Lots of excitement's in store for you this month, starting with Friday's (Feb 7) Swing Time at Centro Asturiano, a 50's Theme Night featuring The Midnight Ramblers!  On the third Friday in February (Feb 21st), be sure to catch Boston's Toni Lynn Washington Band at the new event everybody's talking about: Swing Time at the Gulfport Casino!  For the Lindy Hoppers out there, check out the preview of the April 4-6 Steven & Virginie weekend, with workshops + three solid nights of dancing!  Also, check out the Frankie Cruise, the ultimate swing vacation departing Miami May 25th.  If you'd like to learn (or get better at) the Lindy Hop prior to April & May's big events, there's no better place than Swing City on Thursdays, where Don & Haley teach beginning & intermediate classes 7-9pm, with lots of individual attention to each participant.  Last but not least, superb dancing and great fun await you each Wednesday at the Gulfport Casino and every Sunday at Tampa's Zendah Grotto.  Read below for details, and I'll see you on the dance floor!

Sam

It's time to put on your favorite bowling shirt, poodle skirt, greaser duds or anything 1950's style, as we swing back to the 1950's for an incredible night of live music & dancing in the Grand Ballroom of Centro Asturiano.  Exciting games, shows & contests await you at this special Swing Time theme night, with tons of prize giveaways, including prizes for the best outfits!  Whether you're hip or square, you'd better be there!

First established over 10 years ago as Rocket 88, The Midnight Ramblers are one of the most talented and powerful roots Americana bands in the country!  With a perfect blend of Rock N' Roll, Rockabilly, Blues, and Jump, this tight quartet shows their passion for their music in every amazing performance.  They have performed with rock n' roll veterans Jerry Lee Lewis, Sleepy Labeef, Lee Rocker, and countless others in venues all over the country, including House of Blues and Hard Rock Cafe.  The Midnight Ramblers repeatedly get audiences on their feet and screaming for more.  Their upbeat shows leave a buzz for days after each performance.  After many national and regional tours, they continue to give a fresh feel to every show.  With a balanced mix of originals and unique covers, they always get the house rockin'!

After a spectacular grand opening in January, Florida's Premier Swing Event returns for an encore at the beautiful Gulfport Casino, located in the St Petersburg area.  This Swing Time event features the internationally renowned, Toni Lynn Washington Band!  Bandleader & singer, Toni Lynn Washington, has just been nominated for 2003 "Female Artist of the Year" at the W.C. Handy Awards, her 5th nomination at these prestigious international blues awards!  Toni is backed by some of Boston's finest musicians on sax, piano, guitar, bass & drums.  The band has recorded three CDs on the Tone-Cool label, and received critical acclaim nationwide from the press.

The Toni Lynn Washington Band knows how to play for dancers and how to swing in a variety of styles, from jazz to jump to soulful & gutsy blues.  In their prior two Swing Time appearances (in 2001 & 2002), the band received rave reviews:  everyone remarked that the dancing was superb and that the band was one of the best they'd ever seen.  So come out to the Gulfport Casino and enjoy dancing to some of the world's best swing music!

Swing Sundays are put on by the Suncoast Swing Gang.  The Zendah Grotto features a large floating-wood dance floor, and you may BYOB or buy soft drinks at the door.  Map or More Info.

Dance Lindy Hop, East-Coast, or West-Coast swing with DJ Abdel.  Dancing starts at 9pm; Admission $5.  Classes in Beginning & Intermediate Lindy Hop start the evening, with instructors Don & Haley, 7-9pm.  Intermediate East-Coast instruction is also available.  More Info.

Abdel writes: "Well, if you didn't know it yet, there is a new weekly swing dance at Swing City every Thursday.  This dance brings you high quality swing music with the lowest price in the Bay area.  Tampa Bay is getting a lot of attention nationwide for its dancers, and I believe that this unique new weekly dance can become something that we all can be proud of one day.  Other major cities such as San Francisco, Chicago, LA, etc... have weekly dances such as the one that is currently being offered to us.  Let's take advantage of this new exciting dance in our community.  Don & Haley will be teaching progressive Lindy Hop classes 7-9pm.  Have you taken one of their classes lately?  The dance will start shortly after that.  Come join us at Swing City for a night of fun.  It used to be: 'I wish we had more dances like Swing City'.  Well, we have answered your request, so now do your part.  Tell people about it."

Mar  7 (Fri): Swing Time!  at CENTRO ASTURIANO
              with The BackBreakers!

Mar 21 (Fri): Swing Time!  at the GULFPORT CASINO
              Band to be announced

Apr 4-6 (Fri-Sun): Steven Mitchell Weekend !
    April 4th (Fri): Swing Time!  at CENTRO ASTURIANO w/ The Ten O'Clock BIG Band
    April 5th (Fri): Workshops w/ Steven & Virginie + Dance @ Pinellas Park Auditorium
    April 6th (Sun): Workshops w/ Steven & Virginie + Dance @ Zendah Grotto
    Click Here for Details!

Already, tons of swing dancers have signed up for this ultimate swing vacation, with new registrations coming in every week!  Dancers from Sweden, England, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Japan, Australia, Canada, and over 25 U.S. states have already signed up!  So be sure to reserve your space while there's still room!

Feb 7-9 (Fri-Sun):  Extreme Swing Show in Vero Beach:  Shows & Workshops w/ Nathalie & Yuval + Hop, Swing & a Jump dance team.  More Info.

Feb 8 (Sat):  Erik Robison in Orlando:  Lindy Workshop followed by "Rent Party" dance.  More Info.

Feb 8 (Sat):  Sammy Kaye Orchestra w/ Roger Thorpe directing;  Big-Band Ballroom Dance at St Pete Coliseum, $13/adv or $15/door, 8pm-12am.  More Info.

Feb 11 (Tue):  Canadian musician & Lindy hopper, Heather Horak joins Kraig Kenning at Skipper's for an evening of blues, folk, and jazz, 8pm, $10.  More Info.

Feb 15 (Sat):  Jennifer & the Venturas CD Release Party at Skipper's Smokehouse in Tampa.  More Info.

Feb 15 (Sat):  Russ Morgan Orchestra w/ Jack Morgan directing;  Big-Band Ballroom Dance at St Pete Coliseum, $13/adv or $15/door, 8pm-12am.  More Info.

Mar 20-31:  Music of Your Life Spring Big-Band Cruise:  More Info.

Jun 27-29 (Fri-Sun):  Beantown Lindy Hop Mini-Camp in Rhode Island.  More Info.

Jun 30 (Mon) - Jul 6 (Sun):  7th Annual Beantown Lindy Hop Summer Camp in Rhode Island.  More Info.

Every Monday:  CitiJazz swings in Orlando:  February Schedule.

The new Daytona Beach Swing Dance Society:  More Info.

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