Hi Everyone!  Swing Time's 50's Theme Night is coming soon, Friday May 7th, to the Gulfport Casino!  Read all about this and other exciting events below.  But first, some breaking news for fans of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy... The band appears live this Thursday (4/29) at The Masquerade!  We have 6 free tickets to give away, and we'll be giving them away this Wednesday (4/28) at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night!  Details below.  See you at the events!  --Sam

This Thursday, April 29th, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy appears live in concert at The Masquerade, the venue where Tampa Bay's modern swing scene got its start.  The most famous of the neo swing bands, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy has starred in the hit movie Swingers, appeared in the Super Bowl Halftime Show, and achieved a Platinum-selling album and a Grammy nomination.  The Urbane Cowboys open the concert.  Doors open 8pm, and tickets are $15/adv or $17/day of.  Tickets are available through The Masquerade website ($2 surcharge; click below) or at the venue itself (no surcharge).  The Masquerade's at 1503 E 7th Ave in Ybor City; phone 813-247-3319.  The concert is all ages, smoking's permitted, and there's a dance floor for both standing room and dancing.  Tickets & More Info

FREE TICKETS!  We'll be giving away 6 free tickets to the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy concert this Wednesday, April 28th, at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night!  To win, all you have to do is show up Wednesday and enter the special free prize drawing for the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy tickets.  We'll be drawing names throughout the evening!  (Gulfport Casino Swing Night details are below.)

Friday, May 7th, Swing Time hosts a 50's Theme Night at the Gulfport Casino.  Everyone's encouraged to wear their favorite bowling shirt, poodle skirt, greaser duds, or anything 1950's-style, with prizes awarded for the best outfits!  The evening features Jumpin' & Rockin' Live Music by The Midnight Ramblers, plus tons of dancing, a Hula Hoop Contest, Prize Giveaways, and more!

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.  With a balanced mix of originals and unique covers, they always get the house rockin'!

Be sure to make the Swingo de Mayo celebration on Wednesday May 5th at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night!  In addition to great swingin' music & dancing, we'll have refreshments, decor, prizes & festivities!

Free Passes to Expire!  Are you one of the lucky people who, at a past event, won a Free Pass to the Gulfport Casino Swing Night?  In 2004, we instituted a new format for the Free Passes.  Old-style Free Passes, composed of two detachable tickets, are due to expire at the end of May 2004.  So if you're holding on to a Free Pass that you haven't used yet, whether you won it last year or 5 years ago, bring it in and use it any Wednesday before the end of May.

Saturday May 15th, 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 West-Coast Swing, East-Coast Swing, and Lindy Hop, with live music by the band, Wendy & the Soulshakers!  It also features an Intermediate-Level Swing Workshop and a Free Intro Swing Lesson.

7:00-8:30pm:   Intermediate Swing Workshop w/ Sam & Rachel
8:00-8:30pm:   Intro Swing Lesson (no partner needed)
8:30-Midnight: Live Music & Dancing w/ Wendy & the Soulshakers

The Workshop:  Intro to Lindy Hop!  7:00-8:30pm w/ Sam & Rachel.  This month's workshop introduces Lindy Hop, the original swing dance!  Our innovative teaching methods (no math or counting required!) will have you Swinging Out, Circling, and moving to the Lindy Hop in no time!  This workshop is a condensed 90-minute version of our 4-week Lindy Hop I series, featuring highlights from the series.  Whether you're new to Lindy Hop or have taken several classes, try this one out -- we know you'll like it!  No partner is needed; we'll rotate partners throughout the Workshop.  This is an Intermediate-Level Swing Workshop.  Prerequisites:  Participants must already know the swing basics, including single-step and triple-step, basic leading & following, and a few simple turns.  If you don't yet know the basics, take the Intro Swing Lesson instead this month, which will cover all of the above prerequisites, and get you ready for the dance and for next month's workshop!

The Band:  Wendy & the Soulshakers are a rockin', bluesy, power quartet fronted by singer Wendy Rich.  The band brings a unique sound to renditions of popular cover tunes as well as Wendy's original compositions.  Since 1991, they've wowed audiences at every stop, accomplishing many things along the way.  In addition to hosting the area's longest running blues jam, Wendy & the Soulshakers have opened for national acts, toured the U.S. and Germany, received national and statewide awards for Best Blues Band, and Wendy has been honored as Best Female Vocalist and Best Songwriter.

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.

"Can't make it to the Frankie Cruise, but don't want to miss out on the biggest birthday bash of all time?  Then join the Swing Affair Gang (hosts of SoFLeX, the South Florida Lindy Exchange) as we throw a Frankie Manning Post-Cruise Birthday Party for the legend himself, Frankie Manning!  This will be an evening of the swinginest music south of the Savoy Ballroom, including of all Frankie's Faves!"

The party will feature appearances by Frankie Manning, Norma Miller, and Dawn Hampton, with LIVE music by South Florida's own Duffy Jackson Big Band, featuring special guest Barbara Morrison!  Many of the amazing instructors who are traveling on the cruise will also extend their trips just to attend this party.  Don't miss this opportunity to be part of history!

Important Note:  Tickets are limited and this event is expected to sell out!.  To guarantee your attendance, advance purchase is strongly recommended.  Visit www.SwingAffair.com for tickets or more info.

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, May 8th, 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.  May's classes will feature Charleston.

Apr 30 (Fri):  Barracudas @ St Pete Coliseum for the "Rock, Roll & Remember Sock Hop", 8pm, $16.  More Info

May 1 (Sat):  WMNF's Tropical Heatwave takes place at and around the Cuban Club in Ybor City.  Over 30 bands play.  More Info

May 22 (Sat):  Skinny McGee & his Mayhem Makers, the Urbane Cowboys and the Hindu Cowboys serve up a heapin' helpin' of countrified rockabilly, roots rock & alt-country at Skipper's Smokehouse, 8pm, $5/$8.  More Info

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 Info

Distinguished Gents, age 35-75, wanted to cruise the globe as dance hosts.  Phone Tamar at 954-462-6760 ext 231.  More Info

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

June 4th (Fri):  Swing Time! BIG BAND NIGHT @ Centro Asturiano
                 featuring the 18-Piece Ten O'Clock Band!!

June 5th (Sat):  Steven & Virginie Workshops @ Swing City
                 followed by Swing City Dance w/ DJ Abdel

June 6th (Sun):  Steven & Virginie Workshops @ Zendah Grotto
                 followed by Swing Sunday Dance @ Grotto w/ DJ Abdel

"Greetings Dancers!  LindyHop411 is delighted to announce that the Steven & Virginie 2004 Workshop Weekend is now open for registration!  We are proud to bring you an amazing weekend with the internationally acclaimed teaching duo Steven Mitchell and Virginie Jensen!  Among the most highly regarded Lindy Hop instructors today, Steven and Virginie teach workshops all over the world, and are returning to Tampa Bay for a fourth consecutive year.  If you've never taken a workshop with them before, now's your chance to see what all the excitement is about, and to open up a whole new realm of possibilities in your dancing.  Those of you who have taken classes with them before will know to sign up early because this workshop will sell out."  Click Here for Details & Registration.

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