managing Editor: Sam Mahfoud (XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX) Contributing Editor: Arnold Kasemsarn (XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX) Know any upcoming swing happenings or other news? Send them in to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . Editors reserve the right to edit submissions or select based on relevance. Please call & confirm events before going! Send additions/deletions/address-changes to XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX . Check out the Swing News website at http://www.SwingNews.com . **********************************************************************