Hi Everyone!

Are you ready for the biggest swing event of the year?  Coming up THIS FRIDAY (February 6th) is an incredible night of live music & swing dancing at Centro Asturiano, featuring 5-Time Grammy Award Nominees, Roomful of Blues!  Advance ticket sales are going very strong... if you haven't yet purchased yours, you can buy them right now, securely online at www.SwingTime.info (deadline Thursday 2/5/04 at midnight).  Or get your advance tickets in person this Wednesday (2/4) at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night.  (If you miss out on the advance tickets, you can still buy tickets Friday at the event, at the door, but you'll no longer receive the advance-ticket discount.)  Friday's huge event will also include a special dance performance at intermission by Jim & Cindy, winners of last year's Florida State Swing Dance Championships!  Read all about Friday's event, plus swing dances, classes, concerts, cruises, and more in this issue of Tampa Bay's Swing News!  See you Friday at Centro Asturiano!

Sam

P.S.  Check out the Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 8th (two days after our big event at Centro) at 8pm on CBS.  Our band, Roomful of Blues's, latest CD (which is full of great swing numbers) is up for a best-album Grammy Award!  (Click the band's name above for their most recent bio.)

Friday, February 6th, 2004, 5-Time Grammy Award Nominees Roomful of Blues play a special event at Centro Asturiano in Tampa, co-produced by the Suncoast Swing Gang & Swing Time!  A group swing-dance lesson kicks off the evening 8-9pm (no partner needed).  Then it's time to jump, boogie, and swing to the incredible horn-driven sound of Roomful of Blues, with live music & dancing 9pm-1am.

Roomful of Blues is a legendary band that's now celebrating its 36th Anniversary!  Founded by Duke Robillard & Al Copley in 1967, the band has been in continuous motion ever since, recording 17 Albums, accumulating awards & accolades including 5 Grammy Award Nominations, touring the world many times over, and amazing audiences at every stop.  Throughout its history, Roomful has consistently earned and maintained an unparalleled reputation for excellent musicianship.  The band keeps a fresh edge by hiring only the best talent available to replace outgoing alumni.  Their list of alumni is quite impressive, and the band has recorded albums with music legends ranging from Big Joe Turner to Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson.  Count Basie, himself, was a big fan of Roomful of Blues!

Today, Roomful's lineup is stronger than ever, with an amazing horn section that has won 3 W.C. Handy Awards (1998, 2001 & 2002) for Best Instrumentals.  The band's most recent album, That's Right!, has just received a Grammy Nomination at the upcoming February 2004 Grammy Awards!  THAT'S RIGHT! "swaggers, sways and swings with energy and precision.  This is a band on top of its game."  --The Chicago Sun-Times

Saturday February 21st, Swing City & Swing Time present the debut of Swing City Live! -- a hot new event to be held the 3rd Saturday of each month in the new ballroom of Swing City in Tampa.  The evening features a unique mix of music for East-Coast Swing, West-Coast Swing, and Lindy Hop, with live music by the band, Soul Sauce!

7:00-8:00pm:   Intermediate Swing Workshop w/ Sam & Rachel
8:00-8:30pm:   Intro Swing Lesson w/ Sam & Rachel
8:30-Midnight: Live Music & Dancing w/ Soul Sauce

Prior to the live music & dancing, Sam & Rachel of Swing Time teach an Intermediate-Level Swing Workshop, 7-8pm.  Intermediate Workshops will cover a variety of higher-level swing topics.  Prerequisites:  Workshop participants must already know the swing basics, including single-step and triple-step, basic leading & following, and a few simple turns.  For those that don't yet know the basics, an Intro Swing Lesson will be provided, 8:00-8:30pm, after the workshop, covering all of the above prerequisites, which will get you ready for the dance and for next month's workshop!  No partner is needed for either the workshop or lesson; we'll rotate partners throughout.

The Band:  Soul Sauce is a professional 5-piece swinging rhythm & blues group whose big sound and instrumental virtuosity are reaping rave reviews.  Their musical catalog covers the finest artists, plus the band's own original material, all put together with dance grooves in mind.  A favorite of local swingsters, Soul Sauce hits the ground running at each event and keeps dancers energized the entire night!  The band's swinging blusical brew ranges from jumpin' hits to the low-down & funky!  Come see what the buzz is all about!

Admission is $8 for the Live-Music Dance, $8 for the Workshop only, or $12 for everything (both the Workshop & Dance).  The Intro Swing Lesson is Free with paid admission ($8) to the Live-Music Dance.

Address & Directions:  Swing City is located at 7532 N Armenia Ave in Tampa.  Take I-275 to Sligh Ave (Exit #48); Head West on Sligh 1.8 miles; Turn right on Armenia Ave; Proceed 0.4 miles on Armenia (past where the road curves); Swing City will be on your left.  Phone 813-935-7458.

3-Week Format:  All classes meet three consecutive weeks, 90 minutes per week, for a total of 4.5 hours of instruction.

Swing II (7:00-8:30pm Tuesdays; 3-week class meets Feb 10, 17 & 24):  Add style to your swing dancing!  Learn Turning & Spinning technique, Cool Moves, Footwork Variations, Multiple Turns, Dips, Leans, and More!  This class will make you a better leader or follower and get you ready for Lindy Hop and other dances.  PREREQUISITES:  You've been swing dancing at least two months (and maybe years).  You know the basics, a number of moves, and you're comfortable leading or following a variety of partners.  You can swing at a variety of tempos and stay with the music.

Lindy Hop II (8:30-10:00pm Tuesdays; 3-week class meets Feb 10, 17 & 24):  Expand your Lindy Hop with a variety of Lindy Moves, Swing Out Variations, Turns, the Charleston, and Charleston Variations!  Also learn the Swing Rueda, an exciting new group dance!  We'll cover connecting the dance with the music, plus give you individualized tips for improving your overall dancing!  PREREQUISITES:  Lindy Hop I or Try Out with Instructor.

Ladies Styling (7:00-8:30pm Thursdays; 3-week class meets Feb 12, 19 & 26):  Ladies Styling is a specialized class of movement, style, and pizzazz for the ladies, good for any type of swing dancing!  Acquire stylish steps & flourishes, learn to flow smoothly & gracefully, and improve your overall following! PREREQUISITES:  None;  class is open to ladies only.

Swing III (8:30-10:00pm Thursdays; 3-week class meets Feb 12, 19 & 26):  Special Topics in East-Coast Swing.  PREREQUISITES:  Swing II-A & Swing II-B -or- Lindy Hop II -or- Try Out with Instructor

FIELD TRIP!  After the final class on the 26th, we'll all head over to a local night spot to dance to live music!

Classes start February 10th or February 12th.  No partner needed.  Limited space available -- Advance reservation required.  Click here for Details then Email XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX to Reserve your Space!  Registration is $35 for one 3-week course (4 1/2 hours total instruction), and $20 for each additional course.  (You must register and pay for all courses simultaneously to receive the discount.)

Swing I:  These intro classes are offered at the start of every Gulfport Casino Swing Night and every Swing Time event.  Each class covers a variety of steps & moves.  Click Here for Details.

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

Saturday, February 14th, Swing City hosts a dance with Lindy Hop in one room and West-Coast Swing in the other room.  Dancing starts at 8:30pm and costs $7.  The dance is preceded by an intermediate-level West-Coast Swing lesson at 7:30pm for an extra $3, featuring national guest instructors.  More Info

The Swing Session is a class, practice session, and dance rolled into one.  It happens every Monday, 8:00-10:30pm, at the Bay Vista Center, 7000 4th St S in St Pete (727-893-7124).  Learn a variety of swing dances from other dancers, meet other dancers, share/exchange ideas, try new moves, and get comfortable with your dancing in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere.  Two classes are offered at the start of each Swing Session: "fundamentals of swing" and "progressive swing", covering a variety of topics for novices to experts.  Admission is $3 for St Pete residents ($5 the first time), or $4.80 for nonresidents.  February's classes will cover Carolina Shag moves that you can incorporate into the swing dances you normally do.

Feb 13 (Fri):  Doo Wop Valentine w/ The Crests @ Largo Cultural Center, 7pm, $18.  Phone 727-587-6793.

Feb 14 (Sat):  Coliseum Big-Band Ballroom Dance featuring the Russ Morgan Orchestra.  More Info

Feb 14 (Sat):  Charly Raymond's Tribute to Harry James & the Andrew Sisters @ Largo Cultural Center, 8pm, $18.  Phone 727-587-6793.

Feb 19 (Thu):  Swingerhead @ Timpano's Italian Chophouse in Orlando.  More Info

Feb 21 (Sat):  WMNF Rockabilly Ruckus @ Skipper's Smokehouse, 4pm-12am, 6 Bands, $20.  More Info

Feb 28 (Sat):  Coliseum Big-Band Ballroom Dance featuring the Sammy Kaye Orchestra.  More Info

Feb 29 (Sun):  Dollie's Academy Awards Singles Party @ Polo Club in Clearwater.  More Info

Mar 12-14 (Fri-Sun):  Nathalie & Yuval workshop weekend in South Florida.  More Info

May 22-29 (Sat-Sat):  The Frankie Cruise departs Ft Lauderdale aboard the Caribbean Princess, celebrating the grandaddy of swing's (Frankie Manning's) 90th Birthday.  The ship is expected to fill up very soon.  The cruise organizers have also started a campaign to get Frankie on the Oprah show.  Click here to write a letter to help.  Also, they're collecting postcards to give Frankie aboard the ship on his birthday; send your postcard to: Frankie's Birthday, c/o Frankie Manning, 4610 Alton Road, Miami Beach FL 33140.  Both the Oprah thing and the postcards are secret Birthday Surprises, so you're asked not to leak any word of this to Mr Manning!  More Cruise Info

Swing Around the State:  Brevard County   Daytona Beach   Ft Myers (239-415-1951)   Gainesville   Jacksonville   Orlando   Pensacola   South Florida   Tallahassee   Tampa Bay   Vero Beach  

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Events do sometimes change, so please call and confirm events before going!

© This issue of Swing News is Copyright 2004 Swing News, with all rights reserved; however, permission is granted to distribute this issue in its entirety, or to excerpt small sections provided that proper credit is given, where proper credit shall at the least consist of the plain-text or hyperlink reference, "[www.SwingNews.com]", prominently displayed next to the excerpted material. Write us at: Swing News, 4532 W Kennedy Blvd #304, Tampa FL 33609.