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MinnesotaLindy User Blogs :: RE: 8 days in L.A. over Labor Day

Author: Twirllisa
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 10:22 am (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 1

Wow - reading this makes me want to travel and dance again!
Glad you have fun in LA!
_________________
~Lisa

www.stan-lisa.com

National Events :: RE: 2008 American Lindy Hop Championships

Author: sassydancer
Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 5:48 am (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 4

Instead of having a Thursday night party at the Hilton we will have our party at The Thirsty Turtle. Click on the link to get more info on the spot and directions to their bar. http://www.thethirstyturtle.net/stamford/index.php

Karaoke is from 6-9pm. After that dancing starts to popular music. Their DJ will mix pop music with swing if we pass him songs. If you want a dedicated room for dancing to swing speak now or forever hold your peace.

The class schedule should be out by the end of the week. I'm still waiting to hear back from the teachers to confirm times, etc. But be prepared. We have classes in Balboa, Blues,, jazz, Peabody, Slides, charleston and of course Lindy.

Local :: RE: Beasley's Big Band featuring Christine Rosholt @ Tapestry!

Author: CruelShoes
Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2008 3:35 pm (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 3

I'm covered. Thanks everyone who called!
_________________
"Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way. Unless it's a fatal mistake, which, at least, others can learn from." ~ Al Franken

Local :: RE: Beasley's Big Band featuring Christine Rosholt @ Tapestry!

Author: CruelShoes
Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2008 3:10 pm (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 3

I still need 2 people for the 8:15-9:15 shift. Anybody that can help me out would be greatly appreciated!

Cindy is out of town, so between doing the lesson and the door, It'll be hard for me to do both at the same time.
_________________
"Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way. Unless it's a fatal mistake, which, at least, others can learn from." ~ Al Franken

National Events :: Swing Camp Laughlin Oct 3-5

Author: Allen Hall
Subject: Swing Camp Laughlin Oct 3-5
Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2008 2:36 pm (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 0

Tony and Katie have resusitated the Laughlin swing event.

If you want to experience the wildest bus rides ever (L.A. to Laughlin and back with swing dance maniacs), check out this event, www.bringonswing.com, or 310-625-9375, or info@bringonswing.com

Allen Hall

MinnesotaLindy User Blogs :: 8 days in L.A. over Labor Day

Author: Allen Hall
Subject: 8 days in L.A. over Labor Day
Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2008 1:21 pm (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 1

ADDENDUM
To '07/'08 #17 News and Views from the Hall (Parked) LindyJazzMobile

HEY! HEY! EIGHT DAYS IN L.A. OVER LABOR DAY (dancing Lindy Hop. What else?)

Day 1. Tues Aug 26.We flew out to L.A. (what a chore, but more about that later), and arrived at 1:30PM L.A. time. We danced that night at Paladinos (Kim and David's Juke Joint--a continuous LH gig for at least 8 years). David Frutos DJs and makes me so happy. He plays high energy music, including, Western Swing, up-tempo Blues (on steroids), some great old Rock n' Roll cuts, and Jump music aplenty, including, Ahem! several Earl Bostic cuts. About 50 LHer showed, and, as always, they were, on average, the most experienced LHers of any dance crowd that Rudy and I have ever seen...anywhere. That night, the joint was loaded with Lindy Hop Champions galore, way too numerous to list. Rudy and I scored some great dances, and when we left I didn't think it would be possible for me to keep up this insane pace for 7 more days. The venue has a great sound system, nice parquet floor surface, delightful ambiance and lotsa great dance partners, but it also has a low ceiling with lousy lighting; multicolored spotlights are in dancer's eyes. I would be crazy to bitch about that--Hey! I guess I just did---but you know me. I'm hell on bad, or not enough lighting. While I am at it, the seating area is like a dungeon at midnight. We danced until they the last tune was played.

Day 2. Wed Aug 27. We hit Rusty Frank's Rhythm Club (a 7 year LH gig) to "Big Lucky" a quartet (tenor/clarinet, keyboard, bass and drums, plus a woman singer). The reed player was fine on clarinet, but had an unpleasant harsh tone on tenor. This was essentially a Jump/Swing combo which played swing dance standards, and the woman singer had an engaging energetic stage presence but she had a few intonation and "time" problems, and the band played some raggedy-assed codas--they just couldn't get stopped together, so the tags ran on like a slo-mo train-wreck. But, they were a fun band to dance to. Robert Vangor ably DJed the breaks, including--Oh Happy day--a few Scott Hamilton cuts. How nice it that? Rudy and I closed up the dance. About 50 dancers attended with a mix of LH experience, and we scores some great dances with dance friends who are regulars at Rusty's, and we scored a jam.The maple floor surface was divine, the sound system very nice, and there was plenty of light.Hey! girls just hate it when old men grope them, even if it's by mistake.

Day 3. Thurs. Aug 28. It was off to Lindy Groove (another 7 year LH gig) and danced to Vickie, the house DJ, and Dan (? last name) from Denver as guest DJ, Aside from one Hip Hopish number and a 3 tune set of grind blues, I enjoyed what Dan played. The oak floor surface was perfect. The room is huge and has to be as Lindy Groove drew 335 dancers that night. Humidity is seldom a problem in this venue as the room is about 2+ stories high. The sound system is much improved over the early years. Rudy and I were called into a long Birthday/Out-of-Towner Jam, and the gang-dancing damned near killed both of us. We hung in there for two hours, and then we had to flee into the night. This is an amazing gig as almost every one of the 335 dancers in Lindy Groove can do a serviceable swingout, but then, that's sort of how it is in L.A. Lindy Groove is unique in that because when you walk into the classy Pasadena Masonic Temple, you hear the muffled sound of dance music in the great hall about a hundred feet ahead down the corridor, and that almost romantic sound is highly reminiscent of what you hear as you enter the Hollywood Palladium or The Aragon while a live band playing. It gives me a frisson whenever I walk into the front door of Lindy Groove.

Days 4 through 7 Aug 29 to Sept 1. We danced at the LAX Marriott (same hotel used for Camp Hollywood). This was the venue for the "Sweet and Hot Music (nee Jazz) Festival", It has been held there every year for 13 years. This is our 3rd Sweet n' Hot, and we believe it is the best jazz fest for Lindy hoppers ever..... anywhere. The music is a mix of traditional jazz of all kinds, Swing, Dixieland, Blues, Straight-Ahead Jazz, original Rhythm and Blues, and, this year, Gypsy Jazz. In addition, they have one each clarinet, trombone, sax, piano and diva singer extravaganza. They have up to 8 music venues going at the same time, and 4 of them have space for dancing. One is surprisingly danceable quarry tile in the hotel bar restaurant, and the other three rooms for dancing each have two floors bracketing the bandstand. They are Pergo-like material and also danced really well. There were 4 big bands playing, and three of them played double-set evening dances. They were:

1. Friday,"The Jonathon Stout Orchestra, a 13 piece little big band playing the music of the '30s with Hillary Alexander as vocalist. The first set had varied tempos, but the second set was mostly up-tempo to very fast numbers. Drummer Josh Callazo was heavy on the bass drum; he and rhythm guitarist, Jonathon Stout, were the dancers' friends. This is a band with energy on both 2 and 4 feel rhythms.

2, Saturday, the 17 piece "Johnny Vana Alumni Big Band played swinging swing-era selections with adventurous arrangements. This band is mostly composed of sidemen who played in the storied jazz big bands of the swing era. They had two fine vocalists, a woman and a man. The second number of the first set was a high-light moment for me. The woman singer did an amazing job on a ballad and Dave Pell played a beautiful laconic 8 bar solo on tenor saxophone. This band may lack stirring soloists on up-tempo numbers--Hey they are old--but the band it tight AND supple AND swinging and Vana is a truly superb big band drummer.

Also on Saturday, another two-set dance featured "Louis Thomas' Pieces of Eight" an all-black octet including a female singer. This in a jazz festival of mostly all-white bands. They played a mix of Greasy Blues, Jump Blues and early Rhythm and Blues a la Louis Prima, Joe Liggins, et al. They play driving insistent rhythms which made it impossible to sit in our chairs. Our Minnesota homie, J.D. was there, and I thought he was going to hurt himself bad at this set. J.D. can evermore "get down" when the music gets baaaaaaaad. You know, sometimes a man can have too much fun,

3. Sunday, Dean Mora's Modern Rhythmists played. It is a 12 piece little big band which specializes in the music of late '20s, and early '30s jazz. This is a tight (not supple), in-tune 2 feel band, but I was a little put off to hear 3 waltzes, and, although not unexpected, many tempos well over 200 bpm. I would have thought, since they played for a dance with many older people in attendance (I hasten to add "many older than I") , they would have played a few slower tempos.

Otherwise, at Sweet and Hot, there were about 50 at-large jazz musicians, many of which are internationally recognized. They played in various mix-n'-match combos. There were 16 female jazz singers including an elderly and weak Ernestine Anderson who, sadly, may have been making one of her last appearances. Several outstanding male singers performed including an inimitable threesome of Ernie Andrews, Herb Jeffries and Jack Sheldon. Ernie gathers up an audience unto himself like no other singer I have ever seen. He is a consummate entertainer with a huge voice who has accumulated (at 80 years of age) a book of personal songs which now belong exclusively to him--no other singer would have the nerve to try them. Herb has a lovely baritone (think "Flamingo") and is still performing at 95--'nuf said. Jack is, to my mind, the funniest man in jazz; he is a genuine voice talent; and he plays some of the longest pretty jazz phrases on trumpet ever. Additionally, sixteen regular bands played a variety of jazz styles. Except for the featured vocalist concerts, and big band dances, every combo and regular band played multiple sets over the weekend. So, since all music venues were in one hotel, it was entirely possible and easy to catch at least one set of every band sometime during the weekend.

I seldom come to a jazz fest without discovering a Eureka! musician, and this time it is was Gonzalo Bergara who leads a Gypsy Jazz Quartet. Gonzalo has mesmerizing stage presence, a face that reveals exactly what he is feeling, and he has almost unbelievably fast, sure and emotionally-laden chops on guitar. One of the most astounding and exciting jazz guitarists I have seen in a long time.

The inevitable is starting to sting all of the trad jazz fests. Fest attendees are off all over the United States, and organizers are FINALLY concerned. I'm guessing they are seeing a triple whammy blip, with 1. expected actuarial die-off of aged patrons, 2. high gas prices, and 3. economic uncertainty. Sweet and Hot was the leader in trying to entice younger people into the door with a variety of music plus double-set dances with big bands, and while they are in direct competition, for the second year, with the Inspiration Weekend (LH event) in Orange County, still, there are some young dancers showing up at Sweet and Hot. The Godzilla Trad Jazz Fest. The Jubilee in Sacramento is asking for donations of $50,000 so they don't have to reduce the number of bands. I read that the Sun Coast Dixieland Festival in Florida is offering $5 student day-tickets and free swing dance lessons. Hmmmm! are some cracks showing in the hide-bound egotistic armor of that event? Rudy and I will be there in November, and we'll report on how it went.

During the four days, there were 81 sets of music played by, I am guessing, 50 different groups, and we danced about 27 hours to music played by 22 different bands, and for this we paid the princely sum of $95 each. You may want to do some arithmetic, and then think about the numbers.

The Sweet and Hot finale is a 14 musician rotating jam session running from 4 to 6PM on Labor Day Monday. After that, as if we needed more dancing, we then went to the Alpine Village in Torrance to the regular Monday evening (free) big band dance. The band was not the best of the four which rotates in there each month of Mondays, but is was far from a dog-meat big band. Trust me, we know dog-meat as we have danced to some dog-meat big bands.The two floors (one in front of the band and one behind) both have gorgeous surfaces, and there were enough LHers there to make it a fun add-on dance.

Day 8, Sept 2. This was our fly-away day to go home. but first, we had to drive up to a Mexican restaurant, Los Hadas, in the San Fernando Valley to dance to the regular Tues 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM rehearsal of the Johnny Vana Alumni Big Band. Yep, another helping of dancing to a fine swinging big band was way too tempting to turn down.

We made the plane easily and got home about 9:30PM. However, flying is no longer the treat is once was; a lot of wide-body people are squished into tight seats, no leg room in tourist class (make that "steerage"); no magazines, a surcharge for checked baggage, no free food, and that which you could buy was over-priced. I suppose taking one's shoes off before going though the metal-detector check-point is a small price to pay for flight safety, but I was afraid the Airport Foot Police were going to give me a ticket for ugly feet--yes, they are ugly, but it's not my fault. Rudy has made me pound them on floors for 16 years, and what was one nice pair of size 11 and a 1/2 feet-shaped feet now look like bumpy size 13 seal-flippers. If there was a Guinness Book of Records category for ugly feet, I would be a shoo-in to make the book.

I lost a pound in L.A., but I'm not quite sure where, but that means, if I danced there for a year, I would lose about 50 pounds, but probably my life would be over well before I lost the 50.

Let's see, we danced in about 15 venues, to four DJs and about 23 live bands for about 39 hours in 8 days, or about an average of 5 hours a day. No, not to every musical number played, but we danced to well over 50% of the music. This was made possible by benefit of 6 shots of cortisone in my lower back the Wednesday before we left, daily double doses of Celebrex, plus Tylenol as needed. Would I do it again? Yes, but not soon; Rudy and I are spent, and pretty-much dance-sate.

Good friend, good Swing DJ and good Lindy Hopper, Robert Vangor, was our host in L.A. He was so gracious and hospitable to put us up in his home, and let us use one of his cars. Rudy and I are fortunate to have many dancer friends in L.A.. We got to visit and dance with beaucoup dance pals in the short time we were there. But, unfortunately, that's it for L.A. this winter, as gas prices have ruled out a west coast run by the LindyJazzMobile.

Allen Hall, Uggy Feet Lindy Hopper
September 6, 2008, nice autumn sunny breeze day on Lake Sylvia

Swing Talk :: RE: tap = fun; me = zombie

Author: fisch
Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2008 11:34 am (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 23

strongbad wrote:

Stashe wrote:

did anyone else see casey schneider's doppleganger there? bizarre.

yep.

...

Local :: RE: Beasley's Big Band featuring Christine Rosholt @ Tapestry!

Author: CruelShoes
Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2008 9:11 am (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 3

HELP!

Want to get into the dance for free??? I need some door help!

I need some admission help. In exchange for working the door, you get into the dance for FREE! Call me at 651-558-0562 rather than replying here because I'll need to know ASAP and I won't be at my computer all day!

Available shifts:

7:15 - 8:15 I need one person
8:15 - 9:15 I need two people

The first shift is during the lesson, so you won't miss any of the dance!

Remember calling me is best. Leave a message if I don't answer because I'll be checking voice mail.

THANKS!!
_________________
"Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way. Unless it's a fatal mistake, which, at least, others can learn from." ~ Al Franken

MinnesotaLindy User Blogs :: RE: News and Views from the Hall LindyJazzMobile '07/'08 #17

Author: orange
Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 5:22 pm (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 2

The Willowbrook is in Willow Springs, IL, a suburb of Chicago. It's where I learned to dance! Back during the swing revival it was always packed. It's really a FABULOUS space.
_________________
- eryn

Once, I went into a knife shop and said, "Here's million dollars. I'd like to buy a knife." The guy said, "NO, money can't buy knives."

MinnesotaLindy User Blogs :: RE: News and Views from the Hall LindyJazzMobile '07/'08 #17

Author: swingnstar
Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 3:30 pm (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 2

Allen, where is the Willowbrook?

I really appreciate you documenting your experiences and opinions as you do. It makes my dance richer for knowing your point of view. Thanks for that.

Gary

Swing Talk :: RE: tap = fun; me = zombie

Author: strongbad
Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 2:35 pm (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 23

Stashe wrote:

did anyone else see casey schneider's doppleganger there? bizarre.

yep.
_________________

MinnesotaLindy User Blogs :: News and Views from the Hall LindyJazzMobile '07/'08 #17

Author: Allen Hall
Subject: News and Views from the Hall LindyJazzMobile '07/'08 #17
Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 1:27 pm (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 2

News and Views from the Hall (Parked) LindyJazzMobile
'07/'08 Installment # 17

Table of Contents:

1. Hey! Hey! Eight Days in L.A. over Labor Day (I stand corrected,by John Zimmerman; I'm a sucker for alliteration AND assonance. Thank you John.)
2. Ask and Ye Shall Receive
3. Please Re-Order this List by Importance
4. Dance Joke
5.Your Brain on Dance
6 A Couple of Book Reports; "Ballroom Echoes" and "American Big Bands"
7. Preview of a Coming Attraction

HEY! HEY! EIGHT DAYS IN L.A. OVER LABOR DAY (Yes, we went but the report is postponed again--for why read Previews of Coming Attractions below)

ASK AND YE SHALL RECEIVE

Remember in N&V # 16 when I asked if anyone knew a connection between Norma Miller's book "Stompin' at the Savoy" and "A is for Abraham". Well, reader, Barry Peters, informed me that Norma wrote a children's book by that name (Huh? Why? But that's another question for another time), AND "A is for Abraham" is also a children's book.

PLEASE RE-ORDER THIS LIST BY IMPORTANCE.

American Lindy Hop Champion
American Swing Dance Championships Lindy Hop Champion
Extra-terrestrial Lindy Hop Champion
International Lindy Hop Champion
Milky Way Galaxy Lindy Hop Champion
National Jitterbug Championships Lindy Hop Champion
North American Open Lindy Hop Champion
Northern Hemisphere Lindy Hop Champion
Solar System Lindy Hop Champion
Southern Hemisphere Lindy Hop Champion
United States Open Lindy Hop Champion
Universe-wide Lindy Hop Champion
Western Hemisphere Lindy Hop Champion
World Lindy Hop Champion

DANCE JOKE

Some people discourage pre-marital sex on religious grounds because they're afraid it will lead to dancing.

YOUR BRAIN ON DANCE

The June 16 '08 edition of "Scientific American" contains an article entitled, "So You Think You Can Dance? PET Scans Reveal Your Brain's Inner Choreography: Recent brain imaging studies reveal some of the complex neuronal choreography behind our ability to dance." I have limited knowledge about brain anatomy and neuronal physiology, but it did not help a bit when I tried to read this article. Suffice it to say, there is a lot going on in our noggins when we dance.

I will try to pull out some facts and ideas, but if you want to understand it all, I suggest you (try to) read the article, and then, if you do understand it, please explain it to me.

1. Humans have a natural, even instinctive capacity for rhythm, and nothing like it is seen elsewhere in the mammalian world, and probably in the animal kingdom.
2. Humans unconscious entrainment of a confluence of movement, rhythm and gestural representation is at the core of dance. (Huh?)
3. Scientists do not know why people dance, but music (sound) and movement causes a right hemisphere brain center to light up, a center which is homologue to the left brain's Broca's area language center, and this supports the so-called gestural theory of language evolution. Og, the caveman made meaningful gestures, then Mobok, the hunter-gatherer made sounds which represent gestures, and finally, Shakespeare wrote sonnets. Or something like that.

It has been reported before that of all activities done by seniors, social dancing seems to be most protective against senile dementia and Alzheimer's, and the reason, it is postulated, is that social dancing requires constant problem solving in both time and space while using the body, and this is somehow protective for the aging brain, and, as this "Scientific American" article reports, many brain centers are in action and coordinating during dancing. I think that even happens in my brain, until, that is, when I get a dance brain-cramp, and everything shuts down. You internetees might refer to as a momentary cerebral mini-system crash.

A COUPLE OF BOOK REPORTS, "BALLROOM ECHOES" AND "AMERICAN BIG BANDS"

"BALLROOM ECHOES" BY LON A.GUALT

(Okay, I confess. I'm an old ballroom freak, but believe me, I don't seek them out, and yet, Rudy and I have danced in many. I guess that's what happens when you travel and dance 6 months every year for 16 years. Still, whenever I walk into an old Ballroom for the first time, I get a funny feeling, almost like nostalgia when I stop, look around and think about what might have happened there thought the years.

This book was published in 1986, and is, I am sure, a major authority on American ballrooms, even though, by no means, does it list all American ballroom of past and present. It is well-researched compendium of old, important and large ballrooms. The book has descriptions of 315 ballrooms, and many photographs. There are photographs of 12 ballrooms where Rudy and I have danced.

1. Avalon Casino on Santa Catalina Island, opened in May 1929 it was and remains is the most gorgeous marriage of spectacular ballroom and even more spectacular setting. We danced there, if dancing one two swing-outs to no music can be construed as dancing. We ducked in unpaid on the tail end of a paid guided tour, and then sneaked away to the ballroom to ogle and do a couple of swingouts.

2. ValAire Ballroom in Des Moines opened in 1939, and is still there, but in a sorry state. The floor was filthy the one time when Rudy and I danced there.

3. The Palladium Ballroom in Hollywood opened Oct. 1940 featuring the Tommy Dorsey Band with Frank Sinatra, Connie Haines and The Pied Pipers as singers--try to top that, and the building is still standing, but it rather reminds me of an aging grande dame whose slip is showing and who has seen much better days. Still, I got goose bumps the first time I walked into that vast room. It was the venue for the 2nd and 3rd Camp Hollywood events, and Rudy and I made 'em both.

4. Lakeside Ballroom, Glenwood MN opened in 1908 with 5,600 of maple floor. Rudy and I danced there some years ago to "The Senders", but it has since burned. The city has plans to rebuild a ballroom on site.

5. The Kato Ballroom in Mankato MN, It was built circa post-WW-II, with 6,500 sq. ft. of dance floor. Rudy and I danced there once to "The Senders". (Note: from 1992 until 1999,Rudy and I shamelessly chased "The Senders" from one gig to the next. We even danced to them in a tiny space just outside the doors to both men's and women's toilets in a converted church in St. Joseph WI. You might conclude that we are Jump Music fans.)

6. Medina Ballroom in Medina MN was built in 1965, it burned in 1974 and was rebuilt. It now, I believe, has the largest (at 6,500 sq ft.) and best maple dance floor in MN, and we have enjoyed dancing on the that floor many times, Notably once each to "The Tommy Dorsey phantom Band" and "Asleep at the Wheel".

7. Bel Rea Ballroom was another fine suburban Twin Cities ballroom. Built in 1974, it had 5,000 sq ft of dance floor. It was taken down sometime in the late 1990s and has been replaced by a community center

8.The Willowbrook Ballroom, is as festive and decorative a ballroom as you are apt to find today. It features Spanish decor and Japanese lanterns as lighting. The ballroom has a long and storied history. It began in 1921 as an open air 2,600 sq ft "O Henry Pavilion" in 1921. It burned in 1930, was rebuilt as an all-weather facility in 1931. Today, The Willowbrook features swing dance to peppy jazz DJed music every Sunday.

9, The Casa Loma Ballroom in St. Louis is representative of many second story urban ballrooms, (Think a tiny Savoy Ballroom) and it is the largest operating ballroom in St. Louis. It opened in 1935, and features tasteful art-deco decor. I remember going there as a youth and sitting in the balcony admiring the dancers below. It features swing dances one night a week. We have twice danced on that nice floor.

10. The Col (Coliseum) in Davenport IA opened in 1914. Bix Beiderbecke, a Davenport native, played there. It claims to be the second oldest ballroom in American--I don't which one is older. Rudy and I have danced there several time as part of the Bix Fest held each summer. The floor is in bad repair, but I didn't care, as I was in awe dancing in a ballroom which opened in 1914.

11. The Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake IA was a classy pre WW-II ballroom which burned in 1947, but was soon rebuilt even classier, with a south sea motif. Rudy and I have danced several times on that sweet old Maple floor. The Surf has become a shrine as the last gig ever for Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and J,. P. Richardson. They all died in an airplane crash just out of town as they were flying to their next gig in Fargo.

12. The Aragon Ballroom Built in 1927 in north Chicago is the largest dance venue I have ever been. I makes inadequate the adjective "big" when used to describe big ballrooms. The oval circular board floor is huge, and I THINK you could fit the entire Hollywood Palladium inside the Aragon. It felt like I had to walk a quarter mile to get to the band stand in order to blow an air kiss of appreciation to Lavay Smith who played that night. Rudy and I danced there once as finalists in a cockamamie 4 city Lindy Hop dance final competition. We had no chance to win, but came in second to Riley Wimes and Margo McGraw--no shame in that, The ballroom is decorated, as so many were in the swing era, with a Moorish Spanish motif. The one night I was there I was chagrined to see huge cigarette ads on the walls, but The Aragon is now in a bad neighborhood and is infrequently used for rock concerts. Back in the day, The Aragon employed men in white tuxes to cruise the floor to police bans on "jitterbugging' and "close dancing". Take note, you belly-rubbing Blues Dancers.

This brings me to another point, many of the swing era ballrooms rarely used today but still standing, is partially a function of the locale of each ballroom. For many of them, the land under ballrooms in distressed neighborhoods is often not worth the cost for ballroom demolition.

This book has a wealth of information about the bands who played these ballrooms, but they are primarily lists of sweet bands playing for ballroom dancers, even though other kinds of dancers helped save the ballrooms from the wrecking crews. e.g notably, polka, Country/Western, West Coast Swing, and even some latter-day Lindy Hoppers. Also ,incidentally, early in the swing era, many ballrooms prohibited Jitterbugging. Many of these old wooden ballrooms were destroyed by fire. Some long after they were idled as dance venues. Strangely enough, or not so strangely, they burned primarily during that period when the big band swing era and couples dancing was fast fading. Hmmmmmm!

For those of you of a scholarly bent, go to "Ballroom of the Past tttp://www.nbea,/archives11.htm for a complete listing of American ballrooms no longer in existence and those which are still in place but are no longer used as dance venues.

Addendum: Review notes on "Big Bands and Great Ballrooms: America is dancing....Again" by Jack Behrens published in 2006.

1. Book cover quote: "In the ballroom, you are a participant, not a spectator."

2. The Aragon Ballroom was built to hold 8,000 people, and by 1955 when the big band and social pairs dancing era was grinding to a halt, the Aragon had seen a paid attendance of 50 million dancers. I don't doubt it, but that's hard to conceive today. Figuring dancing 7 days a week for 38 years, the Aragon drew an average attendance of over 3,600 dancers per night.

"AMERICAN BIG BANDS", BY WILLIAM F. LEE

The definitive text on this subject remains Simon's "The Big Bands, but that book was first printed in 1974, while this book was published in 2005. "The Big Bands" uses a more strict definition of a big band, one most familiar to big band fans today is three tiers of horns, from 8 to 14, and a 3, to 5 piece rhythm section, with or without singers, but exceptions exist with more horns, Latin percussion and banks of strings. "American Big Bands" takes us back to the earliest times of jazz 1900 to 1919, and describes some bands which bring a whole new meaning to "big" when it comes Big Bands. e.g. James Reese Europe led a band consisting of 47 mandolins, 27 harp-guitars, 11 banjos, 10 pianos and 1 saxophone--who needs microphones? A band which topped Europe's 11 banjos was one led by Will Marion Cook which had 17 banjos.

There is a preamble collection of 7 pages of short quotes by some of the principals of jazz, and each of the 6 chapters covering either 10 or 20 years of big band music is preamble by a short paragraph of current events for each year, thus putting the music and the bands in context with the times.

PREVIEWS OF COMING ATTRACTIONS.

1. Hey Hey, Eight Days (of Lindy Hopping) in L.A. over Labor Day (I know it has been promised twice, and remains undelivered, but if I include it in this N&V, that would constitute a Lindy Hop Opus Magnum, and you wouldn't want that. So, I am going to send it out as an addendum to this N&V--Okay?)

Allen Hall, Lindy Hopper
September 4, 2008, a crisp fall day on Lake Sylvia

Swing Talk :: RE: tap = fun; me = zombie

Author: Stashe
Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 12:10 pm (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 23

agreed!

tap=fun
me=leaving at 12:15
morning me=not a zombie.

did anyone else see casey schneider's doppleganger there? bizarre.

Swing Talk :: RE: tap = fun; me = zombie

Author: pius_perplexus
Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 11:41 am (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 23

Last night at Tapestry was a wonderful time. Thanks again to everyone I got to dance with!

National Events :: RE: BREAKING NEWS for Vagabond Lindyhoppers!/Youtube luv's ULHS!

Author: Amy
Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 7:43 am (GMT -6)
Topic Replies: 19

**BREAKING NEWS**

Fuel too damn expensive!
Vagabond Lindy Hoppers forced to look for alternate means of travel in order to attend 7th Annual Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown in St Paul, MN. October 9-12th 2008.

STOP.

Loose Marbles are renting van from New Orleans, like any good old-tymie band should. Except Kiowa. He and Plague the Dog will probably hop a train and show up last minute smelling of booze.

For those of you who simply never thought of this: www.greyhound.com

Madison - $92 round trip
Omaha - $115 Round trip
Chicago - $124 round trip
Kansas City - $198 round trip
St Louis - $208 round trip
Cleveland - $238 round trip

**EVEN MORE BREAKING NEWS**

The Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown is the most inspirational Lindy Hop contest in existence. Search "Lindy Hop" on www.youtube.com. Nearly half a million people agree.

#1 YOUTUBE VIDEO: Whitey's Lindy Hoppers in Hellzapoppin, arguably the most influential Lindy Hop clip

&

#2 YOUTUBE VIDEO: The Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown 2006, arguably the most influential modern Lindy Hop contest
STOP thinking of reasons you can't go, and start looking for solutions.
Think about the electric SOCIAL DANCING and a weekend filled with the BEST LIVE JAZZ MUSIC from New Orleans and the Twin Cities.

Tickets on Sale now! Housing still available!
www.lindyshowdown.net
Email: lindyshowdown@gmail.com

---------------------------------
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To join please visit the group here site below. Follow instruction on how to join.
http://groups.google.com/group/the-ultimate-lindy-hop-showdown
_________________
www.lindyshowdown.net