********************************************************************** SWING NEWS, AUGUST 2001 (Tuesday 7/31/01), ISSUE #76 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, 8/26/01; Publication on 8/30/01 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear reader, Tampa Bay swing is going stronger than ever. While August brings few special events, Tampa Bay's regular swing events seem to all be drawing record numbers of dancers. So check out some of the places in this newsletter to see what the excitement's all about. Try going at least one place you've never been -- you'll never know what it's like until you try it! See you at the events! Sam ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DANCE CONCERTS Fri Aug 3: Swing Time w/ Jennifer & the Venturas @ Centro Asturiano; All Ages, Nonsmoking, $10, 9pm-1am (Lesson 8-9); Ybor City: Palm Ave & Nebraska; (813) 274-4950. Fri Sep 7: Swing Time w/ 42nd Street Band @ Centro Asturiano This Friday (Aug 3), Jennifer & the Venturas play Swing Time at Centro Asturiano. The band's diverse repertoire of swinging jazz, blues, and classic rock & roll / rhythm & blues ranges from Benny Goodman & Ella Fitzgerald to T-Bone Walker & Chuck Berry. Jennifer Sweat is their powerful, yet smooth lead vocalist. Band members, John Paul Coley on Bass, Greg Poulos on guitar, and Art Siegel on drums, are seasoned veterans who, among their many credits, have kept Florida swinging these past five years as members of "Dan Electro & the Silvertones". Jamming with the band at Swing Time will be a special guest saxophone player. Event Details: * Dance Instruction by Sam & Rachel -- 8-9pm * Live Swing Music & Dancing w/ Jennifer & the Venturas -- 9pm-1am * Dance Contest at 11pm -- The Band Plays for the Contestants! * Prizes -- Trivia Prizes, Contest Prizes, Drawing Prizes! * Elegant Grand Ballroom / Smoke-Free / Full Bar * $10 Admission includes Free Parking & Free Lesson * Friendly Social Atmosphere / All Ages Welcome * Visit www.StudioRetro.com for a Map or More Info * E-mail XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX or Phone 813-274-4950 * Address/Directions/Parking: Centro Asturiano is located in Tampa at the corner of Palm Ave & Nebraska Ave on the edge of Ybor City. It has its own free gated parking lot right next to the building. Plus, it's located many blocks from Ybor City's center, allowing easy access on lightly traveled streets. Directions: Take I-4 to Exit 1, go south, turn right at the 1st light (Palm Ave), turn left at the 2nd light (Nebraska Ave), and make an immediate left into Centro Asturiano's gated lot. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DANCES Sat Aug 4: LindyHop411 @ Pinellas Park Auditorium; All Ages, Nonsmoking; Pinellas Park: 7690 59th St N; (813) 831-3281. Fri Aug 10: Swing @ DanceLand; All Ages, Nonsmoking, $3-$5, Starts 9pm (Lesson 8-9); Pinellas Park: 8451 49th St N; (727) 724-8313. Thu-Sun Aug 16-19: Beach Boogie @ Clearwater Beach Hilton; All Ages, Nonsmoking, $15-$35; Clearwater Beach: 400 Mandalay Ave; (813) 931-3884. Fri Aug 17: Lindy Swing Night w/ DJ Abdel @ Swing City Dance Studio; All Ages, Nonsmoking, $5-$12, 9pm-2am (Workshop 7:30-9); Tampa: 7532 N Armenia Ave; (813) 935-7458. Sat Aug 18: LindyHop411 @ Pinellas Park Auditorium; All Ages, Nonsmoking; Pinellas Park: 7690 59th St N; (813) 831-3281. Fri Aug 24: Swing @ DanceLand; All Ages, Nonsmoking, $3-$5, Starts 9pm (Lesson 8-9); Pinellas Park: 8451 49th St N; (727) 724-8313. Every Tue: Swing Dance Nights @ BayWalk; All Ages, Outdoors, Free, 8:30-11pm (Lesson 8-8:30); St Pete: 153 2nd Ave N; (727) 895-9277. Every Wed: Swing Dance @ Moose Lodge; All Ages, Nonsmoking, $5, 8pm-12am (Lesson 7-8); St Pete: 2525 58th Ave N; (727) 527-8394. Every Thu: Swing Dance @ Magnolia Bldg; All Ages, Nonsmoking, $4, 8-11pm (Lesson 7-8); Lakeland: 702 E Orange St; (863) 603-6281. Every Sun: Swing Sundays @ Zendah Grotto; All Ages, Nonsmoking, $4-$5, 8pm-12am (Lessons 6:30-8); Tampa: 4109 N Lauber Way; (813) 985-8216. Saturdays (Aug 4 & Aug 18), LindyHop411 hosts workshop & dance events at the Pinellas Park Auditorium. The format for each date will be 2-3 afternoon classes followed by an evening dance. Further info will be posted to www.LindyHop411.com as the dates approach (or phone 813-831-3281). The workshops & dances are all ages & smoke-free. The Pinellas Park Auditorium has a 2500 sq foot wooden dance floor and is located at 7690 59th St N in Pinellas Park. LindyHop411 writes the following about their recently held 1st Anniversary Celebration: "HUGE thanks to everyone who came out and made this weekend our best turnout yet! It was great to have so many new faces, so many out-of-towners, and all our wonderful locals. There was a lot of great dancing going on, a lot of smiling people, and a lot of positive energy. That's what makes it all worthwhile! Like Gabe said in his little speech Saturday, this past year would not have been possible without your support and enthusiasm. Thank you for that, and for helping us celebrate!" Fridays (Aug 10 & Aug 24), DanceLand swings in Pinellas Park. Shawn writes: "We've been having a great time with DanceLand for the past couple of months. If you haven't made it there yet, stop by and check us out! We've got DJ Paul Mallet rockin' the room 'til the wee hours of the morning, playing your swingin' favorites, new and old, and for fun he mixes in a few of the '80's tunes as well. Forrest Outman teaches 7-8pm; if you don't know Forrest, then you probably don't get out much, but we are ready to fix that! He brings many years of experience, both social and competitive, to the floor. He'll get 'ya movin', no matter what the DJs are playing. If you've never been to a lesson or you know it all, Forrest always has something up his sleeve to teach or to refresh your routine with. It's the 2nd & 4th Friday of each month. Just a note -- I and a few others do this just for the fun of it. No money is made; if we charge and have a few bucks left, we save it to give free dances! Everyone who helps is volunteering time and effort to bring dancing to you! Want to help? Contact me! Thanks, and see you swingin'!" * Dance starts at 9pm * Lesson 8-9pm * Spacious Wood Floor / Smoke-Free * Soft Drinks for Sale or Bring Your Own * You may bring Favorite CDs + Flyers or Posters * Admission $5; $3 for Students; Free for children under 10 * Location: 8451 49th St N in Pinellas Park (on the 2nd Floor) * Contact Shawn at 727-742-8313 or at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Thursday-Sunday (Aug 16-19), the Tampa Bay Beach Boppers hold their 8th annual Beach Boogie dance weekend at the Clearwater Beach Hilton (727-461-3222). Dancing includes West-Coast Swing, Carolina Shag, East-Coast Swing, and others. The weekend features nightly DJ dances, lessons, parties, picnics, and beach activities. Admission is $15 for either Friday or Saturday only, or $35 for the entire weekend. The main activities start at 2pm on Friday and run to 2am Saturday night. For more information, phone 813-931-3884 or 813-915-9577. Friday (Aug 17) is Swing City Dance Studio's monthly "Lindy Swing Night" with DJ Abdel, 9pm-2am. Prior to the dance, a special-interest, intermediate-level swing workshop will be held, 7:30-9:00pm, taught by Tim & Jenny Faye. Admission is $5 for the dance or $12 for the workshop and the dance. Swing City is all ages, nonsmoking, and located at 7532 N Armenia Ave in Tampa, between Sligh & Waters. Phone 813-935-7458. BayWalk's free outdoor swing dance continues every Tuesday evening: - Free Lesson by Seminole Ballroom, 8:00-8:30pm - Dancing, 8:30-11:00pm - Outdoors on the Plaza - 153 2nd Ave N in St Pete - Phone 727-895-9277 Wednesday nights are going strong at the St Pete Moose Lodge: - Lesson 7-8pm w/ James & Arleene - Dance 8pm-Midnight w/ DJ Jumpin' James - Shim Sham at 9pm - All Ages / Smoke-Free / 2000 sq ft Dance Floor - Free Parking - $5 Admission; $3 for Children under 10 (must be supervised) - Phone 727-527-8394 - Address & Directions: 2525 58th Ave N in St Pete. Take I-275 to 54th Ave N. Go west. Take first right after the interstate ramps. Follow road to 58th Ave N. Entrance is at 58th Ave N & 25th St N. Thursday nights are still swinging at Lakeland's Magnolia Building: - 7-8pm Lesson by James & Arleene - 8-11pm Dance w/ DJ Jumpin' James - All Ages / Smoke-Free / Large Dance Floor - BYO Drinks & Food, but No Alcohol is Permitted - $4 Admission - Phone 863-603-6281 - Address & Directions: 702 E Orange St in Lakeland; I-4 to Exit 16 (Memorial Blvd), East to N Florida Ave, South to downtown Lakeland, Left at Orange St, Pass the municipal parking garage, and the Magnolia Bldg & its parking lot will be on your left. Swing Sundays are setting record attendance at Tampa's Zendah Grotto: - Dance 8pm-Midnight w/ DJs Abdel & Paul - Swing Lessons 6:30-8:00pm -- Free w/ paid admission: Beginning: 6:30-7:00pm; Beginning/Intermediate: 7-8pm - Large (2200 sq ft) floating-wood Dance Floor - BYOB; Soft Drinks & Snacks may be purchased at concession counter - All Ages & Smoke-Free - Admission $5 ($4 for Students) - Phone 813-985-8216 - Address & Directions: 4109 N Lauber Way in Tampa. Take I-275 to E Dale Mabry (Northbound). Turn left onto Tampa Bay Blvd (just before Raymond James Stadium). Pass HCC, pass Lois, and turn right onto Lauber, two streets after Lois. Zendah Grotto is the only building on the right. Park free in Zendah's lot. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CONCERTS & CLUB EVENTS Sat Aug 18: Bombed Out Cat @ BayWalk; All Ages, Outdoors, Free, 5-9pm; St Pete: 153 2nd Ave N; (727) 895-9277. Sat Sep 15: WMNF Birthday Bash @ Coliseum Every Wed: Bombed Out Cat @ Rare Olive; Smoking, 10pm-1:30am; Ybor City: 1601 E 7th Ave; (813) 248-2333. Every Sun: Bombed Out Cat @ Cha Cha Coconuts; All Ages, Outdoors, No Cover, 3-7pm; St Pete: The Pier; (727) 822-6655. Bombed Out Cat continues their busy club schedule. The band is planning a road trip to Key West, September 11-16. For updated band gigs, phone their hotline at 813-960-1426. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SOUTH FLORIDA'S SWING AFFAIR Swing Affair is a South Florida group formed earlier this year to promote swing music & dancing, with an emphasis on Lindy hop. Every month or so, they put on an event, with the next one coming up this Saturday, August 4th in Pompano Beach. (See www.swingaffair.com for more info.) Arnold writes: "If you've attended the Frankie Manning, Steven Mitchell, Bill Borgida, Jiving Lindy Hoppers, or any number of other area workshops, you'll recognize several South Florida dancers. They are a wonderful but small group with good leads, good follows, and enough differences to keep things interesting. Come support our South Florida friends during their monthly weekend event. Several area dancers made the trip the last few months; several more will make the trip in the coming months." ---------------------------------------------------------------------- MORE SUMMER SWING CAMPS Aug 14 - Aug 19: Lindy U, Chicago IL www.lindyu.com Aug 29 - Sep 3: Swing Out New Hampshire, Camp Walt Whitman NH www.swingoutnh.com Aug 30 - Sep 2: Summer Swing Jam, Atlanta GA www.mindspring.com/~kdancepro Sep 12 - Sep 16: Indian Summer Swing Camp, La Honda CA www.yeahman.com Sep 21 - Sep 23: San Francisco Lindy Exchange, San Francisco CA www.sflindyexchange.com Oct 25 - Oct 28: American Lindy Hop Championships, Stamford CT www.artspectrum.org/alhc2001.htm ---------------------------------------------------------------------- JET SET SIX SONG TO APPEAR IN MAJOR FILM NYC band Jet Set Six, formerly a frequent visitor to Tampa Bay, has announced that a song of theirs will appear on an upcoming major film soundtrack. As the band explains it, "'Happy Accidents' is a romantic comedy about a girl named Ruby (Marisa Tomei) meeting a guy (Vincent D'Onofrio) in Central Park, and soon the two start to fall in love... and then he tells her that he's from the year 2470 and had to travel back in time to meet her after he fell in love with an old photo of her... Well, at a prime wooing moment this guy brings her back to his place and drops the needle on the record... out comes Jet Set Six and 'The Perpetual Bachelor'". The release is due August 24th. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SAVOY BALLROOM COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE "The Savoy was a major social and cultural center located right in the middle of Harlem, and is championed today as the one of the birthplaces of Lindy Hop. It was also a significant institution in music, with more than 250 big bands performing there in its 30 year history. The Savoy closed its doors in 1958 and was promptly torn down in 1959. Today, there is no trace that this wonderful venue ever existed. Yehoodi is co-sponsoring the Savoy Plaque Fund drive to mark the Savoy with a commemorative plaque...." [To contribute to the fund or for more info, visit www.yehoodi.com or www.savoyplaque.org .] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Swing News Managing Editor: Sam Mahfoud (XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX) Contributing Editor: Arnold Kasemsarn (XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX) Subscriptions: Lynn D Hopper (XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX) 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 . **********************************************************************