Thursday, August 29, 2013

WSDS Weekly 8/29/13


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Wichita Swing Dance Weekly

September Classes:

*Beginning Lindy Hop 6:30-7:30

*Intermediate Lindy Hop  6:30-7:30

Intro to Swing 7:30-8:00

*Students must register by 8/1 to take this class.

October Classes:

*Beginning Lindy Hop 6:30-7:30

*Intermediate Lindy Hop 6:30-7:30

Intro to Swing 7:30-8:00

*Students must register by 9/1 to take this class.

This Month at Swingin' Sunday:

The last Sunday in August is behind us! Here's what you can look forward to in September:

9/1 - Dance Card Sunday

9/15 - SOUL NIGHT featuring a Soul Train Contest!

9/29 - Birthday Jam

Travel Opportunities:

If you're looking to meet more dancers and skyrocket your skills, there's no better way to do it than by traveling to some regional events! 'Tis the season for dancing in the Midwest. Check it out:

Cowtown Jamborama in Omaha, NE September 19-22

Southern Fried Swing in Greenwood, AK, September 27-29

Sweepin Swing in Tulsa, OK, October 11-13

All Follow's Eve in Fort Worth, TX November 1-3

Nevermore Jazz Ball in St. Louis, Missouri November 7-10

The Funny Section:

Thinking You're Awesome, Then Looking in the Mirror:

YES TASTY

The Wright Brothers Returns!

We will do another dance night at the Wright Brothers bar on West Kellogg on Wednesday, the 11th of September! Stay tuned to the weekly for details. Please remember that the bar has a strict 21+ policy

Why We Love Lindy Hop

What comes to mind when you think "swing dancing"? Or better yet, what came to mind before you started coming to Swingin' Sundays? Maybe you imagined a scene out of the movie "Grease," complete with poodle skirts, wild dips and turns, and aerials. And to the average non-dancer, thinking of swing dancing that way probably isn't hurting anything. It's not accurate, but it's not hurting anything.
Greasers
John Travolta Owns the Dance Floor
But the truth is that in the golden age of swing, it the dance looked like this:
Swing Dancing
Savoy Ballroom

Like break-dancing and hip-hop, swing dancing was born in the streets. In Harlem, NY, in the 1920s, jazz music drove the evolution of an unprecedented cooperation between musicians and dancers. They would play off one and other, inspiring the innovation that lead to the birth of swing. Dancers made up moves and techniques as they went along, with an open mind and anything-goes attitude that allowed the spontaneity still prevalent in swing dancing today. Dozens of pre-existing dance styles including Charleston, Black Bottom, and Break Away were brought together in this community, and were blended to form the original swing dance style, Lindy Hop. Versatile, inclusive, and intoxicating, Lindy Hop spread from the black dancers of Harlem to their white contemporaries (who called it "Jitterbug") on the dance floor of the Savoy, one of few integrated ballrooms in operation at the time. Before long, American soldiers in World War II would bring Lindy Hop to Europe.  From there, it spread all over the world, and is danced today from coast to coast in the US, in Canada and in South America, in Europe, and in Asia.

Along with the dance itself, a unique culture traveled with Lindy Hop across the continents and through time. Lindy Hoppers value acceptance, open-mindedness, fun, creativity, and guts. They also worship the music that gave rise to their art; musicality is the ultimate dance skill to acquire. Over the decades, these values have driven the dance to keep growing, to expand and diversify, becoming as expressive as any spoken language, perhaps even more so. Every week of the year, Lindy Hop events take place around the globe where dancers come together to take lessons, perform compete, and most of all socially dance with each other. 

As swing dancing gained exposure and popularity in the 1940s, Arthur Murray expanded his ballroom dance school's repertoire to represent something similar to Lindy Hop. It was a simplified, more controlled version of the dance based in 6-count timing. It was called East Coast Swing, and it grew popular among ballroom dancers who were accustomed to more structured, rule-governed dances. East Coast Swing has also endured through the years, although its foundational principles of simplicity and structure have kept it from evolving into a more versatile style. Today, it can often be found on the dance floor of country music bars, and there are some national ballroom competitions with an East Coast Swing division. However, East Coast Swing has not incited the birth of a culture the way Lindy Hop did. If you do a simple YouTube Search for East Coast Swing, you will find more 1-3 minute videos of short lessons for beginners than actual dance footage. If you refine the search in order to find something at a competitive level, say by adding the word "Championships," you can find a few examples of recent East Coast Swing routines. Here's one:
Video

If you search, instead, for Lindy Hop, you find this, the dance as it was done in the 1940s:
Video

And this, the dance as it continues to grow today:Video
To the Wichita Swing Dance Society, East Coast Swing is a great way to teach a brand-new dancer how to swing in half an hour or less. That's probably why so many instructional videos are online for this style. East Coast Swing is just enough to give you the fever, to spark your curiosity about swing dancing. To paraphrase a prominent WSDS board member, it's like a toddler's toy xylophone. But East Coast Swing isn't the heart of swing dancing. It never broke down the race barrier and it didn't take the planet by storm. You can no more become a seasoned swing dancer on an exclusive diet of East Coast Swing than Beethoven could have composed on something manufactured by Fischer Price. If you've never danced before, or if you don't care for dancing and you just need enough information to make it through a song with your date, East Coast is an adequate solution. But if you've tried our drop-in class and you're ready for more, or if you've seen swing dancing at its best and you want a taste, try some Lindy Hop. A joyous, welcoming community awaits you.

Good to know:

The WSDS kicks off every month with Dance Card Sunday. Anyone in attendance is invited to pick up a dance card at the front desk and give it to their partners to sign after each dance. When the card is full, it can be returned to the front desk, where it gets entered into a drawing! A handful of lucky winners will receive prizes later in the evening. Pick up your dance card this Sunday, enter to win cool stuff, and use it as an excuse to ask lots of new partners to dance!

Steals and Deals:

WSDS members get discounted prices for monthly classes and admission. Check out our website for details!

More Swing Dancing in Wichita:

Want more swing dancing in your life? The Lindy Bombers meet every Monday night for a lesson at 7:30pm. Head to their website for details!

Video of the Week:

This is a 35 minute documentary about the early years of swing dancing, the Savoy ballroom, and some of the pioneers of swing. If you have the time, I really recommend watching this video. It's entertaining and informative.

Editor's Note: 

See this week's main article, "Why We Love Lindy Hop." I'll be back with the Editor's Note next week!

Got thoughts? Email me.

   Chelsea Rothschild 


See you next week!


Thursday, August 22, 2013

WSDS Weekly 8/22/13


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Wichita Swing Dance Weekly

This Month's Classes:

Beginning Lindy Hop* 6:30-7:30

Smooth Moves, THIS SUNDAY ONLY** 6:30-7:30

Intro to Swing 7:30-8:00

*Students must register by 8/1 to take this class.

**A special drop-in class for leads to learn some super cool moves. Follows get in free!

Next Month's Classes:

*Beginning Lindy Hop 6:30-7:30

*Intermediate Lindy Hop 6:30-7:30

Intro to Swing 7:30-8:00

*Students must register by 9/1 to take this class.

This Month at Swingin' Sunday:

We will have our monthly Birthday Jam THIS SUNDAY! If you have a birthday this month, you don't miss it! (Read more about the Birthday Jam in this week's "Good to Know" section.)

Travel Opportunities:

If you're looking to meet more dancers and skyrocket your skills, there's no better way to do it than by traveling to some regional events! 'Tis the season for dancing in the Midwest. Check it out:

Cowtown Jamborama in Omaha, NE September 19-22

Southern Fried Swing in Greenwood, AK, September 27-29

Sweepin Swing in Tulsa, OK, October 11-13

All Follow's Eve in Fort Worth, TX November 1-3

Nevermore Jazz Ball in St. Louis, Missouri November 7-10

The Funny Section:

When You're Sweaty From Dancing and Walk Under an A/C Vent:

YES TASTY

Smooth Moves: This Sunday Only!

Attention LEADS! This Sunday only, WSDS Instructor Extraordinaire Evan Borst will be offering up a portion of his extensive moves vocabulary for the low low price of $5 ($7 for non-members). Class will start at 6:30, and the cost covers your admission to Swingin' Sunday as well.

Attention FOLLOWS! You can take the class for the even LOWER price of NOTHING! We need plenty of you for the leads to practice with, so come out for the fun!

Who wouldn't want to learn smooth moves from this guy?
Evan

Local Dancers Put on a Show at Senior Community

On Saturday the 17th, over a dozen local dancers put on The 8 Count Swing Show for residents of the senior living community at Avita Health & Rehab. The selection of performance pieces ranged from classic routines like the Shim Sham to brand-spankin' new pieces, choreographed right here in Wichita this very summer.

An audience of approximately 20 seniors and family members proved to be warm and appreciative. Special thanks to WSDS Vice President Megan Pfieffer for coordinating with the staff at Avita, and Treasurer Evan Borst for MCing. And of course, thanks to all the performers!  

If you missed the show, don't fret! Most of it was captured on video (thank you, Jordan and Cassie Langhofer!):
Video
Video

Dancers: Evan Borst, Chelsea Rothschild, Elaine Pischnotte, Cassie Langhofer, Austin Freeman, Amanda Elder, Lexi Jernigan, Nick Meyer, John Colquitt, Isaiah Johnson, Sonya Atencio, Amy Mears
If you know of a community or upcoming event that could benefit from a show like this, email the board! We'd be excited to do it again!
Good to know:

A "Birthday Jam" is how we swing dancers celebrate birthdays. Anyone whose birthday is in the current month is invited to come to the center of the dance floor, while everyone forms a large circle around the birthday boys and girls. A few volunteers step up to partner the guests of honor, and we play a song. Throughout the song, new partners from around the circle cut in, so that each birthday boy and girl gets "stolen" by as many partners as possible before the song is done. It's our way of saying happy birthday! Also, the birthday folks get snazzy glow in the dark bracelets! 

Steals and Deals:

WSDS members get discounted prices for monthly classes and admission. Check out our website for details!

More Swing Dancing in Wichita:

Want more swing dancing in your life? The Lindy Bombers meet every Monday night for a lesson at 7:30pm. Head to their website for details!

Video of the Week:

Ever seen a jam circle before? It's similar to a birthday jam, but snazzier! Check out this video from Lindy on the Rocks earlier this month.

Editor's Note: How to be an Awesome Social Dance Partner

This week, I'd like to share some of my absolute favorite characteristics to encounter on the social dance floor. For what it's worth, these are the things that make a dance fun for me!

1) Be at ease with your skills. Nothing saps the fun out of a dance like one partner constantly apologizing to the other, and beating him/herself up for every perceived mistake they make. If you goof up, laugh it off and don't worry about it! You'll have more fun, and your partner will too. 

2) Keep your moves appropriate for the social floor. I'm not talking about keeping your dance G-rated, although that's also a good idea, I'm talking about respecting the other dancers on the floor. If it's crowded out there, it isn't the time for spirited kicks and mile-wide swingouts. Also, assume the social floor is never the right place for aerials. (I'll write a whole editor's note on aerials another time.)

3) Dance with a partner by choice, not by default. If you love a song and you want to rock all your favorite moves, and it doesn't matter WHO you rock them with, maybe you should solo dance instead. Nobody likes to feel like they're just a prop for their partner to show off around. A good social dance is like a good conversation: you should both get to talk AND listen.

Above all, cliche as it may sound, have fun on the dance floor. That's what it's there for.

Got thoughts? Email me.

   Chelsea Rothschild 


See you next week!


Thursday, August 15, 2013

WSDS Weekly 8/15/13



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Wichita Swing Dance Weekly

This Month's Classes:

Beginning Lindy Hop* 6:30-7:30

Smooth Moves, Sunday Aug 25 ONLY** 6:30-7:30

Intro to Swing 7:30-8:00

*Students must register by 8/1 to take this class.

**A special drop-in class for leads to learn some super cool moves, follows get in free!

Next Month's Classes:

*Beginning Lindy Hop 6:30-7:30

*Intermediate Lindy Hop 6:30-7:30

Intro to Swing 7:30-8:00

*Students must register by 9/1 to take this class.

This Month at Swingin' Sunday:

We will have our monthly Birthday Jam on Sunday, August 25th. If you have a birthday this month, you don't miss it!

Travel Opportunities:

If you're looking to meet more dancers and skyrocket your skills, there's no better way to do it than by traveling to some regional events! 'Tis the season for dancing in the Midwest. Check it out:

Cowtown Jamborama in Omaha, NE September 19-22

Southern Fried Swing in Greenwood, AK, September 27-29

Sweepin Swing in Tulsa, OK, October 11-13

All Follow's Eve in Fort Worth, TX November 1-3

Nevermore Jazz Ball in St. Louis, Missouri November 7-10

The Funny Section:

When You Find Out There's Food at Late Night:

YES TASTY

Swing Night at the Wright Brothers Bar: SUCCESS!

Thank you very much to all the dancers who came out to the Wright Brothers bar last night. We had a great night of dancing and socializing!! Keep reading the weekly to find out when we'll do it again.
Dancers on the floor
Wright Bros Sign
Dancers on the floor
Sadly, we will have to keep our future events at this venue to guests that are 21 years of age or older. Apologies to those of you who found that out the awkward way last night!

Chicken Snacker Competition: Hilarious

Wichita's swing dancers know how to have fun, and we've got the video to prove it:

Video
Last week's Chicken Snacker was a triumph of silliness, and every participant deserves a high-five for putting themselves out there on the dance floor! Thanks bunches to DJ Evan Borst for keeping the competitors on their toes, and congratulations to Pearl and Nathan for their 1st place win!  If you missed out on this month's silly competition, don't despair! Next month the series will continue with a SOUL TRAIN. Get excited!

Set List Finalized for Avita Performance

While social dancing will always be the mainstay of the Wichita Swing Dance Society, sometimes it's nice to sit back, relax, and watch a good old-fashioned jazz performance.

This Saturday, August 17th, a number of local dancers will be putting on just such a show for FREE at the Avita seniors' community, at 2114 N 127th Street East.

Starting at 2:00, the dancers will perform eight numbers in a series they're calling the 8 Count Swing Show. Performances will include:

The Shim Sham
Walk With a Wiggle
Sunny Side of the Street
The Big Apple
The Tranky Doo
Organ Grinder's Swing
Thrift Shop
The Oreo Swing Hops


Additional dancers are welcome to come support the dancers with applause and enthusiasm, and to socialize with the Avita community. There will be social dancing after the show, so come on out!

Good to know:

The Collegiate Shag class scheduled for this month has been postponed to February, 2014. You can sign up and pay for the class any time between now and February 3rd.

Meanwhile, Evan Borst will be teaching a ONE NIGHT ONLY Smooth Moves class on August 25th. This special event will cost leads $5 (members) or $7 (non-members). Cost covers admission for the night. Follows can take the class for FREE.

Steals and Deals:

WSDS members get discounted prices for monthly classes and admission. Check out our website for details!

More Swing Dancing in Wichita::

Want more swing dancing in your life? The Lindy Bombers meet every Monday night for a lesson at 7:30pm. Head to their website for details!

Video of the Week:

Check out the Oreo Swing Hops' routine for Saturday in this sneak preview. You might recall that this number WON the 60 Second Showdown at Sunflower Swing!

Editor's Note: On Switching Partners During Class

When I arrived at my first ever Swingin' Sunday, I had never danced with a partner before. I assumed, as many new students do, that I needed to bring my partner with me to take class. I also assumed that most of the people in class would be couples, and that each couple would dance only with each other. 

Experienced dancers take for granted that NONE of that is true. You almost never need to bring a partner to take a class, and you almost always rotate partners in class so that everyone dances with everyone else. And, in the swing dance community, dancing together isn't considered an inherently romantic activity. Couples dance with each other, their friends, family members, and perfect strangers!

To a new student, though, the prospect of switching partners can be an intimidating one. And, if you come to swing dance purely as a way to spend time with your date, there's no reason to do it. If, however, you have any desire to become a good dancer, I strongly urge you to join the rotation! Switching partners lets you dance with people who are more experienced, which is one of the fastest ways to improve. It also helps clarify why certain things don't work - specifically, if it's you, your partner, or both at fault. Plus, rotating partners helps you get to know the members of your community, which, in our case, is an incredibly rewarding experience. 

Got thoughts? Email me.

   Chelsea Rothschild 


See you next week!


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