There are loads of new-tune-on-old-footage videos kicking around but I think this is the first with proper editing! The video's matched to the tune and the footwork's matched to the rhythm so the dancers hit the darn breaks!! It's incredible!!
Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, the Nicholas Brothers, Judy Garland, Eleanor Powell, Jane Powell, Dick Powell, Rita Hayworth, James Cagney, Ruby Keeler, Laurel and Hardy, the Marx Brothers... so many incredible titans from the Golden Age of Hollywood, and make sure to switch on the subtitles to see the names of the featured films! Enjoy!
I was incredibly chuffed to be offered a copy of Scott Cupit's book and asked to review it purely on the strength of this blog and I'm even happier to report that the book itself was a joy to read. The book's subtitle suggests that an insight on "Fashion, music, culture and key moves" is offered, which is an ambitious claim to make considering that tomes could be written on each of those topics individually, but Swing Dance eschews esoteric language in favour of making this book accessible to non-dancers and beginners whilst offering more than enough to keep experienced dancers and vintage enthusiasts interested.
It kicks off with a foreword by Deborah Meaden and touches on her nascent love of swing dancing that I am sure resonates with many, before Scott offers an insight into his personal journey from Melbourne, Australia, to establishing and running the largest swing collective in Europe, Swing Patrol, courtesy of a chance glance of Lindy hop at Disneyland, California, in 1997.
Scott's passion for swing is evident throughout and having met Scott (interviewed him for this blog!), attended his workshops, and danced in some of the venues and with some of the people he mentions, everything felt even more engaging, but that is only a personal bonus as this book would speak to anyone who picked it up. In fact, Scott's style of writing sets the scene for what's to follow as Swing Dance reads like a transcribed conversation of tips and history, rather than some staid 'swing' textbook in stiff prose.
Leafing through it reveals that there are only two instances of back-to-back pages of solid text as every other page is peppered, if not actually covered, with images that showcase the rich culture of swing dancing: from halcyon snapshots of bygone eras to photographs of contemporary dancers and venues. Furthermore, by using QR codes the book provides access to an archive of short videos that accompany each of the dance tutorials.
The dances given special attention by way of these tutorials are the Charleston, Collegiate Shag, Balboa, and Lindy hop, along with a few additional jazz steps thrown in, and it would be possible to pick up this book having never previously tried any swing dances and give one or more a fair go. And if you've learnt the steps then you need some music to practice to, and each section also provides a playlist of suitable songs.
As well as knowing the dance steps, however, plenty in the Lindy community would also tell you the importance of looking the part, and Swing Dance does an excellent job of outlining the key bits of kit needed to rock the 1920s, 30s, 40s or 50s vibe from shoes to hairstyles and everything in between, with plenty of photos again offering visual inspiration.
Finally, and quite importantly, the book regularly references the progenitors of swing, whether dancers or musicians, to ensure that the reader's education extends beyond footwork and fashion, and shines the spotlight especially brightly on Frankie Manning and Norma Miller - the two individuals to whom the global swing family owe the most.
Just as the cover threatened it would, Swing Dance provides a concise and elegant overview of the "fashion, music, culture and key moves" of swing dancing with Scott's personal and informative writing style ensuring that it remains engaging throughout, and whether you're a complete beginner looking to get a head-start, or a more regular dancer in need of brushing up on your historical or sartorial swing knowledge, I can easily see Swing Dance becoming your go-to handbook.
Following three straight Lindy hop events (Galway Lindyfest, Oxford Lindy Exchange and Herräng) this trip kicked off a run of three west coast swing weekenders and it proved to be a nice way to get that streak going.
After starting and finishing work early on the Friday to accommodate my flights, I arrived in Zurich around 11pm and met up with the rest of the Swing Belfast crew as soon as I got to the venue that would host that night's social and all of the weekend's classes.
Sharon and Richard had arrived in Zurich the day before and I shortly bumped into them along with Niall and Mirielle who were our hosts for the weekend, but while they all headed straight to the floor I was off for a nosey as this was the first time I had ever been to a dance school proper and Tanzwerk101 demanded a proper gander.
In the limited time I have been dancing I have been fortunate to dance in some amazing venues. Some have been stunning in their historical significance (Oxford Union at OLX), others have been impressive in their scale (Budafest 2015) and as a Lindy hopper, it's hard not to be utterly in awe just to be at Herräng Dance Camp, but Swingtzerland gave me my first taste of a dedicated dance venue that hosts multiple classes daily and it left me hankering for something similar at home.
There may well be dance venues dotted around Northern Ireland but from what I am aware, they are nothing like this. Tanzwerk101 has 8 studios with sprung floors and sound systems, fully equipped changing rooms and showers, lockers, cloakrooms, an outside terrace (although that may not be of huge use in NI), and a large event venue that, along with the necessary sprung floor and sound system, has a bar. Andas the bar is staffed by the school no one complains about the dancers not buying drinks and only asking for more (free) water. It is incredible! They just needed their air conditioning sorted...
Anyhow, when I finally got stuck into a bit of social dancing to warm myself up for the weekend ahead I found plenty of familiar faces beyond the Belfast ones to help me settle in. This social on Friday night also started a small trend that was to continue for the rest of the weekend - the Elusions of Virginie.
I do not think there is a dancer on Earth who intimidates me more than Virginie Grondin. She is arguably the best west coast swing dancer on the planet (yet seems to be inexplicably shy), and add in that she spends most of her time dancing with, you know, Maxence Martin, and that Virginie is also pretty darned attractive, the old self-confidence rarely gets out of neutral. Nonetheless, I was determined that this weekend, I would at least try to ask for a dance.
Towards the end of the night, I noticed Virginie exhibiting classic pro behaviour: hovering near the entrance of their natural habitat (the DJ booth) presenting a display of availability but ready to dart back into said habitat behind the safety of the wheels of steel should any untoward attention be forthcoming.
I was on exactly the opposite side of the dancefloor but after a brief internal dialogue (I always do my worst dancing on the first night and when dancing with a pro, naturally you want to pull out all the good stuff) I decided to go for it. And thus I started to stride confidently across the floor in Virginie's direction but I had barely gotten halfway there before Virginie turned and slipped away behind the booth.
Perhaps my eagerness to apply my PhD in animal behaviour to dancers had been misguided, maybe the song that had just come on was a bit guff and not worth dancing to (I can't remember), or perchance Virginie had caught a glimpse of the determined glint in my eye and felt unsettled, but I had to catch myself mid-stride and and mid-dancefloor and attempt to maintain an aloof visage while wheeling away in a pseudo-nonchalant fashion.
Thankfully I don't think too many saw what happened so I was able to slink away fairly discretely, and as our wee crew were just preparing to leave anyway I made an immediate exit from stage right.
"Tomorrow". I thought to myself...
Sharon, Richard and I were incredibly grateful for Niall and Mirielle putting us up but it has to be said that staying over an hour away from the venue and having only one bathroom between five does not make for arriving at classes early. Or on time. Or even for the second class on time! So it meant missing a few that I would have loved to have attended. Not only did we miss the sole class taken by Maxence & Virginie all weekend but we also missed a taster in zouk, which is a dance style I have been mad keen on giving a go for a while.
As well as Maxence & Vriginie we also missed the only class taken by Sebastien Cadet & Blandine Iche but successfully made it to one or more by Brennar Goree & Crystal Lambert-Auclair, Mario Robau & Melanie Stocker Bucher, Myles Munroe & Tessa Cunningham Munroe, PJ Turner & Tashina Beckmann, and Joshua Sturgeon.
Of these I most enjoyed Joshua's class on musicality and Myles & Tessa's class on a few new styling patterns for funking up and extending sugar pushes, whilst PJ & Tashina introduced us to dolly turns which can look class when done well but otherwise have the potential for grand failure and/or injury to the follow.
The Saturday night also brought with it the competitions which were actually a lot more fun than I had envisaged. After making it through the preliminary heats I was incredibly chuffed to make it to the final, where I was paired with Ella Hirsch and we finished 7th overall. So out of around the 17 couples who entered I was pretty happy with that!
Riding high on confidence I took on a somewhat goal-oriented approach to that night's social: I would dance with every darned pro in the building.
First up, Emeline Rochefeuille, who I think is the most elegant dancer ever created and was incredibly nice although as I have wanted to dance with her for ages, I was a little nervous and couldn't quite relax! Then it was Blandine Iche, who was also absolutely lovely, and Tashina Beckmann, whose dance I sadly ballsed right up, and then Crystal Lambert-Auclair who dances with the most amazing smile across her face the entire that I almost fooled myself into thinking I was doing otherworldly stuff.
I wasn't so unsubtle (or daft) as to attempt to dance with all the pros in row and I mixed things up with plenty of mere mortals but that was also how I came to dance with Tessa Cunningham Munroe.
I can't remember who I was dancing with at the time but halfway through, this girl approached and sort of stared me down before stealing my partner away while maintaining fervent eye-contact. Now, I have a lot to learn about steal dances (namely: how to do them) but generally when they happen it is when the follow I am dancing with, and the lead who wants to cut in, are both mates of mine and I can therefore read the situation.
But when a random (yeah, I hadn't a baldy clue who it was) approaches my dance partner, starts staring at me, and then ghosts said partner away, I worry I have done something horribly wrong and disgraced my partner's honour, and that this is a friend and white knight come to rescue her from further embarrassment.
When it was clear that this challenger was happy to relinquish control of my partner once more I, somewhat curmudgeonly, stole my partner back, returned the weird looks to this attempted usurper and continued with my dance, but afterwards I thought I would seek out my brief foe for a dance just in case the intense eye contact that I had offered had offended.
Well, it turned out to be one of my absolute favourite dances of the weekend. I felt such a fantastic connection and this girl could very clearly dance (in retrospect, that's a serious understatement) - in that way makes you look much better than you really are. So when it was over I bounced over to Sharon only to be asked if I actually knew that I had just danced with one of the world's best dancers from the past decade in Tessa? It appears Sharon knows me quite well. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.
Not long after I thought I would once again try for the obvious omission on my pro checklist, and after seeing an opportunity I confidently walked the whole way around the dancefloor to where Virgine was sitting.
As I approached we made eye contact and this time Virginie made no attempt to get away so I walked right up to her, held out my hands... and then bailed at the last minute and asked the girl she was actually talking to. Seemingly, I had travelled at such a pace during my determined walk over that my balls couldn't keep up and I'd left my testicular fortitude at the other side of the dancefloor. If you're at all familiar with Northern Irish colloquialisms, the word we would use for this is 'scundered'.
Nonetheless, between making it to the finals of my competition and having a lot of great dances, I went to bed that night feeling pretty happy.
Sunday brought more of the same - enjoyable classes (including one by that girl from the steal dance, along with her partner, Myles), and an intimate social, this time in a bar venue in town rather than Tanzwerk101.
With it being the last night there weren't quite as many people but it seems quite a few took the same approach that we did - dance until morning then head straight to the airport and fly home. And in my case, fly home and go straight to work!
This final night also brought with it my final opportunity to try to dance with Virginie, so, upon seeing my chance, I once again set off in her direction.
I made it the whole way to her without stopping and I even followed through with my intentions to ask Virginie for a dance... but as I had left it so late it turns out that she was actually just about to leave so she apologised and thanked me for asking. Alas, it was not to be...
Nonetheless, I finished the night with a series of great dances, including another with Crystal, before Sharon, Richard and I made our way to the airport, picking up some incredible pastries along the way that were stuffed with something like Ferrero Rocher and Nutella to help kick start our early morning travels with a serious dose of sugar and a side of diabetes. All in all, a successful first trip to Switzerland and I can now crossthat one off my list...
Dom Eagleton & Jimmy Valentine demonstrating that there are few obstacles to Lindy hop
During my last trip to Galway I got chatting with a fairly fresh London-based Lindy hopper who was that little bit different to most of the other dancers in attendance, and what set Dom Eagleton apart was something that immediately obliterated any excuse you could possibly hear for not dancing: Dom has only one arm.
I've since had the pleasure of getting to know Dom that little bit better and coupled with his own discovery that one of the much revered Whitey's Lindy Hoppers - Jimmy Valentine - achieved greatness missing another limb (he had only one leg), I decided to get in touch with Dom to ask him a few questions about this discovery and his early steps into the world of Lindy hop.
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So, Dom, how long have you been dancing and where are you based?
I'm so deliriously obsessed with swing dancing that the day I started – 1st September 2014 – is up there with my birthday in terms of its significance. Perhaps this makes me a born again Lindy hopper?! And the auspicious moment was a class taught by Johanna Johanssen and Tony Jackson, so, for teaching a great lesson and getting me hooked on the spot, those two have a lot to answer for!
I live in London so I'm spoilt by the vast number of classes and socials we have here, as well as – just as importantly – a lovely, supportive and super-friendly swing dance community.
What attracted to you partner dancing and swing dancing especially?
I’d like to say that I began learning Lindy hop to further my deeply creative impulses and immerse myself in the bohemian traditions of the swing era... but really I started because internet dating is rubbish!
I know that might sound a bit shallow as there were other reasons, including curiosity about how on earth you do those dazzling spins and turns! But mainly I tried it out as a way meeting people, as even though I share it with 8 million others, London can be a lonely place.
So I went to a class and sure enough I met new people, though little did I know it would also open up a whole new universe and turn my world upside down. I’ve found swing dancing to be a powerful antidote to the social isolation that modern life can bring – so much so that I wonder, only half jokingly, if they should offer it on the NHS. Although I still haven't found a girlfriend through swing dancing so I'm thinking about packing it in and going back to AmputeeFetishDating.com* (joke!).
[*in a selfless act of saving your browser history from a dodgy entry (and born purely of journalistic curiosity), theswingslate can share that amputeefetishdating.com is not actually a real website...]
I imagine lesser mortals would have been put off by such an obvious disadvantage - what drove you to overcome this?
It might seem counter-intuitive but in some ways having one arm gives me an advantage. It basically acts as a spur, making me more determined to get good at things that people might assume I can’t do. When I was a teenager for example, I got massively, geekily into juggling. I became technically proficient and, although I didn't plan it, ended up busking in a Bangkok shopping centre and getting on Thai TV. That's another blog in itself though…
When I first started swing dancing I was also encouraged by the existence of Tim Baggaley, a legend of London's scene who's in the same very exclusive club as me as he likewise only has one arm, although the similarity ends there as he’s been dancing 13 years to my one year. When I first heard about him I felt like I'd arrived at a party to find a guy wearing the same very loud shirt as me, but Tim very kindly gave me a private lesson and a few tricks that I've been dining out on ever since.
I can't think of many other partner dances that have the same physical demands as swing dancing, so why it? The music? The style? The people? Or simply the look of the dance?
Because swing dancing is the most beautiful thing ever invented by humanity, of course! Also, doing it with one arm is probably easier than people might think, as a lot of it has to do with things that have little to do with left hands, like shifting body weight, getting a good connection with your partner and being responsive to changes in the music.
Plus swing dancing is infinite: there’s no limit to the number of moves and variations you can do with two hands, and the same rule applies with one. There are many things I like about having one arm, and one of them is that it forces me, my partners and teachers to be creative – to put our heads together and cook up ways of adapting moves or invent new ones – which is exciting and rewarding.
What aspects of the dance provide the biggest challenge?
Swing outs! Obviously they’re a challenge for everyone, but doubly so for me. If you’ll allow me to geek out for moment – as I’ve no choice but to use my right hand when I bring a follow in from open on a swing out, quite naturally they often rotate anti-clockwise (as if doing a change places) instead of staying facing me. This uncertainty leads to a lot of failed swing outs which, needless to say, is unfortunate given it’s the signature swing dance move.
Some of the finest minds in lindy hop have tried to help me solve the mystery of the one-armed swing out. I’m massively grateful for all the help they’ve given, though I’m starting to think that – short of changing the laws of physics – there’s no way round it, and that it’s more of a case of finding ways to up my success rate than a failsafe solution.
How do non-dancers react to your revelation that you are a Lindy hopper?
Not as incredulously as when I tell them that I used to be a juggler!
This might sound outrageously vain but sometimes I feel sorry for all you two-handed swing dancers, as to stand out from the crowd you have to be exceptionally good. Whereas people seem to take an interest in me just by dint of my being on the dancefloor.
Well, I have spoken to a few follows who danced with you in Galway who were impressed by how well you compensated!
That's very sweet of them to say, although I think they're being generous given I'd only been dancing for six months by the time the Galway Lindyfest happened! I’m never going to forget the glorious pub crawl that a group of us went on after the event, in which we found ourselves swinging out to live pub rock bands that were playing Bon Jovi covers, with locals absolutely loving it and joining in circle jams. The whole atmosphere of those pubs changed when we started swing dancing.
You said recently that you had a chat with Skye Humphries, Peter Strom and Naomi Uyama - what tips did they have for you?
That was a surreal moment! After taking a class with Peter and Naomi at the London Swing Festival, I went up to Peter and said I had an odd question for him: whether he knew any one-armed lindy hoppers in America as I’m on a mission to track them down. He asked why, and I said it’s mainly because I’m struggling with swing outs and that other one-armed dancers might’ve found a solution.
Next thing you know he called Naomi over and they both started performing surgery on my swing out. Then Skye Humphries just happened to be walking past and Peter called him over to help out too. I left the room in a bit of a daze, thinking there can’t be that many people who can say they’ve had a free private lesson simultaneously with these three.
Also, I assume that your recent discovery that Jimmy Valentine was a hugely talented dancer in the Savoy and a member of Whitey's has become an inspiration - does it help knowing others have blazed similar trails with such success?
I was fascinated to learn about Jimmy Valentine – he’s definitely an inspiration. A while ago someone mentioned to me that they thought there was a one-legged guy who danced at the Savoy in the 30s and 40s, but they were hazy on detail which made me think that if he existed, he would've been historically pretty insignificant. So to stumble across a blog about Jimmy by Peter Loggins and find out that not only did this guy exist, but that he was a member Whitey's Lindy Hoppers(!!) and that there are photos and written records of him was a real revelation.
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During my time in Herräng I had the privilege of chatting with one of the original Savoy dancers, Norma Miller, who told me that Jimmy Valentine was immensely popular, not just for his affable personality, but for the respect he gained for overcoming the obvious obstacle before him to become one of the finest dancers in the Savoy and equal to the best on two legs.
From chatting to Dom it is clear he shares many similarities with Jimmy, and although he humbly (and somewhat understandably) would prefer that no such burdensome parallels are made, Dom's fervour for swing dancing evidences a similar refusal to see a disadvantage in his 'disability' as he has instead embraced what makes him unique and is very much using it to his advantage.
Many thanks again to Dom for taking the time to help me produce this article and for the subsequent editing suggestions!
In a proud first for this blog I have been given three copies of Scott Cupit's book Swing Dance to give away!
I'm looking forward to getting stuck into my own copy as soon as it arrives but if you fancy one for yourself then all you have to do is head over to the Swing Slate's Facebook page, like it, and share the competition image!
The book is released on Thursday 17th September and this competition shall run until midnight on the following Thursday (24th); which gives me a week to come up with a novel way for selecting the three winners...
And in the mean time, here is what the book's publishers have to say about it:
With all things vintage enjoying a boom worldwide, swing dancing has well and truly swung back into fashion. From vintage festivals and tea dances to weekend socials and hundreds of weekly classes held around the world, multiple forms of the dance that was created in late 1920s Harlem by Frankie Manning are growing ever more popular.
Swing Dance explores the vibrant contemporary swing dance scene, looking at the different dance styles and the associated culture, community and fashion. Illustrated with vintage and contemporary photography, as well as specially commissioned step-by-step guides, it provides everything you need to know, whether you fancy kicking up your heels in the Charleston or mastering the Lindy Hop ‘swing out’.
The four major dance styles are covered – Charleston, Collegiate Shag, Balboa and Lindy Hop, including the Strolls, which are guaranteed to fill the dance floor. Each chapter begins with an overview of the fascinating evolution of the dance style; ‘Get the Look’ examines the fashions for guys and girls, including hair and make-up, and a clothing, shoes and accessories checklist; while ‘The Music’ suggests the top ten tunes to practise to. Then follows a breakdown of the basic step patterns upon which the dance is built, and a guide to some of the key moves. There are also insider tips from old-timers and today’s leading swing dancers as well as fun, easy-to-follow page-embedded video demonstrations produced exclusively for the book and accessible via scannable QR codes. Good luck!
Improv Everywhere describe themselves as a "New York-based prank collective that causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places" and I'm entitled to very much agree!
Their activities are not just limited to NY as they often coordinate larger nationwide and international capers (one of which, "No Pants Day" I participated in when I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area) but this is one of my favourites so far.
It features pedestrians at an street crossing who 'spontaneously' partner up and start dancing in the middle of the junction, causing much mirth and it even kicks off with a li'l bit of Lindy!!
One of the regular items that featured in the daily meetings in Herräng were bygone video clips chosen by Lennart Westerlund and others of swing bands, jazz bands, dancers and movies. This was one of my favourites.
Written and performed by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra, "All The Cats Join In" was one of two contributions by Goodman that featured in the 1946 Disney animated classic "Make Mine Music" - a musical anthology film made up of 10 unrelated short movies.
This style of film enabled Disney and other studios to keep producing motion pictures during the Second World War as many illustrators were drafted into the army, leaving behind many more unfinished stories. So by creating 'package films' that contained a collection of short movies (and usually lacked a coherent theme) the studios could make the most of what they had.
Well... the issue is not where to start but how to finish before it becomes a thesis! I've decided to cheat by splitting my Herräng write-up into a few blog posts because I just don't think anyone has the stamina or desire to read a tome, and I'm certain that a single, short and sweet article just wouldn't do the whole thing justice!
Herräng was incredible. Utterly, utterly incredible.
I am sure people are used to me returning from a weekend workshop or something of that ilk and glowing about it, but Herräng was not just two days of dancing - I was at it for two whole weeks.
And after half a month of Lindy hop, swing and jazz with a sprinkling of slow drag/blues, shag, balboa, tap, street, and myriad other dance styles I'm not quite sure how to contain the hyperbole.
Forgive me if I sound as if I'm the first person to discover some previously unknown oasis - Herräng has been running for 32 years and with close to 5,000 dancers in attendance this year it is patently obvious that there are many others who have been there, done that and blabbed or blogged about it - but this was my first Herräng experience and it's impossible for me to be cool and nonchalant when it felt similar to my first excursion to Walt Disney World.
Arriving at Herräng! It was actually sunny most days - just not this one...
It got off to an interesting start flying out of Belfast when an admin error meant that 84 people attempted to check-in for a flight with only 78 seats. A few were convinced to wait for a later fight (there was no danger I was going to be one of them!) and we got away without too much delay but the knock-on effect meant arriving late in Amsterdam where I was told by an automated kiosk that I had missed my connecting flight.
Thankfully that wasn't actually true - the 'missed flight' notice is apparently just a cruel prank standard procedure when there is so little time between connections - but I was advised that if I actually wanted to make my flight I would have to adopt a considerably accelerated attitude to catch it.
I did. And we even arrived in Stockholm early, but then my luggage took an age to come out, leaving me just five minutes to navigate my way across five terminals in a strange airport in the hope of catching my Herräng shuttle - or else I would have to wait another four hours.
I arrived at the meeting point about 10 minutes after my shuttle was scheduled to leave and frantically searched for a waiting vintage horde, or a large sign, only to find nothing. So I made a dash for the coach stops in the hope I might see someone or something I recognised. Again I didn't, but what I did see out of the corner of my eye was a giant dancing banana enticing a merry band of travellers onto a small bus.
It was worth a punt so I legged it in their direction, legs flailing wildly, only to be asked as I approached "Are you Adam?!"
I have to thank Chris Gandhi for stalling the bus just long enough so that I could make it on, and after finding a seat beside the one person I recognised - Lucille Pinteaux, one of the pros from the most recent workshop I attended in Galway - we were off!!
The drive was a straight-forward affair but it allowed us to sample a bit of the bucolic Swedish scenery and eased us out of civilisation and into the beautiful bubble that is Herräng.
Woodside on the left, Folkets Hus on the right. Rather handy!
I checked into the camp and then moved into my home for the next two weeks at the Woodside - a purpose-built accommodation block which was about as close to luxury as you can get in Herräng as it was right beside Folkets Hus, where most of the action happens, and I only had to share four walls with one other person. And even then I only had to share for my first week as after that I had a private room all to myself!
My roommate was one of the other Frankie Manning Ambassadors, Tamisha Anthony from New York City, and she was incredibly sweet and a lot of fun to chat and hang out with (there were many failed attempts at naps when we were both in the room at the same time). As was a recurring theme throughout Herräng I was curious to learn how everyone's home scenes compared and it was really impressive to hear Tamisha's ambitions to establish herself in what is probably the most competitive Lindy hop market on the planet in NYC!! (all while also working as a freelance illustrator and designer - check out Tamisha's website: Puffed Sleeves!)
The queue for the daily meeting! With the Lindy hop shop in the background.
Tamisha and I then headed down to Folkets Hus to join the queue (at around 8:20 pm) for the 9 o'clock daily meeting and I must say that these meetings were one of the many highlights of the day.
They were compèred by Lennart Westerlund, whose slick hair and composed and shadowy initial presentation on the Folkets Hus stage elicited more than a passing resemblance to Hannibal Lecter before his fantastically dry and entertaining humour became evident and rendered him much more like a Swedish Dr Fraser Crane.
(It's worth mentioning that Lennart is arguably one of the most influential figures of the modern swing revival: he was one of the earliest members of the Swedish Swing Dance Society, a founding member of the famous Rhythm Hot Shots, one of the original masterminds behind establishing Herräng Dance Camp [and still very much a part of its organisation today], and the man responsible for bringing Al Minns and then Frankie Manning to Europe. He's also a peerless MC.)
The daily meetings served to share any important information with the camp (plumbing issues, taster classes and other activities that were on, schedule changes, guest speakers, etc.) but was also a variety show in its own right with live performances from the pros and the Herräng Chorus Line, video clips from days when swing and jazz were in their pomp, impromptu interviews with VIPs, and additional entertainment from Lennart, and it was all of a genuinely high production value that had me thinking that I should really go to see more shows at home.
Lennart with the results of the shoe survey!
As I was there longer than one week I was also impressed that none of the material was rehashed but was completely original every night. In Week 3 a theme of the meetings revolved around some genuinely interesting swing statistics that I am keen to share in a later article, many of which came from a PhD study by one of the dancers Ahter Sönmez (I thought my PhD was on cool stuff but doing one on Lindy hop is a whole other kettle of fish), but some of the research for these statistics was a bit more 'in house' including asking the female pros how many pairs of shoes they brought to camp: Alexandra Alhimovich topped the board at 14!
After the meeting concluded there was the option of either attending a talk in the Library, featuring one of the big names in attendance that week (Norma Miller, Chazz Young, Dawn Hampton, Chester Whitmore, Ryan Francois... Frankie Manning Ambassadors *ahem*), or going to one of the taster classes, of which there were usually three on any given night.
The tasters were led by camp attendees, often teachers in their own scenes, and covered all varieties of dance: slow drag, blues, balboa, collegiate shag, St Louis shag, solo jazz, tap, street, hip-hop, west coast swing, traditional Polish dance, as well as additional speciality classes on things such as 'dips on a crowded floor' and 'advanced flirting.'
And then after these had finished, normally at 11pm, beginners' hour kicked off allowing the less experienced dancers the opportunity to have the floor to themselves and music at a more accommodating tempo before the rest of us arrived and often stayed there until breakfast the following morning!
As for breakfast and other meals there were a number of options on-site or nearby with a couple of cafés and pop-ups all within walking distance. One of the perks of my Frankie Manning Ambassador Scholarship was that I was given a meal-card that covered breakfast, lunch and dinner in any of the on-site establishments (Heaven's Kitchen, Blue Moon Café, Bar Bedlam, Ice Cream Parlour) and it was immensely convenient - not only did I not have to cook or even think about what to eat but the food was of a pretty high standard (breakfast and dinner were also 'all you can eat!') and the dining tent was one of the best places in camp to meet new folk and get chatting.
It is also were a few of my Herräng highlights took place.
One of my first nights in Herräng Chazz Young announced at the end of the daily meeting that he wanted to speak to all of the Frankie Manning Ambassadors, so I accordingly introduced myself to him and was told that "Miss Dawn Hampton would like you to join us for dinner tomorrow night."
Now there's an offer I couldn't refuse!
Valerie Salstrom was also there and it was really great to get chatting to her, and the following week we also had dinner with Norma Miller and Chester Whitmore, as well as Sing Lim (the primary flagbearer for swing dancing in Asia), and Elliot Donnelley (one of the minds behind the Frankie Manning Foundation and a passionate supporter of Lindy hop).
Getting to pick the brains of Lindy luminaries on a one-to-one level was incredibly special, and I'm going to post another article about that shortly, but even just to hear some of their stories first hand was a fantastic experience. The library talks also facilitated that on top of a handful of lectures that were included in our class schedule from Dawn and also from Lennart.
Lennart's talk covered the background to the growth of Lindy in Europe and the beginning of Herräng whilst Dawn shared a bit about her own past and her love of Herräng before imploring us to always "let the music move you."
Dawn then put on a few of her favourite tunes and demonstrated this mantra herself, despite her obvious frailties at 87 years old, by dancing to Count Basie's 'Splanky' and Jimmy Lunceford's 'For Dancers Only' before queuing up one of the funnier moments of my whole trip with a bit of bhangra and then asking all of us to all get up and dance along with her.
Dawn dancing with Adam Brozowski
For these talks several classes were combined and in my case all of the advanced and intermediate-advanced classes were put together but, when Dawn hit 'play', you wouldn't have known it as an entire room of incredibly talented Lindy hoppers were immediately reduced to looking like an average wedding party. It was a fantastic equaliser to know how normal everyone was and it cracked me up.
Friday nights were the only ones that didn't have daily meetings but that was to accommodate the festivities of the big themed party nights and their associated activities and during my stay these themes were 'Become Your Opposite' and 'Invaders From Mars.'
I have to say, the whole 'Become Your Opposite' theme triggered a minor existential crisis and it was clear that plenty of people were similarly baffled by it as there wasn't much in the way of costume cohesion, aside from a few with their normal clothes on upside-down, backwards or cross-dressed. Either that or I was particularly unperceptive of the nuances in others' outfits but I figured that since I was surrounded by a whole load of folk who didn't know me, they probably wouldn't know who I wasn't... if you follow my logic!
The 'Invaders From Mars' party, however, was a lot more fun, was built up solidly throughout the week and it was obvious that people knew how they were going to turn out. And on top of that, they had bubble football!! I'd wanted to try that for ages so I was literally bouncing around with joy... and then mild concussion.
As for the actual dancing itself - socials and teaching - I'll talk about that in my next article!
Yeah... if you were expecting an article on Herräng to actually mention dancing you may now be feeling a tad shortchanged... sorry! But it's for your own good, seriously, this would have been far too long otherwise. Just believe me when I say that the dancing was rather good. And that would be a chronic understatement.
Also, it would be completely remiss of me not to once again thank the Frankie Manning Foundation for sponsoring my entire trip - flights, accommodation, food, classes, socials, the works! - through their ambassador scholarship but also for consequently putting me in a position to meet so many wonderful people that will surely have a huge impact on my dancing future and hopefully that of my home scene in Belfast.
It was an absolute pleasure to meet and hang out with the other FMF Ambassadors Tamisha, Brendan, Muriel, Josh, and Rafal, as well as so many other fantastic dancers, scene leaders, teachers and pros and I sincerely look forward to crossing paths with everyone again soon!
Frankie Manning Foundation Ambassadors 2015, L-R: Joshua Mclean, Rafal Pustelny, Brendan & Muriel Argent, and myself. Tamisha Anthony is missing from this photo but Frankie is also keeping a watchful eye over our shoulders!
I've just returned from Herräng Dance Camp primed with plenty of material for many blog posts but before I get stuck into those I felt the need to prioritise this one for reasons that will be shortly apparent.
As you know, Frankie Manning Ambassador Scholarships are awarded to a few people each year to help them in their attempts to spread the love of Lindy hop. I am fortunate to be one such recipient but two others are Brendan and Muriel Argent from Cape Town, South Africa who I met in Herräng and who are doing utterly incredible things there.
Brendan and Muriel, along with Jeanie Elliot and others from Cape Town Swing, are not just trying to help a small scene grow in a big city but are flag-bearers for Lindy hop in a big country and, indeed, a very big continent.
That Africa is also the very continent to which Lindy hop and other vernacular jazz dances can trace their ancestral roots makes their ambition all the more significant as they are hoping to host Africa's very first international swing festival.
Mother City Hop is pencilled in for the 19th–21st March 2016 but despite its stunning location and incredible teaching line-up, IT MAY NOT HAPPEN!!
Peter Strom & Naomi Uyama, Thomas Blacharz & Eglė Nemickaitė and Remy Kouakou Kouame plus (if all things go according to plan) they will also be joined by Alice Mei & Peter Kertzner and Jo Hoffberg & Kevin St Laurent.
Those are genuinely some of my favourite pros (Peter & Naomi are phenomenal teachers and, as anyone who knows me can tell you, I've had a whiff of a man-crush on Remy for a while) but I've also worked and lived in South Africa so I can vouch for what a great country it is and Cape Town is an absolute gem of a city with stacks of amazing things to do nearby.
Safaris, shark diving, surfing, scuba-diving, sunbathing, sightseeing, other things beginning with 'S', wine tours, mountain climbing... I've had some of the best experiences of my life in the Rainbow Nation!
However, and as we all know, money is what makes the world go round and Cape Town does not benefit from having an established scene with a hefty bank balance stuffed with capital that can afford to take BIG risks on big events (something we can identify with in Belfast), so they really do need people to commit early. Plus, this of course comes with the benefit of a reduced price if you book before the 8th of August... that's only a week away!!
Passes can be purchased through their funding page with the full passes available for £90/$140/128€ - which is a proper bargain. I don't want to sound like a used car salesman on loop but for those teachers, seriously, have a look at what else is available and then recognise the value.
There is also the ability to purchase merchandise or fund local dancers from less well-off backgrounds and all of these things will help Mother City Hop meet its target!
I also want to point something out here that is rather important but not entirely obvious.
The astute amongst you may have noticed that South Africa is very far away. From where I'm sitting in my office in Belfast, MapCrow tells me I am 6,280 miles or 10,106 km from Cape Town. So I'm ruling out cycling. However, it isnot actually that expensive to get there.
Having just been to Herräng, I can tell you that the price of flights from Belfast to Stockholm is around £250. If I wanted to fly to Cape Town, however, it would only cost me an additional £180 as, according to Google flights at the moment I am typing this article, Paris to Cape Town is £380 and I know that Easyjet regularly flies from Belfast to Paris for around the £50 mark (±£10 depending on luck).
Well, 'only' £180 is a lot of money, you cry!
True. BUT the price of staying in South Africa is on a whole other (much lower) level to Sweden - food, drink, accommodation, sightseeing, nice things, tacky tourist snowglobes... they're buttons down there! So if you were to make the most of your flights and spend at least a week, that £180 difference would evaporate in a Southern Hemisphere jiffy.
Just don't spend a single penny on vuvuzelas or I will go full Liam Neeson.
I will find you.
And after that, there is a link up with the nascent scene in Mozambique if anyone fancies a post-Mother City Hop hop to the other side of southern Africa for a few days in the capital, Maputo, and then on to the little beach resort of Tofo.
I've visited both and actually stayed in the exact venues (Fatima's) that is hosting any would-be Lindy visitors and can tell you that you need to try their seafood curry. It is outstanding!
So, without rambling any more I hope you can support this event in any way you can - visit, sponsor, or advertise! And if you have any questions that aren't answered by their website or my semi-veiled sales pitch, you can get in contact with the organisers via email: mothercityhop@gmail.com or the following mediums:
the Oxford Lindy Exchange branding with All Souls College in the background
As I've only been dancing for two years the idea of going to a Lindy exchange was one that I had put off for a while as I figured I'd rather go to an event with workshops than just turn up at a few socials and dance without getting to learn anything.
What a daft notion that's turned out to be.
For a start, socials are actually the best place to learn. Those new moves need to be test-driven eventually, but when you venture into a new scene you also get to watch other dancers who have been taught by other teachers and maybe have a few shapes that differ from those thrown by every other dancer in your home scene
But it still took me until this past weekend to finally go to a Lindy exchange and discover what I've been missing for the last two years, and OLX was one heck of a way to start!
At some stage last year I discovered SwingPlanit (and if you don't already know that website, prepare to waste some serious time on it!) which led to me making a few mental notes of scenes I'd like to visit and Facebook events worth following. One of these, OLX, happened to be holding a competition last December to give away an event pass to whoever provided a winning design for their new branding, and with the help of many of you (thanks again!) mine was chosen and that free pass was winging my direction.
I'd never previously been to Oxford but had heard great things, and as someone whose real job is in academia it is a city that has always held a natural fascination for me, so I was very much looking forward to finally visiting.
That said, and sadly on a more sombre personal note, my grandmother passed away suddenly last week which gave me serious consideration to just staying at home. I was very close to my grandmother but I knew one of the things she never tolerated was anyone moping around, especially on her behalf, so I decided that a few days away would be a healthy distraction. And it inevitably proved that Granny's "just get on with it!" mantra was as right as ever.
And so immediately after work on Friday I drove to Belfast International airport and, by way of Gatwick and a couple of hours on a bus, I arrived in Oxford around 10pm and threw myself straight into the thick of things after a quick costume change.
It didn't take long to break a sweat due a triple combo of the obvious high intensity aerobic exercise, warm weather, and a beautiful venue with windows that couldn't be opened. Thank goodness for the industrial air blowers!
Friday night proved to be a cracking sample of what was to follow for the weekend: great weather, great venue, fantastically fast floor (love dem slides), amazing live music, and, best of all, a fun and friendly Lindy herd.
...'herd' - I think we need a better collective noun for swing dancers. A fling... a jam... a savoy... a sweat... a murmuration?!
OK, back on point.
I have to admit, I was initially unsure if I was actually in the right city because as chance would have it nearly all of my first dances were with girls from Cambridge along with a fair few from Reading and Bristol. In fact, by the time the Lindy was over and we headed for the blues venue, I had still only danced with two locals!
Around this point in the evening I met my host, Matt, and I have to give him a massive thank-you, not only for hosting but also for adding to my Oxford experience by loaning me a bike (I felt like a local and everything), showing me around a few colleges, and just generally being great craic.
When we arrived for the blues I spent a good while just chatting to people and watching everyone else dance. I shortly discovering that there were actually a lot of Oxford dancers and it was great to meet and get to know folk a bit better (as I was swingin' solo from Belfast after all!) but another reason for not bouncing onto the floor as per usual was because I had absolutely no idea how to blues dance.
About a year ago I think I went to a grand total of three classes and I've not touched blues dancing since. So to stand and watch people who, to my eyes, looked like they knew what they were doing was a little intimidating and reminded me of how I felt at my first Lindy socials - where the longer you stand the less eager you feel. But thankfully that wasn't to last too long.
I figured I had to learn somehow and as I'd already found that everyone I'd met seemed cast from a fun and forgiving mould then the opportunity was there. So, starting with an apology for what was to come, I asked someone up for a dance and after that I don't think I stopped all night!
One of the great advantages of blues dancing is the physical closeness of the hold - not for the reasons some may think - but because it means that rather than looking at your partner this closeness practically encourages you to look past them and over their shoulder... allowing you to watch and copy the better dancers!
I also got to talking with a few of these more experienced dancers and they further allayed my fears by explaining that, unlike Lindy, in blues the basic rules are much looser and there is plenty of scope for 'individual interpretation' (also translated as: 'fake it 'til you make it') which allowed me the opportunity to get up with a little bit more confidence.
Saturday morning came too soon after the night before but involved a tour of the Pitt Rivers Museum that easily reinvigorated me for the day ahead courtesy of its natural history and anthropology exhibits with great additional insights provided by Mark. It was then the turn of Russell to lead us on an info-laden tour around the key sights of the city proper before we headed to the park for a relaxing afternoon of games, conversation and sunburn.
After a nip into a vintage store on the way home, a quick nap and a bite to eat, I was soon heading out again to another stunning and historic venue: the Oxford Union.
A good dance floor, good music and good partners are what make up the holy trinity of social dancing. If one is lacking but the other two are exceptionally good then a blind eye can be turned, but more often than not you really need all three to have a great night. However, one of the things that can embellish an evening is if this triumvirate is featured somewhere special.
The Oxford Union (not to be confused with the student's union) is a beautiful building within an equally peaceful setting but what adds to its mystique is its significance in hosting debates, lectures and seminars from some of history's greatest luminaries of science, politics, art, and business since 1823. I have danced in many impressive venues but I can think of none that come close in prestige.
At the end of the Saturday night Lindy, more blues dancing again followed and for this there was yet more incredible live music in another quirky venue. The heat of the dance room was something else but the Finns would have us believe that great health benefits can come from warm, wood-clad venues so I shall consider it beneficial.
The Sunday afternoon involved a return to the Oxford Union for an afternoon tea dance in the garden before again moving inside the main chamber for the weekend's final action, and it goes without saying that the musical accompaniment to each of these dances was provided by amazing live bands.
After the formal conclusion of events, thanks and goodbyes were shared although a small group of us managed to extend the weekend's activity for a few more hours with burritos and dancing in the park before moving things indoors until the wee small hours. It was lovely low-key way to finish what had been a fantastic weekend for me and I am not only keen to return next year but my appetite for Lindy exchanges has now been well and truly whetted.
I've got into the habit of posting wee things on my Facebook page but not actually on this blog so this is the start of me addressing that!
And as it is Wednesday (henceforth referred to as WESTnesday... see what I did there?!) I'm sharing a video from an annual west coast swing event in Australia called Swingsation.
The default video I go to when showing people what WCS can look like at its finest is from last year's Swingsation event and features my favourite couple: Maxence Martin & Virginie Grondin. This year, it has has produced another incredible bit of lead and follow action, again featuring Virginie Grondin but this time being led by Ben Morris.
We all have them, they can sometimes reveal what we're actually like to dance with, and as the photo above shows we can absolutely guarantee that our worst ones have been caught on camera.
It's very rare to find someone that holds exactly the same expression throughout a dance or, for that matter, throughout their dancing life, but generally there are a number of default dance faces that are most commonly seen on a dance floor. Males and females alike.
McDonald's Eyebrows - the beginner's giveaway, the look of fear may be obvious or only nuanced but it is almost always accompanied by a well arched 'brow. Commonly an indicator of a first social dance but generally just suggests a lack of confidence. The altitude of the eyebrows is directly correlated with experience and, much like the balls of a pubescent boy, they drop with time.
Shy Guy - it doesn't matter how incredible some dancers may be, they inconceivably still lack confidence. Their extravagant solo flourishes are as rare as their eye contact but that doesn't mean they aren't 100% focused on you or incapable of giving you the best dance of your night. Ephemeral glances and simpers are worth a fortune and they're always gracious. (geek points if the name reminded you of these chaps)
Sexyface - these folk crack me up. There's usually a subtle duck-face vibe with the lips slightly pouted, and eye contact is either sporadic or constant but always intense and invokes Lauren Bacall at her coyest. Sometimes this actually looks demure but more often than not they're trying so hard to smoulder it looks like they've just awoken from a stupor sucking lemon rind. Fairly uncommon in the Lindy hop community but slightly more prevalent in west coast swing and salsa/Latin circles.
Monolith - when I say their faces appear hewn from stone I'm not celebrating a flawless bone structure but instead suggesting that they resemble the expressionless Moai of Easter Island. It's not immediately clear why they dance as they don't appear to enjoy it or to be peacocking for a mate, but yet they still get up for as many dances as the next guy. Sometimes the default dance face of pros who are social dancing out of obligation or self-promotion rather than desire.
Smilers - completely self-explanatory, these folk just exude joy for their dancing, their partner, the music, life in general. Without question, smilers are the most fun to dance with because they offer the simplest and most satisfying form of feedback you can get during a dance. Even if they smile at everyone for the entirety of the night, and not just because you did something awesome, a smile across the face of a partner is a confidence builder that never fails to put a spring in my step. I love these guys and thankfully they are the most abundant!
Divas - immeasurably worse than sexy face and the pure embodiment of pretension. You're not good enough, not hot enough or simply not French enough (I once danced with a girl who infamously only 'turns it on' for the Gauls). Although the sexyface types may not always offer eye contact they at least focus on you, but the divas would rather look beyond and around for someone more befitting of their status to rescue them from boredom - despite the fact that divas are almost always only barely above average dancers. A rare species but sadly not yet extinct and demonstrating a frustrating penchant for survival in every dance habitat.
Eye Contact Max - sometimes this is just a cultural thing (I've found it to be especially common with Central and Eastern Europeans) and sometimes the face can be otherwise entirely neutral but holy good heck: these people!! As someone brought up in a culture where staring is discouraged, to find yourself the sole object of another's fixation for a few minutes can wreak all manner of mischief within. I appreciate that paying attention to your partner can improve the connection and therefore the dance, but to the inexperienced social dancer unaware of these cultural nuances, having someone stare at you for an entire song triggers intense inner monologue:
"Is there something on my chin?"
"What's wrong with my hair?"
"I think she likes me!"
"...no, no, I think she's angry!"
"Did... did I mess that up?"
"Has she fallen asleep on her feet? Hellooooooo?"
"She... she is staring... into my Soul!!"
Game Face - comparatively inexpressive from the eyes down but the eyes themselves are completely alive. Sometimes the tongue protrudes from between the lips or pokes against the inside of the cheek with the mouth slightly open; demonstrating supreme concentration. They are utterly focused on their partner, the floor, and the space around them. Also most likely to be accused of staring at their partner's décolletage but, chances are, they're just so focused upon the movement of their partner's core and so lost in the moment that they're entirely oblivious to how said core is furnished.
☺
And additional to the list above there are also a few 'occasional' faces that appear during those special moments where further expression is required:
Whoops! - it's like McDonald's Eyebrows but the whites of the eyes are more prominent and the chin is frantically attempting to recede into the neck. Most commonly occurs after an errant kick-step, flailing arm or accidental inappropriate hand placement. If they've also got flaming red hair then there is an obvious and unfortunate comparison.
'Daheckuat?! - this expression can flash across the face of even the calmest of dancers irrespective of ability or affability, but simply implies that they have no idea what their partner is attempting. There may be fear involved, it could be contempt, but if the eyebrows and the lips simultaneously make a lunge for the nose it's because they're asking the person opposite "what the heck are you at?!"
Nailed it - it doesn't have to be a super advanced move or pattern, just one that three minutes ago you thought was beyond you, but that don't matter: you just owned it. Maybe your entire dance was on point, but you're far too cool to smile: eyebrows high but eyelids low, rest of face impassive. If this was a movie, you'd be calmly swaggering towards the camera while stuff explodes in the background.
Derp - never actually apparent on the dancefloor but very obvious when the photos hit social media. Some people (myself included) are capable of some of the most ridiculous facial contortions: eyes focused on opposite walls, forehead and neck trying to out-crease each other, all framed between inverted jazz hands while trying to bite my own ear. So hawt.
And I'm willing to bet at least a couple of you attempted to recreate some of these descriptions while reading!
Maxence & Emeline... two of my favourite west coast swing dancers.
While the bulk of my posts on this blog have been about Lindy hop don't let that fool you into thinking that Lindy and I are in a monogamous relationship. West coast swing also vies for my affection and, as I mentioned in one of my first articles, choosing a favourite between these styles would be like asking a parent to rank their offspring.
However, in my home city of Belfast, Lindy hop is on offer at least four nights a week but west coast swing only comes out to play on Wednesdays.
A comparison of the size of these two communities in Belfast is stark as I reckon we could rustle up well over 100 Lindy hoppers just in the city alone while until recently, the entire island of Ireland might have struggled to fill a WCS party in an elevator.
One of the reasons I also love west coast swing as much as I love Lindy hop is because of the entirely different way it makes me feel and it caters to a vastly different form of expression. Comparing them using the simplest analogy I can think of: the difference between my two favourite styles is similar to that of my two favourite instruments.
Dancing Lindy hop is like playing the drums. Steady rhythm is king, the beat pulses through you and you can use the full dynamic range of the music to bounce lightly or build up to an almost unsurpassed manic euphoria.
Incredible satisfaction can come from a slower tempo and the opportunity to go to town on musicality, but it can be at its most intoxicating when you're fighting against exhaustion until you absolutely must stop to rehydrate or change shirts. Or use a defibrillator.
However, west coast swing, is more like playing an acoustic guitar. It allows for limitless personal expression and an emotional intimacy I've yet to experience from any of the other instruments or 20+ dance styles I've tried.
And west coast swing is definitely not just about schmaltzy fluff as I'm a long-time fan of hip-hop and it's amazing to finally be able to dance to its heavy bass and blindingly obvious breaks. I've thankfully grown out of my 'Eminem phase' when a younger, skinnier me was was regularly attired in clothes more befitting of an overweight rapper with an aversion to belts, but I still love the music.
In fact, one of the greatest virtues of west coast swing is its sheer versatility. You can dance it to anything the DJ can throw at you: hip-hop, R&B, pop, deep house, funk, dubstep, electroswing, dance, salsa, indie, country, blues, classical... I've west coast swung to all of them and I can't think of another dance style that can claim to have even half of its dexterity.
It's through WCS that I've recently discovered that funk isn't actually such a terrible genre after all, and that the chorus of dial-up modems known as dubstep actually provides some of the most challenging but exhilarating experiences you can have on a dance-floor. The instant adrenaline kick I get listening to Lindsey Sterling's 'Crystallize' or the Omega remix of Ellie Goulding's 'High for This' just gets me pumped!
But considering its mastery of myriad music genres I'm amazed WCS doesn't have a more ardent following, especially since you really can pull it out anywhere;including club nights and, that ultimate test of rhythmical insecurity: weddings.
However, I think that this versatility is also a double-edged sword because it doesn't benefit from the same identity by association that other styles do: I immediately think of Lindy hop when I hear big band music and if I hear blues, salsa or tango music my thoughts go to those dance styles. But west coast swing just doesn't have that same dance monopoly on a particular music genre.
It also doesn't have a specific affiliation with one city, country or culture the way some dances do - Lindy hop hails from 1920-30s Harlem, and tango from late 19th century River Plate basin of Argentina and Uruguay - and these dances benefit from the proud promotion of a civic or national heritage and identity in a way that west coast swing can only dream of.
Additionally, every so often a style (re)appears that benefits from 'cousins' in the dance style family. Blues dancing appears to be undergoing a bit of a revival and as it appeals to the greater retro swing fraternity and has elements that can be interchanged with Lindy hop, balboa and solo jazz, there is a natural attraction for dancers of one of these styles to learn another. The same can be said of a number of Latin or ballroom dances but in the case of west coast swing it is distantly related to all but close to none; and must forge its own path.
So, and possibly for these reasons, west coast swing is rarely the first dance someone learns with salsa, tango, Lindy hop, or ballroom often providing the first taste of the partner dancing experience. For some, learning one dance style is enough, but there is an additional problem that comes from starting with another style that can sometimes act as a discouragement: pride.
Particularly if you've already reached a (high) level of competency in one dance style, the idea of starting afresh at the bottom of the ladder is frustrating in the extreme, and I know I've experienced it. Getting things wrong again and again really melts your head and can have you craving the comfort of familiarity.
As west coast swing tends to be a dance people discover after they've reached a certain grade of mastery elsewhere, some just can't cope with being at the wrong side of the bell-curve and give up before it gets interesting.
One of the things I most love about west coast swing is that it seems to be one of the closest dances to a 'conversation' you can have on a dance floor - the traditional 'lead' and 'follow' roles still exist but there is much greater scope for the follow to take control of a move and the exchange between the lead and follow is two way.
To further abuse this analogy: many dances are more of a 'Q&A', with the lead asking all the questions and hoping for satisfactory answers, whilst some other styles are pretty much just monologues. But west coast swing is definitely much more of a back and forth and the follow is often given the opportunity to take ownership of a pattern.
This should not be confused with backleading - that is a universal dancing taboo - but in west coast swing the intentions of a lead for a familiar pattern are usually transmitted to the follow within the first 2 beats and the follow is then given the opportunity to keep it basic or embellish. And as long as the connection is maintained it is the lead's responsibility to provide a platform for the follow to do their thing.
Since I discovered at about the age of 18 that, whilst grunts and shrugs have their place, a lot more can be communicated through actual words, and conversation has become one of the greatest joys of my life. I could easily natter away to myself until concerned white coats begin to close in but conversation with an actual person is much more fun.
The same goes for dancing west coast swing - I could lead a follow in what I want them to do for an entire dance but what I especially enjoy is letting them express themselves and consequently having them challenge me to keep up... it gives me such a buzz.
But what truly sets west coast swing aside from the other styles I've tried is the connection established with your dance partner, and I discovered it is something that just cannot be experienced if you only dip your toe in for a few classes.
In dances like tango, blues, and bachata the lead often comes from the core/chest and the closer hold allows for the fluid transmission of rhythm and patterns to the follow, with both parties largely maintaining a close physical proximity and moving as one.
Whereas, west coast swing is more like Lindy hop and partners are generally led at arms length so the connection between lead and follow must be transmitted through many more joints (shoulders, elbows, wrists, knuckles) and so has a greater potential to be lost without good rhythm and frame.
Lindy is helped by its incredibly joyful bounce or 'pulse' that is maintained by both the lead and the follow as it keeps both partners on the same page and the same beat. In west coast swing, however, there is no pulse and the rhythm and steps are instead communicated by a more nuanced weight transfer.
This can sound more technical but as with learning any dances, nothing comes instantly and it just takes a little bit of practice of WCS, but when you first properly experience the stretch and compression that is the foundation of west coast swing... holy smokes!!
And for anyone interested in taking things up a notch and actually competing, this is a much more attractive proposition in the world of west coast swing than Lindy hop or balboa for example.
In almost all dance styles, competitions have a 'newcomer' section that are only open to those who started dancing within the previous year, but for everyone else it's just one big open heat.
The more ambitious may enjoy the challenge of competing against the best but generally that can just be an exercise in futility. For some, dancing is their life - it may be their full-time job, maybe they are simply gifted naturals or maybe they were selectively bred from pedigree swing livestock and danced their way out of the womb - immediately grabbing the midwife and throwing an aerial.
For the rest of us, however, it is a hobby. A passion that, despite it being one of the greatest joys that life can offer, must be balanced against work, family, friends and other commitments, and so our progress and swing education is slower and we simply cannot compete with everyone and anyone.
In west coast swing, however, the competitions allow for this and are accordingly split into ability levels: newcomer, novice, intermediate, advanced, and Allstar, with the best of the best then invited to compete at 'Champion' level. For the fast learners and naturals, progression is in no way hindered by this model, but for the hobbyists, the benefits are immense and as competitions always involve very generous prizes at all levels, the same incentives exist for all competitors. Why this model isn't more commonplace baffles me.
Before I finish, however, I want to add a cautionary tale, and that is about those whose loudly-voiced opinions would dissuade others from giving west coast swing a go, and self-styled 'swing purists' I'm looking right at you with my brow well and truly furrowed and my nostrils slightly flared. To again apply a parent/offspring analogy: I don't appreciate it when one gets picked on.
There is generally a lot of love between dance styles as well there should be (and this is no more apparent than at the Boston Tea Party), but sadly I have read and heard Lindy hoppers and others indignantly feigning offence at west coast swing's audacity to sully the good name of 'swing' because the music it is often danced to lacks a traditional swing element - dismissing it as an illegitimate child that they hope will take a long walk off a short cliff.
I do agree to a point: R&B and pop make up the bulk of WCS playlists at the moment and that music rarely swings the way Benny Goodman or Count Basie did. But when I Lindy hop to unconventional music, as I recently did to one of the many nonsensical offerings of German EDM masters Scooter (to "The Logical Song"... it was quite the experience), I don't believe the dance steps ceased to be Lindy hop just because the music wasn't swing.
If the music doesn't move you then I have no axe to grind. I imagine everyone who dances the styles they dance has chosen these styles because, first and foremost, they love the music it is associated with, and for some maybe the current WCS playlists just don't do it for them.
Although, as 'pop' music is so named because it is the most popular music genre, how the popularity of west coast swing in Northern Ireland doesn't quite mirror the popularity of the music baffles me, especially considering that, after salsa, west coast swing is the fastest growing partner dance in the world.
But for a Lindy hopper of all people to write off another style simply due to what amounts to unabashed snobbery implies that they don't actually appreciate the history of our beloved Lindy hop at all.
It takes little research on Frankie Manning - you know, that guy who's pretty much responsible for Lindy hop - to learn that he and his fellow Lindy hop pioneers were commonly the subject of dismissive and pejorative statements from event organisers, agents, and other dancers who all viewed Lindy hop with utter disdain throughout its early years.
In fact, Frankie used these negative experiences as an additional incentive and stated in his autobiography that he hoped his legacy would see the elevation of Lindy hop to the same level of international recognition as more established dance styles like ballroom and ballet. I believe Frankie succeeded (and as it is currently Frankie Month there are a couple of ways we can celebrate his legacy!), but when a Lindy hopper makes disparaging remarks about another dance style that's attempting the same I find it really saddening.
As an aside: what does the word 'football' mean to you? I imagine if you are from the USA or New Zealand or Australia or the Republic of Ireland or England you'd each offer very different responses. American football, Australian rules football, rugby union football, rugby league football, Gaelic football, and association football are all vastly different sports. Association football (known as 'soccer' to some) may lay claim to the original use of the word and certainly has more foot-to-ball contact than the rest, but try telling players or fans of the other versions that you find their appropriation of the term 'football' offensive without sounding sanctimonious.
Just as with football, what I think the varied use of the name swing demonstrates is a celebration of a shared heritage and a provenance considered worth retaining.
Lindy hop begat west coast swing, and the evolution of the latter has mirrored that of popular music. Just two decades ago west coast swing was most commonly danced to blues and other genres with a more obvious swing, but as contemporary R&B and pop came to the fore, displacing longer established music from the mainstream, west coast swing adapted to stay relevant.
In comparison, the demise of big band and the advent of bebop almost spelled the beginning of the end for Lindy hop, which obviously relies on a more rhythmically accessible variant of jazz, and it would not exist today were it not for Frankie and retro revivalists. For that I ecstatically grateful, but if other dances have had to evolve and adapt to keep people on the dance-floor I think that's a good thing.
Frankie introduced an iconic style of Lindy hop that differed from that of Shorty George and his peers, and decades later, by the time Frankie returned from his war-induced swing hiatus, the new kids on the block were swinging a different way yet again. In fact, Lindy hop has changed notably just in the past 20 years and if you look up Youtube clips of competitions from the 90s, the style changes between then and now are considerable - but it is still Lindy hop.
The same goes for west coast swing, and if you watch the video below of 'Team USA' strutting their best WCS stuff at the US Open in 1991 the Lindy genes are much more obvious than they may be today.
In short, I hope people won't be put off by the swing Pharisees. And hey, if Frankie Manning himself called west coast swing 'swing' (as he did in his autobiography) then who are we to say otherwise!
I'd love people to check out their local west coast swing scene and especially if you're in Belfast! I've seen what can happen in only two years in Israel so if anyone is interested you'll find a bit more information about local WCS classes on our website: West Coast Swing NI, but, in brief: they are on Wednesday evenings, from 7:30pm, at Windsor Tennis Club.
And, as knowing a few people always helps, if any Belfast Lindy hoppers are curious to give it a go, if you come along to class you'll recognise a number of familiar faces as the people teaching and learning west coast swing in Belfast are also pretty much all Swing Belfast Lindy hoppers!
