Before moving on to this month's great lineup of events, I'd like to ask for your participation in the Swing News Annual Membership Drive.  Since 1998, we've brought you the best swing happenings in Tampa Bay, and swing in Tampa Bay has grown steadily.  If you know someone who likes swing, whether they've been into it for years or have not yet started, see the Membership Drive section in this newsletter for details on how you can get them started.

Coming up this Friday, March 5th, at Centro Asturiano is the next huge Swing Time event, featuring The BackBreakers band.  April & May's Swing Time events will be at the Gulfport Casino, so March 5th will be your LAST CHANCE TO DANCE AT CENTRO ASTURIANO until this Summer.  Also, we won't be mailing out postcards for this event, so please help spread the word to everyone you see, especially to those without email!  See you at this month's events!

Sam

P.S.  Thanks to everyone who attended February's incredible event at Centro Asturiano with Roomful of Blues -- a night with tremendous excitement & energy, phenomenal music, great dancing, and record-shattering attendance!  We look forward to many more outstanding events to come!

Friday, March 5th, The BackBreakers bring their high-energy brand of nonstop jump-blues to Swing Time at Centro Asturiano in Tampa.  The evening features live music, tons of dancing, prize giveaways, a swing-dance lesson (no partner needed), and a dance show at intermission!

The BackBreakers are a hard-swingin', seven-piece, jump-blues outfit that combines an exciting three-"horn" section (sax, trombone, and harmonica), with piano/organ, vocals, and a driving rhythm section.  While most bands play a standard 45-minute set then go on break, The BackBreakers are famous for delivering song after song, nonstop, for up to two straight hours of high-energy music and dancing!  Then after a short break, they come back and do it again!  Need we tell you how the band got its name?

Be sure to make St. Patty's Swing Night on Wednesday March 17th at the Gulfport Casino!  Celebrate St. Patrick's Day in swingin' style.  In addition to great music & dancing, we'll have refreshments, decor, special games, prizes, and festivities!  Oh, and don't forget to wear green!

Saturday March 20th, Swing City & Swing Time present Swing City Live! -- a hot new event 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.

Swing II (8:30-10:00pm Tuesdays; 3-week course meets Mar 9, 16 & 23):  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.  Limited Offer -- LAST CHANCE UNTIL SUMMER!  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.

Performance Swing (7:00-8:30pm Tuesdays; 3-week course meets Mar 9, 16 & 23):  Learn to perform swing-dance in a group and with a partner!  Join this class and your first performance will be March 25th at the Coliseum, with Swing Time shirts provided!  Depending on your current level, you'll learn to perform (and rehearse for performance) some of the following dances:  Partner Swing, Shim Sham, Rueda, Charleston, Big Apple, Jam Circle, and More!  Limited Offer -- March ONLY!  PREREQUISITES:  None.

3-Week Format:  All classes meet three consecutive weeks, 90 minutes per week, for a total of 4.5 hours of instruction.  No partner needed.  Limited space available -- Advance reservation required.  Click here for Details then Email XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX to Reserve your Space!  Registration is $35 per 3-week course.

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.

Friday, March 12th, the Eckerd College Swing Club invites the public to their biggest dance of the semester, featuring live music by Charlie Vegas & the New Blues Combo!  This FREE event runs 8pm-12:00+ in Triton's Pub on campus.  Free Gatorade and water will be provided, plus other drinks & food will be available for sale.  Eckerd College is located at 4200 54th Ave S in St Pete.  More Info / Directions

Many of you have seen Blues Diva, Toni Lynn Washington, and her band at past Swing Time events.  Those who have can attest to what an amazing singer she is!  Toni has been nominated for 2004 Soul/Blues Female Artist of the Year at the prestigious W.C. Handy Awards, and for the first time ever, voting is permitted online.  Click Here to Vote!

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, March 13th, 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.  March's classes will feature a 5-week session on Lindy Hop, starting Monday March 1st.

Mar 3 (Wed):  Ken Peplowski's Tribute to Benny Goodman @ Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1pm, $15.  More Info

Mar 6 (Sat):  Cigar Store Indians @ Skipper's Smokehouse, 8pm, $10/$13.  More Info

Mar 6 (Sat):  Coliseum Big-Band Ballroom Dance featuring a tribute to Harry James & the Andrew Sisters by the Charly Raymond Orchestra.  More Info

Mar 11-14 (Thu-Sun):  Les Brown's Band of Renown plays three shows daily at Busch Gardens.  The band, currently directed by Les Brown Jr, is a famous dance band from the swing era.  Singing with the band will be South Florida's own Lorri Hafer.  More Info

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

Mar 18 (Thu):  Swingerhead @ Timpano's Italian Chophouse in Orlando.  More Info

Mar 19 (Fri):  Pepper & Fine Thyme @ Largo Cultural Center, 8pm, $10.  Phone 727-587-6793.

May 22-29:  The Frankie Cruise departs Ft Lauderdale aboard the Caribbean Princess, celebrating the grandaddy of swing's (Frankie Manning's) 90th Birthday.  More Cruise Info

Jul 2-11:  Beantown Lindy Hop Summer Camps in RI.  More Info

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

Do you have friends who might be interested in swing, but haven't yet started?  Do you know regular swing-dancers who never seem to know when the next event is?  Then turn them on to the Swing News!  If you reply to this message with a friend's name & email address, we'll send them a sample issue and invite them to subscribe (subscribing is free).  What if your friend has no e-mail?  Occasionally, we send announcements of swing events out by US Mail.  To get on the postal mailing list, a person just needs to give us their address.  Thanks for your help in this drive!

Swing Time!  at the  Gulfport Casino
April 2nd 2004 (Friday)
featuring  The Blue Dukes!
High-Energy Jump-&-Boogie Swing!

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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.