_Dance Forum Archives for September 1998

Archive of Dance Forum Articles From September, 1998

This is the archive of DANCE FORUM articles which appeared during September, 1998

This is the place to review and savor all of those interesting articles written by our erudite readers.

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Click on the name of the article to read it. No more scrolling!

A Great American has Passed On (Andy Wallo)
Interview With Eric Celarier (Diane Carroad)
Our Man in Germany (Ben Rathbone)
Swing in Madison (Alan Parsons)
Lian in Boston (Lian Eoyang)
Danny D and Swing Street Six (Danny Darling)
Hollywood Ballroom Swing Event
Swing at Ozio
Saving Private Ryan (Chris Bamberger)
Richmond Lindy (Robert Semtner)
News From New York (Jennifer Comar)
Steve and Christy are Teaching! (Steve Cowles)
Mara's Black Eye (Mara Levy)
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy in Richmond (Mark Brown)
Swing at UVA (Matt Smiley)
A Note from Swing Shift
News From Debra (Debra Sternberg)
New Swing Venues... (Angela Babineck)
Hair and Makeup Lessons (Chris Santarlas)
Mood Swings Big Band Friday Gig (Ken Stastny)
Flying Saucer Discs (Matt Dunn)
Veteran's Day Dance (Janice Saylor)
Four Reasons Swing Won't Die (V.Vale)
All Woman Band (Lizzie Hess)
New Swing Club in London (Claire Hilliard)
Lindy Instruction with Ken and Donna Roesel (Keith Yager)
Pulse Rebuttal (Elizabeth Engel)
Balboa Lindy Hop Comment (Jim Kranyak)
Portland Swing Scene (Guy Wallman)
New Swing Dance Venues in Philadelphia
Big Band Radio in Annapolis (Caren Ritter)
Indigo Swing White Chili (Sue Fedor )
Brown and White Saddle Shoes (Mercedes Clemmons)
Swing Des Moines (Sarah Reid)
Vintage Hair and Makeup (Chris Santarlas)
Swing Club at Quince Orchard High School (Anna Libman)
Louise Thwaite Workshops in NYC (Jennifer Comar)
Dancers Wanted on Sunday (Mike Henry)
Steve Lucky & the Rhumba Bums East Coast Tour (Carmen Getit)
Cameron in Las Vegas (Cameron Sellers)
Stars at Night Big and Bright, Deep in the Heart of Texas (Arnold Taylor)

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THE ARTICLES

A Great American has Passed On
By: Andy Wallo

A magnificent man died today. I would like to bear testimony to his life. He was a patriot, a husband, a father, grandfather and a God fearing man. He was a solid Christian man. He started his life as a son of a second generation immigrant. His first job was picking coal and delivering milk. This was in a day before speed limits, before drivers licenses and before cardboard milk cartons. It was a time of Unions and of Steel.

He worked in the bottom of a mine just like in the song Big John. He rose in the esteem of his supervisors in such a way as to be promoted to the top of his position. He went to night school and became a safety engineer of this mining corporation. He rose to the position of head safety engineer. For those of you who have no comprehension of what a safety engineer for a mining corporation in the 1930's did, it was his job to decide daily which shafts were filled with Sulfur and Coal gas and which shafts to permit the mining crews to work in. If he made a poor decision, the nicest thing that happened was when the pick sparked, the Natural gas exploded and everyone died instantly. The worst was if the 'bang' caused a cave in, the survivors suffocated by breathing coal gas. It was his task to ensure proper shoring of the shafts, and to ventilate the systems. And if God forbid, a cave in happened, it was his duty to lead the rescue team. If you ever wonder of the strength required to survive this age, never ever think that it was easy. I have a picture of this man, benching the rear of my mother's Volkswagen up onto the front bumper. These men built America from pure sweat blood and tears. They were strong men.

He enlisted in the United States Navy after the call for volunteers. He took the position of engineer in the US Navy Sub pack. He worked the engine room. Imagine Glen Echo in the middle of summer. Add twenty or thirty degrees. Add the threat of death if the repair you made last night, didn't hold and you'd be the sitting duck for Japan's tin can hunting you with depth charges. This is not a movie. He, and every other American veteran of W.W.II faced similar deaths. He rose to the position of chief engineer for his submarine. Contrary to the most recent movie immortalizing W.W.II, no soldier wondered why they were there.

It was so obvious that nobody even questioned why we went to war. My grandfather fought in W.W.II so that my father, and myself and my children will have a world that respects freedom and individual liberty. He upheld his generation's duty to hand down to the next, the legacy of honor, self-sacrifice and duty to the things that we believe in.

I do not hold prejudice against any that believe in something different from myself, only that you are prepared to defend your belief to the end.

That truth is not a shifting shadow, but it is something that you state, and from that moment on, it does not change. A lie is a lie, and deceit can be defined in only one way: Cowardice to face the consequences of your decisions.

After the war my grandfather took a position in the Pennsylvania State penitentiary as a guard. He eventually was promoted to the highest position less than warden. All that is meaningless.

Hear this. The most significant thing that my grandmother told me was that when my grandfather retired from working at the penitentiary, the inmates ,en'masse, turned out in the yard,to give my grandfather a salute goodbye. He was respected by possibly the most disrespectable, the most rebellious, the untamed, the unruly, the people who respected NOTHING. They did not respect the Law, they did not respect people, women, culture, work ethics, many didn't respect life in general. They respected my grandfather.

Today my grandfather died of cancer.

My grandfather is survived by his wife Genuivieve, or June.

Together they would have made their 50th anniversary next weekend (12th) They had two children. Andrew Wallo III and his brother Mark Wallo. He has three surviving grandchildren, my cousin, Anne, my brother Aaron, and myself: Andrew T. Wallo. I am Andrew Wallo the 4th.

Those of you that know me well, know that I like to dream and create wild plans which may or may not happen. All of that aside, I have but one true worldy desire. That when I stand beside my Creator and look down at those who are placing my body in the ground, I would be able to see the admiration in the eyes of those that are standing there, the same way my grandfather will see the admiration in the eyes of those that remain to stand today.

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An Interview With Sculptor -- and Lindyhopper -- Eric Celarier
Creator of Possible Evolutionary Outcomes
On View at the University of Maryland at College Park
By: Diane L. Carroad

On the summer afternoon I interviewed Eric Celarier about his new sculpture exhibit at the University of Maryland, he had just left the Hirshhorn Museum and his excitement was apparent. There he had viewed Jeff Wall s cibachrome transparencies and saw possibilities to enhance the light in his own mural-sized computer drawings. Eric easily finds amazement in just about every facet of the world. He reflects this wonder in his exhibit, Possible Evolutionary Outcome, scheduled from August 3 - September 26 in the Adele Stamp Student Union's Parents Association Gallery.

The exhibit s title offers hints about Eric s philosophy of life and art. Three assumptions guide him as a sculptor, a 2- dimensional graphic artist, and a person. First, there is no particular natural state that nature will return to. To borrow a phrase from Heroclitus, a pre-Socratic philosopher, the world is in flux and constantly undergoing change. Eric s point is that as we make beneficial or harmful changes to the world to fit our needs, the world will not return to its current state .

Second, we are animals, act as such, and are more pervasive than any other living being for many reasons. One reason is our mobility in terms of home, work, relationships, and other priorities in our existence. Another is that, unlike other animals, we take advantage of a wide food variety.

Third, echoing paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould who wrote Wonderful Life, Eric assumes that the earth has no predetermined process that can go one way or be reversed in another systematic way. Evolution, the process by which every kind of living creature is generated, is not necessarily progressing or becoming more complex. Outcomes are undirected, haphazard, and undetermined. Scientists may be able to guess how the world will be in the future, but they are simply guessing. Eric expands on this: It follows that the human race has no privileged status among the animals; homo sapiens, like every other natural kind, is the result of countless chance happenings.

Getting Eric s personal bent on life and art is important. Still, he emphasizes that people can enjoy his sculpture and other artwork without this knowledge. So, what has he created in the 12 new pieces housed in 9 cases on view at the University of Maryland? In one sculpture entitled Cornu famelicum (famished horn), we see an assemblage of parts including a mammal s horn, leather pieces, an unlit light bulb, and three F-22 airplane models. Eric gives the impression that he does not want to destroy the heritage and beauty of the organic parts he has collected. In previous sculptures used for his Master of Fine Arts thesis at the University of Cincinnati, older War II model airplanes that he once made fit within the historical framework of the artist s personal past and society s bygone days. Eric drilled holes in these model parts to make them appear older, giving us a sense of a distant time. In the new pieces displayed in the current exhibit, Eric makes it harder to determine where and when things originated except for the familiar and obviously manufactured parts.

Viewers may see that the sculptures depict animal forms and so are zoomorphic. They do not represent animals that we know but portray, in a metaphorical way, biological entities touched by human technology. In fact, Eric even uses the Linnean Binomial System for Nomenclature and gives his creatures scientific species names like all other living species.

Eric notes, No animal has a more pervasive impact on nature and its habitat than the human being. By characterizing possible living creatures as consisting of human detritus -- the things we throw away -- I reveal the consequences of our behavior on our environment and its possible harmful effects on life. These things we so easily discard can be beautiful or useful if treated correctly. Observe the precariousness of nature and how it creates new forms. Building with materials from nature and human artifice, I create novel organic forms to remind us of nature s tendency to adjust its form to respond to unpredictable changes in living conditions. Think of the chances of us being here now and try to understand how easy it is for us to overrun our food supply or pollute our streams.

He seems quite relaxed about the fact that some viewers may just enjoy the shapes and angles, colors, method of assembly, sense of animation created by lights, and comfortingly recognizable objects. I create organic form that doesn t really have a counterpart in this world. It is not a bird or snail or fish or larvae. My sculptures consist of things from everyday life. If someone thinks my art is a bird, that says a lot more about the viewer than my intentions. If you label a piece a snail or seal, then the viewer only sees it as that -- which is fine -- but takes away the spectator s confrontation with the object and discovery of our world s fragility.

How do Eric s environmental ideas play out in his sculptures? He regards the sculptures as if they are creatures that could exist if these everyday parts managed to pull themselves together into a coherent union for survival. He points out, That is essentially what we are -- a bunch of cells that join together to perform cooperative and economical tasks. We bond, have histories, and are natural beings formed out of the vestiges of something that preceded us. The lights give them a sense of life. It s up to the viewer s imagination to see them for what they are or can be.

Describing the nature of his sculpture, Eric reveals that he takes his art and its meaning seriously. He agrees with a former art instructor: You have to have it set in your head why you are using that medium. According to Eric, There must be something about the medium that you cannot do with anything else.

Asked if his sculptures will be viewed as art or not, Eric answers, I don t ask if my work is art or not. I m not afraid to say it is. Not many people would argue this point although tastes may differ and not all art is good art. Generally speaking, if a piece makes it into the gallery, it is art. Art for me and many other artists is about describing or portraying -- presenting the unpresentable. If I want to create the world for you, I can t create an exact duplicate of the world. I have to create a representation of the world. He goes on to say that much contemporary art tries to avoid the appearance of adhering to preceding standards of aesthetic quality. He admits that he disregards this issue and enjoys creating a piece that has aesthetic quality because of its collection of parts. Less obvious in his sculptures than his computer art is the strong influence of Oriental ideas which spring from a sense of unity and a focus on the natural state.

Eric emphasizes that the consequences of human environmental devastation can be as severe to man as it has been and continues to be to other species. He continues, People seem to think that the shores will repair themselves if we dump oil there and that in 100 years, things will return to a previous state. However, our actions are critical incidents in history with recurring effects until the end of time.

Is Eric optimistic about man s impact on nature? He responds that we are probably the only animal that can and should make responsible decisions given our capacity for foresight. Our actions are not necessarily evil but they have been predictable. We ve tended to see only past our immediate experience -- to think perhaps to our grandchildren s lives. We ve only been on this planet for 120,000 years. Do we want to live like the candle that burns twice as bright but burns half as long? We re becoming technologically more clever but not necessarily more advanced. Still, we just may come up with interesting ways to coexist with other living things on this planet, to appreciate biodiversity, to enjoy the fact that there are so many bizarre creatures on the planet. Of course, there is hope. Without hope, why focus on this at all?

But, should there be so many people on the planet? There are certain things within our control which wouldn t rob people of their human rights. Food scarcity is one of these kinds of issues and can bring out the worst of our inhumanity. For all the negative things that have happened in our relatively short history, man s inhumanity may not be completely tapped out. We must think about what kind of planet we want and make choices. We can affect the environment but not necessarily control it although we often convince ourselves that technology can do whatever we want it to.

How did Eric get interested in art and the environment in the first place? As a kid who loved animals and grew up in Washington, D.C., he d go to the Museum of Natural History when it rained. He spent hours reading science books, constructing models, and inventing monsters. Now he just creates different kinds of animals. Fascinated by segmented worms, Burgess shale, the Amazon rain forest, Eric freely admits that part of the reason for his artwork is to justify his enthusiastic exploration of the world.

Join Eric Celarier and his creations at an art reception on Wednesday, September 9, 1998 from 5-8 PM in the Adele Stamp Student Union at the University of Maryland at College Park.

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Our man in Germany....
By: Ben Rathbone

here is Tobias's contact info:

Tobias Kohl
Zeppelinstrasse 4
89269 Voehringen 07306/335254
Germany
phone: 49/7306 33524
e-mail: tobias.kohl@student.unl-ulm.de

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Swing in Madison, Wisconsin
By: Alan Parsons

Frank and Carole,
I just thought I'd share a little information with you: Swing has definitely taken hold in Madison, Wisconsin. As all the students come back to school, the dance clubs and bars are frantic to get some sort of swing venue started. As of today, here are the places that sponsor swing events:

The Angelic Brewing Company
322 W. Johnson St
(608) 257-2707
Swing Night Every Sunday night, 8:30pm - midnight, canned music, 10-12 couple dance floor

Cardinal Bar
418 E. Wilson St
(608) 251-0080
50s & 60s Swing every Thursday 9:00pm - 11:00pm, 20 couple dance floor

The Inferno
1718 Commercial Ave
(608) 245-9583
Swing dancing once a month, usually fourth Friday. Call to confirm, large dance area 30+ couples

The Memorial Union, Univ of Wisconsin campus
800 Langdon Street
(608) 262-2511
Swing dance once a week, call to confirm. Large dance area, 30+ couples

Occasionally there is also spontaneous swing dancing, where someone (usually me) will bring a stereo and CDs and a group of people will have a go at it in a large, open area (usually by the fountain at Library Mall, across from the Memorial Union). These are always fun, and attract a large group of onlookers. There are several more bars and dance clubs that have plans underway for swing events, but the specifics are unknown.

Keep up the great work!
---Alan Parsons

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Lian in Boston
By: Lian Eoyang

Hey Frank and Carole! It's Lian, and I'm at school at Wellesley College in Boston. Yippie! Hey, I can be your Boston correspondant for the LWIR! If you could get back to me soon. Thanks guys, I really appreciate it!
---Lian Eoyang

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Danny D and Swing Street Six
By: Danny Darling

I wanted to let you know about the New Swing, jazz, blues,retro Band forming in Nashville, TN. We are called Danny D & His Swing Street 6, featuring Joanne Morgan on vocal. We will have seasoned players who have toured this world with major artist,such as Donna Summers, Leon Russell, Engelberk Humperdinck(sp) in this group, 6 to 7 members, should be smoking, including, 2 sax, keyboards, drums, bass, guitar, vocal and some times trumpet. We will be playing the club, concert, festival scene, private parties, and dance clubs. I will keep you posted of up coming gigs. You can call for parties, and for your dance clubs at 615-832-9509 ask for Danny or Leave Message or E-mail @ dannyman@gateway.net

-- Danny Darling

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Hollywood Ballroom Swing Event

On Wednesday Sept. 16, 1998 Hollywood Ballroom celebrates its Ninth Annual National ballroom dancing Week. A committee has picked the movie themes for this year, and has been busy making special decorations and costumes for the events for months. Wednesday's Movie theme is "Buck Privates" - Featuring the Jitterbug (Single Time Swing) Dance Begins at 8:30PM Complimentary JITTERBUG lesson at 7:30 PM Demonstrations: LINDY: Kermit Laughon / Mary Piasecki SWING: Dodi Alcazar / Martha Sullenger, Russ Hunt / Rosalie Veliuon

Back to the forties with a USO Theme Dance and FREE Coffee and Donuts Dress: 40s. Admission: Free if in uniform, Regular $10/PP. Jitterbug Contest (Amateur) with US Savings Bond to Winners. Theme is from the 1941 Abbott and Costello movie with the proverbial USO Canteen and the Dean Colins Swing Dancers, who were featured in over 100 movies.

Event co-sponsored by City Paper. Phone City Paper Contact the City Paper for a FREE MATCHES AD Gain FREE Admission and a chance for fabulous prizes including a weekend at the Willard Hotel for two. (Pls. contact Bobbie at Hollywood Ballroom for more details regarding this special offer)

This ballroom has a large singles contingent as well as couples, no reservations necessary except for groups of 6 or more. Dance Instruction: By Steve Ferrara, Arthur Murray & Fred Astaire certified . Attire: Dressy or dressy casual, men do not have to wear coats or ties, but no tee's. The Dance floor: 6800 sq. ft floating maple. Refreshments: Sodas, Wine, beer, & mixed drinks available. There is no smoking in the Ballroom.

Web: http://www.hollywoodballroom.com

2126 Industrial Pkwy (Middle Of Driveway, 2nd Bldg. left), Silver Spring, MD
Voice: 301 622 5494
E-Mail bmfries@smart.net

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Swing at Ozio

Washingtonians who think that the Whip is only a congressional leader are about to be enlightened. Novices and dance aficionados alike are invited to come to Ozio in September to experience the big band rhythms, classic cocktails, and learn the daring dance moves that epitomized the Swing Era.

Swing nights will be held Tuesdays from 6:00-9:00 p.m. on the following dates:

Tuesday,September 8th
Tuesday, September 15th
Tuesday, September 22th
Tuesday, September 29th

With something for everyone from the merely curious to the seasoned swinger, Ozio will be showcasing all-time favorites from greats like Count Basie as well as the sounds of modern swing kings like Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. If the toe-tapping tunes inspire patrons to the dance floor, swing pros Ellen Engle and Marc Shepanek will be on hand to show off their moves as well as guide the less experienced through the steps.

Engle and Shepanek are former Virginia State swing dance champions and have been featured on WUSA-TV (Channel 9), ABC's World News This Weekend, National Geographic Explorer, and in a Mary Chapin Carpenter video. They have also appeared locally at the Kennedy Center and The Barns at Wolf Trap.

Those who prefer lounging to leaping will also be able to settle into one of Ozio's art nouveau-inspired couches and sip Ozio's special Skyy Vodka Martini.

Acclaimed in Harper's Bazaar for its "Cool Bar Scene," Ozio Martini & Cigar Lounge is located at 1835 K Street NW, and is open for lunch Monday through Friday, and dinner every night except Sunday. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights Ozio is open until 3 a.m., and closes at 2 a.m. the rest of the week.

Location: Ozio Martini & Cigar Lounge
Address: 1835 K Street NW
City: Washington
State: DC
Cost: $0.00!!!
Contact: Brooke Riter or Cristina Sotelino
Phone: (202) 466 - 6286
E-Mail: HisaokaPR@aol.com

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Saving Private Ryan
By: Christine Bamberger

I went to see "Saving Private Ryan" Sunday. Although I am well into my thirties, it was the first graphically violent film I have ever mustered the courage to see, and I am glad I saw it. Fascinated by 1940s movies, music, dance, and popular culture, I have always been interested in World War II and drawn to the "more positive" aspects of it: heroism, dedication on the battlefield and on the homefront, the spirit of unity in this country at that time.

Several thoughts occurred to me as I debated whether I could withstand watching this picture. One was, if ever violence is not gratuitous, it is in a depiction of battle, perhaps especially battle in World War II. I thought, "If our fighting men could lay their lives on the line for the sake of the freedom I have today, the least I can do is ' watch them do it.' "

I also wondered if my attitude toward the "Good War" would be altered by the realism of the battle scenes and the depictions of cowardice and dishonorable killing of men who had surrendered. Instead I came away even more reverent of those who sacrificed their lives. Many of them were not so sure why they were fighting. Many made tragic mistakes. Many cried and ran away. Many died just because they were first in the line of fire. But in the larger scheme of things, not one of them died in vain. Every merely human one of them WAS heroic. That is what Spielberg shows us.
---Chris

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Richmond Lindy
By: Robert B Semtner

Dear Frank and Carole,
I just read through your Richmond,VA review and I know that it has been up a while. Things have progressed nicely here in town. A group of us went to America in Tyson's corner back in April and been pushing it in Richmond ever since. We have a club named Caffeine's at 401 E. Grace St that started swing nights on Fridays back in June and it has really taken off. A DJ provides the music but the floor is great and the atmosphere is awesome. It has been so successful that they added Wednesday night in July and have been talking about adding Sundays. They have been offering basic swing classes but a lindy hop class is in the works. I thought you might want to come down 95 and visit Richmond again.
---Rob Semtner

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News From New York
By: Jennifer Comar jenniferc@NortonMcNa ughton.com

Hi Frank and Carole-
It's been ages since I wrote about anything going on here in the city, but then again, it feels like ages since I experienced anything new here on the scene. I stayed in town this past Labor Day weekend, and discovered a few good things you might like to know about what's happening up here.

To start off, there is a another band on the scene that plays for dancers - they are called the Blue Saracens, and they play semi-regularly at Swing 46 and Louisiana Bar and Grill. I heard them play this past Friday and was very impressed by the show they put on. The songs were perfect tempo - not too fast or too long, and musically interesting. Matt, Sasha and I went to Swing 46 on a whim and met up with Paolo, (who you may remember from last year's VSO). Two girls, Two guys, an open floor, music that I could actually dance to - what more could you want from a night on the town?

Speaking of Paolo, he has been holding Sunday afternoon Lindy Jams at Bethesda Fountain in Central Park all summer, (enter the park at W72nd street), and hopefully will continue them into October, if the weather permits. We spent this past Sunday afternoon dancing on the plaza in front of the fountain. Even with sneakers, the bricks provide a nice smooth surface and as long as you stay in the shade, you won't get too tired. There is a dollar donation for the sound system that he hopes will eventually also pay for water and juice for the dancers. I wasn't prepared to be quite the public spectacle - at one point a Chinese wedding party came over to film the lindy hoppers congratulating the bride and groom. On the other hand, a lot of people donated money even though they were only watching , which was good for Paolo and his batteries.

[On a side note, we were joined by a friend from Sweden whom some of you may know and remember fondly - Marie, who ran the office all summer at Herrang. I was dancing with Matt, one of my room-mates at the camp, when I spotted her, and I said "hey, doesn't that look an awful lot like Marie ?", and he confirmed that it was indeed the person who I had last seen booking my ride to Arlanda airport at the end of July. Anyway, she is in town for the week- a last minute vacation. She stopped by my office today to get a quick tour, (we both work in the garment business, I design clothes for the moms of America and she designs zoot suits and costumes for dancers in Stockholm), and I sent her back out into the city well armed with a list of fabric stores and vintage clothing shops].

There was more outside dancing for public spectacle that night as we all regrouped at South Street Seaport to dance for a few hours on the boardwalk. It was such a relief to dance outside in the fresh air, although I do not recommend the boardwalk as a good surface if you have joint problems. (It does have a good bounce, though). It was very informal - a rendezvous point was established by phone that afternoon, someone brought a box and several people brought CD's. (Matt luckily remembered to bring some slower stuff because the boardwalk was killing my knees during the fast songs). Hopefully, while the weather is still good, we will get a regular thing going there as a Sunday alternative to Irving Plaza.

Last but not least, and on the subject of alternatives, George Gee is starting up a Monday night Swing 46 gig to rival Louisiana Bar and Grill. If it turns into a regular thing, you will be able to see his "Jump Jivin' Wailers" every Monday night on 46th street and avoid the slippery floors and unruly dancers downtown.

Hope you come visit us soon.
Your friend in NYC,
---Jennifer

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Steve and Christy are Teaching!
By: Steve Cowles scowl@wam.umd.edu

Christy and I are going to be teaching lindy at the University of Maryland (College Park). Our classes are eight weeks long and start on September 30 (Wednesday). They are going to be in the basement of the Armory on the UMCP campus. From 6pm-7pm is the intermediate, and we are teaching two begginner classess from 7-8 and 8-9. From nine on is going to be DJ dancing until about eleven or so. The cost for UMD students is $45 and for non-UMD is $60. We hope that both students on campus and others in the MD area will come and take the classes. We are going to be putting out fliers by Friday and if anyone has any questions, they can e-mail me or give a call 301-972-8895.

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Mara's Black Eye
By: Mara Levy mlevy@beacon.eastern.EDU

Hi everyone!
I just wanted to drop you a quick note letting you know how I'm doing, and the biggest news of the last two hours. Well, here it is: sweet little Mara has a black eye! Or I will, everyone tells me. It's pretty swollen so I'm inclined to believe them. But it doesn't hurt that badly! It barely hurts at all, except when I take off the ice. How did I get it? Well, it's a perfect example of why college swing is BAD. The guy I was dacing with, who's actually the best guy in the school, was spinning very quickly with his elbows too high, and my poor eye got in the way. He hit me so hard even his fingers went numb. He was incredibly sorry of course, and tried to make me sit down, but after a few seconds I made him finish the song with me. Am I crazy or what? And I continued to do all sorts of kips and flips all night, between icepack applications. So that's what's going on with me. I actually taught a few girls a basic swingout tonight, and had fun leading around one girl that actually knows many of my pitiful leads. But I'm still having fun, and I'll be back to dance with you all soon!
Love
---Mara

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Big Bad Voodoo Daddy in Richmond
By: Mark Brown mayoe@erols.com

Hey Guys,
I was wondering if you could please post a Big Bad Voodoo Daddy show on your calendar of events. The concert is in Richmond, Virginia but maybe some die hard fans might be willing to make the drive for a $15.00 show.

I do not know what is matter with Richmond but ticket sales are rather sluggish at this point. Maybe will your help they will pick up. There is a group of us that go to DC to see swing bands so maybe you guys will come on down.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy on Mayo Island, Richmond, Virginia
Friday, September 18, 1998
6PM - 10PM
$15 Advance/$20 Gate Available at Ticketmaster outlets or charge by phone 804.262.8100

Mayo Island is located on the 14th Street Bridge in Downtown Richmond VA We are a 5,000 person capacity outside venue. We will have a dance floor for the show and we are offering a free swing dance lesson from 6 PM - 7 PM.

For more information please call 804-643.8601 or www.mayoisland.com

If you have questions, please call me at 804.643.6296 Lisa Tae Albanowski Mayo Island Entertainment, Promotions

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Swing at UVA
By: Matt Smiley mws8n@server2.mail. virginia.edu

When Thomas Jefferson (hereafter to be referred to by The University's euphemism: Mr. Jefferson, or TJ as I like to call him) designed the University of Virginia, he was trying to provide a place where the youth of the country could become enlightened in the areas philosophy, mathematics, literature, etc. Sadly, there was no room in TJ's vision for swing dancing (as it was yet to be introduced for another some 110 years). A similar limited vision can still be found around the campus (hereafter to be referred to by The University's euphemism: "The Grounds") as Swing is just getting started down here. I did a little digging and after a while I met some people that claimed to be proficient "Swingers" (<- A term that I have learned to be a bit leery of). They then proceeded to show me their best Johnny Swing. So by the time I went to the first dance that I heard about, I was a bit inquisitive about whether there was really any dancing in this area.

Well, fortunately Gretta, Julie, and Catherine also go here so, of course, we all met up at this event and scoped "the scene." The band was decent and adapted their style of music to suit our dancing. They were a quartet I believe, and started by playing some salsa music, but we put in some requests and they were more than happy to oblige once they saw the dancing we were doing. More people started watching us and Gretta and I were actually offered teaching positions with the University Union. Of course, we gladly accepted and will begin a cheap knockoff "Tom and Deb" course in two weeks.

Well, we hope to get all of The University Lindy Hopping within 8 weeks and to annihilate the flailing menace- Johnny Swing. There will probably be some dances down here sometime so we'll be sure to keep you all informed if you fancy coming down and visiting. If anybody is considering coming down, I assure you that you would be welcomed by Southern Hospitality and plenty of inquiries as to whether or not you are a professional dancer (these do wonders for your ego).

The DC crowd of Lindy Hopping kids here all seem to be having a great time and I'm certainly learning a whole lot. Namely, that having an obscure talent that impresses hallmates, frat boys, and every member of the opposite sex is the best asset one can have upon matriculating to school. A lot of us are coming back for VSO so we'll see you all around.
---Matt Smiley

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A Note from Swing Shift

We are back at "The America Restaurant" in Tyson's Corner on Friday, September 11, 1998, from 9:00 PM till midnight with Flying Feet Enterprises with Marc and Ellen. Bring your dance partner and your appetite to enjoy great food along with great music and dance. Who knows you might even learn a new step from Marc and Ellen.

Saturday Night you will find Swing Shift in Old Town Manassas, VA for Evening Under The Stars to benefit CASA. This is a public event and fund raiser. We will be playing from 8:00 PM till midnight.

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News From Debra
By: Debra Sternberg debster@clark.net

Hey, Frank! It seems like 8 million years since I've seen you or yakked with you. Hope you guys are doing swell. By the way, I had the time to look around your website again yesterday and I'm STUNNED by:

How good it looks, and
How much work you put into it!

But it's such a valuable resource!

Now, a couple of things to add to the calendars if I could:

Every Wednesday night starting September 9 Swing Dancing at Lulu's Club Mardi Gras 1217 22nd Street, NW Beginner swing lesson 8 - 9 pm, taught by Tom Koerner and Carolyn Biczel Dance to swing CDs spun by Tom from 9 pm until 1:30 am $5 cover, but email lulusclub@hotmail.com to get on the guest list
Friday, September 25 Indigo Swing! Beginner swing lesson 8 - 9 pm taught by Tom Koerner and Debra Sternberg Dance 9 pm - Midnight Forest Glen Ballroom, Forest Glen, Maryland Tickets $20 (advance tickets are available from Tom and Debra or Jeff Fredericks, or by calling (703) 824-8586. Note: if all tickets are pre-sold, there will be no general admission at the door! Visit Tom and Debra's website at www.website100.com/t omanddebra for more details and directions! Brought to you by Tom and Debra and Save Our Seminary. Don't miss it!!!!

Love,
---Debra

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Hair and Makeup Lessons
By: Chris Santarlas singindivas@worldnet.a tt.net

Hi glam gals!
Here is the information for classes. There will also be flyers at America, and Chevy Chase, etc., or you can just print this page and send it in to me. See you soon!

BASIC HAIR
Sat., Sept. 19 2:00PM
(extra class at 4:00PM)
Learn how to roll and twist your hair like the glam gals of the fabulous forties.

BASIC MAKEUP
Sat., Oct. 3 2:00PM
(extra class at 4:00PM)
Learn corrective and everyday 1940's daytime makeup.

ADVANCED HAIR Sat., October 10 2:00PM
(Extra Class at 4:00PM)
Learn to design your style, and finish it with hot curling, rolling, flowers, etc.

ADVANCED MAKEUP
Sat., Oct. 17 2:00PM
(extra class at 4:00PM)
Learn 1940's moviestar/glam makeup.

Classes will be held at my home:
2906 South 13th Street, #202
Arlington, VA 22204

15 gals per class. If more than 15 sign up for one day, I will do two classes on the same day. Bring hairbrush, comb, mirror, hairspray and photos of your favorite style. You can print/fill out the following, if you haven't received a flyer, and mail it back to me with a check to the above address. I'll e-mail/send you directions, if you need them.

Name:
Phone:
E-mail:
circle your preference:

Basic Hair: $12.00
Basic Makeup: $12.00
Advanced Hair: $12.00
Glam Makeup: $12.00
All Four Classes:$40.00 (save $8.00)
TOTAL: ________

**All payments for Basic Classes Due by Sept. 11, 1998
**Payments for Advanced Classes Due by Oct. 3, 1999

CHECKS PAYABLE TO "CHRISTINA SANTARLAS"
Call with questions: (703) 521-2992

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Mood Swings Big Band Friday Gig
By: Ken Stastny kstastny@email.msn.com

Friday's Swing Happy Hour

Date: September 11, 1998
Place: Baltimore South Harbor Pier next to the Harborview Marina
Time: Happy Hour at 5PM
Live music from 6:45 to 10PM
Price: Admission is free
More information Call 410-252-4924 or 410-385-4111
or visit www.moodswings.com
or e-mail at mswings@moodswings.com

Mood Swings will be making a special appearance at this Friday night swing venue located at the Baltimore South Harbor Pier. Join us for a sneak preview of some exciting things about to come in Mood Swings entertainment. The evening will continue to build all night long with new and wild swing excitement. The entire evening gets under way at 5PM with hor's d'Ouevres, fine spirits and microbrews. At 6:45PM is when Mood Swings begins to take the stage with an exciting "sneak preview" debut of Mood Swings 9. These swingin' hepcats will entertain with their wild blend of swingin' grooves. Later in the evening, Mood Swings 11 will also debut with some outrageously new swingin' arrangements in an ultra-cool tribute to the great big-band swingers of all time! The evening will of course be capped off with everyone's favorite...Mood Swings Big Band, "Baltimore's Youngest and Swingin'est Big Band." Each performace will be separated by some fantastic complimentary dance lessons. Don't miss this memorable and historic "sneak preview" debut of Baltimore's Ultimate Swing Sensations, Mood Swings Big Band and those Swingin' Hepcats!

Directions: From the Baltimore Harbor, proceed South on Light Street passing the Md. Science Center. At the Y-Intersection bear hard to the left onto Key Highway passing in front of Federal Hill. Proceed on Key Highway passing the Visionary Arts Museum and then look for the Harborview Marina Apartments on the Left. The party is held under a covered pavilion (rain or shine) at 500 Harborview Drive adjacent to JD's Waterside Restaurant and next to the Harborview Marina Condominiums.

Free parking is available. For more information call us at 410-252-4924 or call 410-385-4111.

...And that's right, admission is FREE!

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Flying Saucer Discs
By: Matt Dunn

Hi,
Love the web-site. Mucho Kudos. As a beginning Lindy Hopper, thanks for being such a great resource.

I also wanted to let you know that Flying Saucer Discs in Adams Morgan now carries the Frankie Manning Lindy tapes. We will discount the tapes to all DC lindy hoppers. ($16.99 from $19.99) We also carry all the latest neo swing stuff like Lavay Smith, New Morty show, Indigo Swing, etc., also at a discount. faes.org/flyings aucer/lindyvhs.htm
Thanks,
Matt
Flying Saucer Discs

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Veteran's Day Dance
From: Janice Saylor

Suzanna Marosi of the WWII Veterans Committee wants to have a wide cross-section of ages in attendance at their WWII dance in November. It is an event that's being held in conjunction with the Second National Conference of the WWII Veterans Committee. I've listed the information about the dance and also the conference program. They have some pretty interesting speakers listed, and the cost for both the dance and the conference is very reasonable. The cost for the conference is especially reasonable for students. So, if you're at all interested in WWII history, take note.

THE WORLD WAR II VETERANS COMMITTEE, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the history of WWII proudly presents its very own WWII DANCE.

WHEN: Saturday, November 7, 1998
9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

WHERE: at the historic Hotel Washington Ballroom
15th & Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Wahsington, D.C.

BAND: Difficult Run Jazz Band

Cost Per Person: $12 in Advance $15 At Door

For more information and to purchase tickets, contact Suzanna Marosi at (202) 408-0944.

WWII Veterans Committee Conference Description: Attend one of the nation's finest World War II events. The World War II Veterans Committee is pleased to announce its Second National Conference, November 5-7, 1998 at the Hotel Washington in Washington, D.C. Join noted speakers Admiral Thomas Moorer, former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Honorable John E. Dolibois, former U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg and interrogator of Nazi war criminals at Nuremburg, the Honorable Edgar Whitcomb, former governor of Indiana and author of Escape from Corregidor, and others for first hand historical accounts.

Other conference events include: candlelit dinner cruise on the Potomac River, awards banquet and gala dinner dance with live big band music, wreath laying ceremony at Arlington Cemetery, and a special evensong service honoring WWII veterans at historic St. John's Church. For more information contact Suzanna Marosi at (202) 408-0944.

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Four Reasons Swing Won't Die
By V. Vale

Pulse!, the free music magazine available at Tower Records had several prominent articles on the swing movement in its most recent issue.

Will the swing-dance revival disappear overnight? A few reasons not to bet on it:

Joy of Dance: Once people learn the joys of partner-dancing, they wont want to just give up such a source of intense pleasure.
Social Mobility: All the institutions whereby people used to meet are defunct. Churches are too quiet, rock shows too loud. Swing dancing has become THE non-threatening, non-sexually-loaded way to meet people, satisfying the mammalian need for touch without traumatic emotional residue.
Art for Art's Sake: Many people who lacked a creative outlet now have one. Dancing is the artistic expression of an individual soul; it is creative in a uniquely human, ephemeral, non-commodifiable way. Computers can now pastiche together crude "poems" and synthesize random-element "paintings," but they will never be able to perform a sinuous dance filled with innuendo, grace, and sheer poetry of movement.
Fashion: Dressing up can also be an art form, and swing culture brings with it a welcome emphasis on manners, politeness, urbane wit and style. Extravagant "designer" clothing pales before unique vintage outfits which can be assmbled for $50 at a good thrift store.

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All Woman Band
From: Lizzie Hess

Frank and Carole,
Glad to hear that you had a great time in Montana! Then again, you guys always make it a point to enjoy yourselves. I wish more of us were like you.

The main article in yesterday's Wheaton Gazette (Entertainment section) was about the all-woman big band "Sherrie Maricle and DIVA: No Man's Band." The group was founded by Stanley Kay (a big-band-era drummer), Sherrie Maricle (a big-band drummer herself, but much younger), and arranger John LaBarbera. They are a professional, standing band; their web site (www.jazzcorner.com/diva. html) describes them as playing "contemporary mainstream big band jazz." I have no idea what that is or how danceable it is, but the credentials of the band members are incredible. One of them played in Doc Severin's band, but I couldn't discover who. They have gotten excellent reviews all around.

The point of all this is that the band is in the area this weekend, through the 20th. If you're in the mood for this kind of music and are okay with the idea of not dancing for a few hours, I think this would be well worth checking out. Who knows, maybe someone could convince them to try danceable, lindy-style music on their next visit to the DC area. I know that on Friday night (September 18) this band is playing at the James Hubert Blake High School, 300 Norwood Road, Silver Spring. The concert starts at 8:00; tickets are $20. For more info, call 301 570-7100.

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New Venue in London
By: Claire Hilliard

Anyone who's been to the States in the last few months knows that the hottest sound everywhere and anywhere is SWING!

Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Brian Setzer, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Louis Prima, Duke Ellington, Count Basie... ... are just some of the names you can hear played at Zoot Suit Riot - London's hottest new contemporary swing dance club starting at The Improv, 161 Tottenham Court Road, London W1 (Warren Street/Euston Square tube) every Monday from 28th September. Admission 7 pounds, Concessions 5 pounds.

Doors open 7.30pm. There will be a half hour beginner's swing dance class with guest teacher at 7.45pm, followed by the resident house band The Rioteers and continuous music, dancing, drinking etc. until midnight!

Music policy will be a blend of contemporary sounds mixed with original swing and R'n'B tracks.

There is no strict dance policy and the evening hopes to attract London's best swing and jive dancers in a variety of different styles, as well as dancers visiting from overseas - everyone is welcome. (So tell your friends.)

Whether you want to strut your stuff, watch the band or simply have a drink and listen to the music it will be a fun night and the venue is gorgeous! Plush decor, large dance floor and viewing area.

Hope to see you there.

Zoot Suit Riot is promoted by Robert Austin and Claire Hilliard who already run London's most popular R'n'B dance night, MOJO BOOGIE at the 100 Club every Sunday.

They also founded the leJIVE dance company which runs jive dance classes and nights across the UK. Robert and Claire were UK swing dance champions in 1994 and choreographed the British film "Mojo" released earlier this year. They are also featured in the new BBC series "Party Of A Lifetime" to be shown on TV next month.

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Lindy Instruction with Ken and Donna Roesel
From: Keith Yager

Hi Frank & Carole,
For swing dancers who might have a hard time getting to the Vienna Grill on Tuesdays, there is now a place to go in Maryland. Ken and Donna Roesel are teaching Smooth Lindy at Cherry Hill. Their style is more circular than the slotted Dean Collins style. The lessons are followed by several hours of dancing. Here's the info from Ken and Donna:

Swing Tuesdays at Cherry Hill RV Park
9800 Cherryhill Road
College Park, MD

Ken and Donna Roesel are teaching the "very social" Smooth Lindy.

Sept. 22nd - Intro lesson & Dance
Price: $6, $5 with student id

Smooth Lindy 4-week series, beginning Oct. 6
6:45 - 7:45 Beginning Smooth Lindy Swing
7:45 - 8:45 Advance Beginner/Intermediate Smooth Lindy
Price: $36 ea. or $55 for both, 32/48 with student id

Tuesday Night Swing Dance
From Sinatra to Setzer
8:45 - 11:00
Price: $6, $5 with student id, $2 w/class series card

Closed Sept. 29th.

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More on the Swing Revival
By: Elizabeth Weaver Engel

On August 21, 1998, epulse, the on-line version of Tower Records' Pulse magazine, had the following to say about the swing revival:

this week's rant: The emperor's new zoot suit: You know it's pretty much curtains for a current trend when centenogenarian radio barker Paul Harvey jumps on the bandwagon. Yet there he was on one of the local right-wing AM cesspools during noon drive last week: "These kids today!" he gushed in his inimitable loose-dentured robotic snarl. "They're swinging! They're jitterbugging! They're ... even ... waltzing!"

You go, Grandaddy-O! Uh-huh, "Swing" seems to be undergoing some sort of revival--although what's being passed off under its rubric is more a pastiche of '40s jump-band blues, recycled Vegas lounge aesthetics and thrift-store-driven fashion mistakes--mix'n'match Brooks Brothers & pachuco zoot suits, anyone?--grafted onto a post-punk framework than anything Benny Goodman might give a thumb's up. Sorry to smash the fedora on you wannabe Damon Runyon characters who're buying into this nice little game of "let's play dress-up," but this whole "swing revival" shebang is nothing more than a fashion-driven foist that has precious little to do with music.

Oh, sure, there are bands playing the stuff. To explain it using a 'Jeopardy'-based metaphor, if "Pop Culture for $50" opens to "swing-revival bands," your winning answer would be: "What can failed rockabilly poseurs, gas-station-shirt rockers who got passed over by major-label A&R weasels during the post-'Nevermind' alt-rock boom, post-Hanky Rollins tattoo casualties, San Francisco thrift-store habitues, Vegas hacks, singing bartenders and last year's ska leftovers do to avoid selling smokes to kiddies in that mini-mart?" Or, as a good friend who's also a musician succinctly put it: "Brian Setzer's involved--that oughta tell you something!"

Nothing against Mister Setzer personally--or against Royal Crown Revue, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Cherry Poppin' Daddies and others of their ilk, either--but the big problem with this entire genre is that none of its practicioners seems to have the foggiest idea on how to write a passable tune (sorry, but pallid rewrites of Louis Jordan and Louis Prima songs don't count). And when they inevitably do fall back on cover versions by long-dead crazy guys, as they must, the result's about as interesting as hearing Sha Na Na bowser-ize choice kibbles'n'bits from the Danny & the Juniors catalog--or watching paint dry.

Which is the major reason why the "swing" revival's shelf life will be short, and its downfall inevitable. Like Sha Na Na, these swing bands can't hold a candle to the acts they ape. And like the disco boom, the swing revival is driven more by an elitist fashion sense (as in, "you're not dressed appropriately for this club") than by any musical raison d'etre. So sorry, Paul--those kids won't be visiting your stardust dreamworld for long.
(Griffith)

And my response: Send Yours to: epulse@sna.com

I know, you're probably tired of this by now, right? I just wanted to point out that, while epluse's ranter has some things dead-on right on the macro level, s/he's missed the micro level - local scenes. I can speak only for the DC scene, but from what my dancing friends tell me, it's much the same in other places.

Clothing? Around here, vintage is all good fun and a few times a year we all show up in our best thrift shop finds. But most of us rarely dance in vintage - the clothes are too hot and too fragile! Come to the Spanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park on a given Saturday night and you'll see most of the dancers in shorts and t-shirts. With no A/C, it's HOT around here! You sweat on 50 year old fabric, it disintegrates. Believe me, I know.

Bands? Yeah, sure a lot of us will turn out if BBVD shows up in town. But most dancers realize that the currently popular national bands only play venues where you can't dance. Meanwhile, we have at least 1/2 a dozen really great local bands who do original tunes or who pick more obscure pieces out of the great songbooks of the '20's, '30's, and '40's. And who play in DANCE venues.

Which gets me to my main point: most of the smaller local scenes are about the dancing. Sure we have our share of Daddy-os who show up to drink (most serious dancers don't drink at dances - you can't Lindy Hop after a martini), smoke cigars (most serious dancers don't smoke - kills your wind), and try to kill their partners and innocent bystanders with inept dancing. But those of us who've been doing this since before it got popular do everything we can to show them what real swing dancing looks like and to get them excited about learning it for themselves. Meanwhile, we dance 3...4...5 nights a week because it's fun, it's a great skill to have, it's good exercise, and you only get to the point where you look really GOOD on the dance floor by practice. And that's really what most of us care about in the end!
Elizabeth

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Balboa Lindy Hop Comment
By: James Kranyak

First Things First: Last week, we ran the following note:

Check this out --- it's a reprint off a 1938 Look Magazine article when 5,000 crazy Jitterbugs turned out for an all day dance in Santa Barbara, California.
www.ballyhoovin tage.com/swing01.htm

Jim sent this comment back:

Great article. Only correction: it is not in Santa Barbara (90 miles north of LA, where Jonathan and Sylvia live), but in Balboa, CA (next to Newport Beach in Orange County, where John Wayne lived). This is where the "Balboa" dance originated (look at those photos of the Rendezvous Ballroom, and you'll see there was not enough room for Lindy Hop). My grandparent's home is just a few minutes from where the Ballroom used to be (it burned down in a fire many years ago).

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Portland Swing Scene
By: Guy Wallman

Hi,
Just noticed that you don't have Portland, Oregon on [your Travel Guide].

This city is just begining to have a swing scene, but has several very attractive venues to check out. The Crystal Ballroom was mentioned in the Swing article, Newsweek had a couple of months ago. Berbatti's Pan has a classic feel to it and features a truely fantastic, local vocalist, Lily Wilde. The Highball Lounge is expanding from San Francisco. There will be a "Highball" in Portland before next summer. We, in Portland, can go 7 days a week now. The Highball will only add to that and will make it easier to get great bands from out of town to stay for longer than one or two shows.

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New Swing Dance Venues in Philadelphia

The New Market Cabaret, 415 South 2nd Street, Phila., 215-627-9801, (Tuesdays and Thursdays) $5 cover

Nicholas Nicklas, 2d floor of Rittenhouse Hotel, 210 W. Rittenhouse Square, Phila. Fridays --- Big Band Music by Mark Randall Trio. 8:30 - 11:30, Free.

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Swing Radio in Annapolis
By: Caren Ritter

Hello,
I am writing to inform you of a really great disc jockey in Annapolis, MD that I listen to on the internet who has a Big Band Show! He is attached to a radio station there as well, but is trying to get more listeners on the internet. If you could post his site information on your site, that would be great.

"Greetings Hepcats & Swing Kittens, The Big Band Dance Party now has its own web page full of information on the big band music we all know and love, as well as information about our show. We also have an audio link so you can listen to the next "live" netcast on Sunday, October 4 from 9 pm to 12 midnight (Eastern Time). The Big Band Dance Party site address is members.xoom.com/BoLewis. Please pass info to all interested parties and post on bulletin boards, discussion groups, clubs, etc. The more who party the better! HITS-HITS-HITS!
See ya' then,
Bo."

You can email him if you need more information at bolewis@hotmail.com or bigbanddanceparty@yahoo .com

Thank you for your help. Please pass this information to anyone else who may be interested.
---Caren Ritter

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Indigo Swing White Chili
By: Sue Fedor

Yes, indeed, friends, we had Indigo Swing over for dinner. Not wanting to fuss at all, I made just about everything ('cept for the cornbread) the day before. This left me a full day to clean the house and fuss over the ballroom.

This recipe was loosely based on the Old Ebbitt Grill white turkey chili recipe. That one was so popular with Barbra Streisand that she just raved about it all through Clinton's 1st Inauguration. According to the Washington Post, Aretha Franklin liked it so much, she took three quarts home with her to Detroit. I took the elixir that so enchanted the Queen of Soul, and gave it a southwestern touch for our boys from out west. What follows is the lazy gal's version (I don't soak beans or bone chicken. If you do wish to use dry beans, soak them in baking soda and water and USE THE WATER TO WATER YOUR PLANTS. This gets rid of the gas.)

Indigo Swing White Turkey Chili

Serves about 10

3 cans of cannellini beans
3 cans of little white beans
4 boneless turkey breasts
1 large 6 oz can of low sodium chicken stock (or 6 oz of homemade stock)
2 large yellow onions, diced
2 chayote squashes (these are light green in color, about the size of your fist) chopped
4 tomatillos (these are green tomatoes in a leaf casing...remove the leaves and wash...they're sticky), chopped
4 cloves of garlic, diced
1 lime
chili powder
fresh cilantro
dried cumin
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
OPTIONAL: chopped habanero peppers!

Roast the turkey: rub the turkey with olive oil and cover with chili powder. Broil in oven for about 15-20 minutes, turning occaisionally. (they don't need to cook through, just make sure they get a crust.) Remove and cool. Slice meat diagonally in strips and then cube. Set aside.

Heat a large stock pot. Add the olive oil. Saute the onions until they start to brown (carmelize). Add the garlic, saute for a minute, then add the chayote squash and the tomatillos. Saute for another minute, then add the stock. Add the beans, lower the temperature to a simmer. Add the turkey and a teaspoon of cumin. Do not cover the pot. If the chili is too soupy, add a tablespoon of cornstarch pre-diluted in a cup of cold water. Cook down for at least 30 min. At this point, you can refridgerate or freeze for use later. I made a dry chili...but if you must make a drunken chili, you can add beer or tequilla, but not both, please.

To serve: reheat, stir in some fresh lime juice and add some salsa verde, jack cheese, hot pepper, fresh chopped cilantro and or sour cream as garnish.

Salsa verde:

4 Tomatillos
a half cup of cilantro
The juice and pulp of 1/2 lime
1/2 white onion
1 teaspoon white vinager
2 teaspoons orange juice
Medium heat: add one jalepeno pepper
Moderate heat: two or more jalepeno peppers
Hot: one habenero pepper
Hellish: more than one habenero pepper
Optional: I like to add about 1/4 cup of chopped jicama. Just peel and chop. This root vegetable is like a sweet water chestnut.

Add ingredients one by one into a food processor and whizz until slightly chunky.

This is good either spooned into the chili, with chips, or served on grilled fish.

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Brown and White Saddle Shoes
By: Mercedes Clemmons

I would like to pass along the following site:

www.muffys.com

These are the folks I got my brown and white saddle shoes from -- at the time they didn't have a web site up. They are very nice and great to deal with -- guy's name is Allen Marshall.
Cheers,
Mercedes

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Swing Des Moines
By: Sarah Reid reidrs@dwx.com

I have got an addition to your travel guide, if you'd like to add it. It's for Des Moines, Iowa (actually, we try to cover all of Iowa, since we're the only Iowa swing site so far...)

Swing Des Moines http://users.dwx.com/~reidrs/swingdes.htm

thanks,
Sarah Reid

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Vintage Hair and Makeup

By: Chris Santarlas singindivas@worldnet.a tt.net

Hi Ladies!
Thanks to everyone who came out to the Basic Hair class. It went well and everyone left looking great! Thanks!

Well, it's time for the VSO. I'll be there to do hair and/or makeup for competitors or anyone else who's curious about the 40s look! If you're interested, please sign up for a time slot if you know when you're competing. You will be able to sign up at the competition, too. Sign up on:

Friday from 5pm to 8:30pm Saturday from 5pm to 8:30pm **the basic makeup class is at 2pm on Saturday, too

The price will be $20.00 per 'do. $25.00 gets you makeup AND hair. I'll supply the curling irons, hot rollers, hairpins/bobby pins/hairspray and brushes. If you'd like flowers, snoods, combs, in your hair, please bring what you'd like to use with you. (These little items really do make a 'do special!) Also, bring scrunchies with you.

If you want makeup, too, please bring your own base, mascara, and black eyeliner. I've got all the other stuff to finish the look.

Try it out with a fab 'do and you'll never go barefaced again!

E-mail me or call with times, or find me at the comp. See ya there!

Chris Santarlas
(703) 521-2992

p.s. There is room in the Basic Makeup class on Saturday, October 3 at 2:00pm. See y'all soon!

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Swing Club at Quince Orchard High School
By: Anna Libman Banana382@aol.com

I am a student at Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg, MD. My friends and I are really big into the swing scene in the Metro area and we are trying to start a Swing club in our school. We are trying to find sponsors (this isn't a school sponsored club) and people to teach lessons. If you know of anyone who may be interested in these jobs please, please,please e-mail me back. We really need someone because we are dead set on starting this club. Thanks a lot and again great work on the webpage.

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Louise Thwaite Workshops in NYC
By: Jennifer Comar jenniferc@NortonMcNa ughton.com

Hi All-
Louise Thwaite is coming to town, and she'll be doing some Lindy Hop workshops while she's here.

Louise is one of the best known Lindy Hoppers in the world. She has been dancing Lindy Hop for seven years and has been an instructor at Can't Top the Lindy Hop, New York; Herrang Dance Camp, Sweden; Swing Camp Catalina, California; and many many more. She and Simon Selmon took second place in the 1994 American Swing Dance Championships (and third place in 1993), and In 1996 she was nominated for a Feather Award.

Here's the relevant info:

Saturday, October 10, 1998
12:30-2:00 pm Intermediate
2:15-3:45 pm Advanced

Practice session from 5:00-6:00 pm (no additional charge)

$20 each workshop

Sandra Cameron Dance Center
20 Cooper Square, 6th Floor
212-674-0505

Space is limited- register early!

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Dancers Wanted on Sunday
By: Michael L. Henry mlhenry@wam.umd.edu

The Walker Muse Apartments, a complex catering to the elderly and people with disabilities, and located at 6225 York Rd. in Baltimore,MD will be hosting a 1940's Day this Sunday (October 4) at 2:00pm and would like some swing dancers to come and strut their stuff. If you are interested, please contact Gina Riley at (410) 668-2067.

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Steve Lucky & the Rhumba Bums East Coast Tour
By: Miss Carmen Getit rumbabum@luckylounge.com

Steve Lucky & the Rhumba Bums are invading the East Coast for the first time!

There is National SALE at Tower Records - special pricing on select swing CDs nationwide until Oct. 7 Our CD, Steve Lucky & the Rhumba Bums Come Out Swingin'! is available for LOW price.

San Francisco-based Steve Lucky & the Rhumba Bums deliver swing, jumpin' R & B and original tunes featuring Steve Lucky on piano & vocals, Ms. Carmen Getit on guitar & vocals, Scott Edog Petersen and Pee Wee Cornell on saxophones, Professor Humphrey Bottoms on upright bass and Robby Bean on drums.

HOTline/voicemail: 415-995-1999
Website: www.luckylounge.com
bookings: Tony Martin, ACA, tony@bunnyloon.com< or (530) 544-9516

Here's the Tour lineup:

Wednesday October 7
The Five Spot Philadelphia, PA (215) 574-0649
plus special guests

Thursday October 8
Club Ben South Amboy, NJ (732) 727-3000
Swing Dance Lesson ALL AGES!!

Friday October 9
The Roxy Boston, MA (617) 338-7699

Saturday October 10
The Supper Club NY, NY (212) 921-1940
12:30 am
Swing Dance Lesson before band

Sunday October 11
Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel Providence, RI (401) 831-4071
18+

Monday October 12
Louisiana Bar & Grill NY, NY (212) 460-9633

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Cameron in Las Vegas
By: Cameron Sellers Cameron.Sellers@mail .house.gov

While I was out in Las Vegas celebrating my parent's 40 wedding anniversary, I decided to check out the swing scene and vintage scene. I was out of luck with the former but struck gold with the latter. First thing I did was down load the Las Vegas Swing home page. This was a bad idea. Everything on the web site was out of date. The Hard Rock Hotel stopped swing on Fridays and pretty much shut down swing dancing once the summer ended. Other phone numbers that I tried on [that] web site were either disconnected or went to places that went out of business. I really began to appreciate Frank and Carole's web site and the hard work they put in it to keep it current.

Scott Shea, an old Craig Hutchinson's student, was the only living person I talked to from the local swing scene. He told me that he learned Lindy form the Jivin' Lindy Hoppers from London, and he knew Tom and Debra from their Jitterbug days. He also told me that Vegas really didn't swing on the weekends, so I was out of luck. He did tell me of a local swing band called "Jump Jive and Wail", they were playing at an art center. But he didn't know how much swing music they would be playing. I thought why not, and plan on seeing the band. But I never got there.

This was another thing I learned from my Vegas experience. Everything starts early and ends early around here. The Jump Jive and Wail started at 7:00 and ended at 10:00 p.m. I also heard rumors that the Stardust Hotel and New York New York resorts had swing bands too, but I never found them. So if you want to swing in Vegas, go on a week day or call Scott Shea before you get there.

While I didn't find swing dancing, I did dtrike gold in the vintage scene. Most of Saturday morning was traveling the streets to the local vintage stores. I was looking for a vintage golf cap. Since the web page was a total bust, I looked in the yellow pages and found a little shop called Retro Vintage Couture. It was owned by a transplanted L A person who looked like she came out of the punk rock scene. She was very nice and very helpful about the local vintage scene. She showed us what she had in the way of golf caps and then sent us on our way to other vintage stores in the area. Before my sister's husband, Tony, and I left she told us about the unhappy life of a stripper. Tony asked if she knew from experience, but she quickly added that this was from the strippers who had come through her shop.

After getting depressed from her story, Tony and I traveled to Valentino's Zoot Suit Connection. The salesperson there was not friendly or nice, but had a wider selection of hats. Most were reproduction for custom parties and the vintage ties were not in good condition. After a ten minute look, I skipped out of there.

If the sales person is not going to be helpful, why stick around.

We finally ended up at the Attic (the store advertised in the Visa commercial). The place was pretty big and it had a lot of antique items plus vintage clothing. Jeff, Daniel, Debra would have been in heaven here. A salesman dressed from the 70s tried to "school" me about 40s vintage ties. He was sooo wrong about everything and very condescending. He tried to explain to me that 40s ties were skinny and got fatter through the decades. At one point, I wanted to say, "hello, don't bull*** a bull******! You got it backwards. Why don't you sit in your bean bag next to your lava lamp, and smoke dope because that is what your feeding me."

I'm glad I didn't. He ended up giving me a 10 percent discount on my coat and hat that I bought. There were definite 30s and 40s stuff there but the place was being run by a bunch of 70s hippies who didn't have a clue. But I got what I wanted so I was happy.
---Cameron Sellers

Vintage Stores in Vegas

Retro Vintage Couture
906 S Valley View Rd
Las Vegas, NV 89107
702-877-8989

Valentino's Zoot Suit Connection
906 S 6th St
Las Vegas, NV
702-383-9555

The Attic
1018 S Main St
Las Vegas, NV
702-388-4088
fax: 702-388-1047 Event Line: 702-390-8488
www.atticvintage.com

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Stars at night Big and Bright Deep in the Heart of Texas
From: Arnold Taylor Ahnoldt@aol.com

Frank and Carole,
THANK YOU for your list of swing dance places in and near Dallas, Texas, where Lilian and I spent a couple of weeks recently, while visiting with my brother and his wife there.

THANK YOU for putting us in touch with Rachel Blacketer who is attending Austin College in Sherman, Texas, two hours north of Dallas, but who has shared the Koerner/Sternberg swing scene this past year while working on Capitol Hill and remembers dancing with me.

As it turned out, she lives in Rockwall, the same town as my brother. She came home for the weekend and we were able to travel to a lounge in Dallas called The Sand Castle, nestled among some topless bars that I was not free to explore.

Perspiration broke out on me as soon as we entered the club; but not from the Dallas heat. I paid the cover for each of us, a total of FIFTEEN CLAMS! That did it, Marie!, as the song goes. (Calm down, I'm kidding.)

No one there appeared to have reached 45 years yet. Most appeared to be 30-something. Most people were drinking liquor and some were smoking legal stuff. There was soft lighting, two bars, a dance floor, a casino and lots of folks sitting at tables. Our table was right next to a five-foot tall cigar humidor...which bothered me as much as the proximity of the topless bars; but the DJ's music called me out of errant thoughts and onto the dance floor.

First I danced with Lil. As you know, my right arm is still in a sling following surgery on the shoulder; but Lil and I have moved together for over forty years, so we had fun and were still together when the music changed its tune. Then I danced with Rachel, alternating with Lil and very happy when other men-folks would dance with the lady I left behind each time. Rachel is popular there.

There were about four couples in the hundred-plus persons available to the small wooden dance floor who had advanced to aerials. There were some muscular guys who were committing aerials who had not yet advanced with the dance. Most were beginners, and some were working with a rhythm deficit; but EVERYBODY was having fun, and so was I!

Occasionally I danced with the aerialists. Each responded with class to the new one-wing style of low level flying footwork. While I usually take time to work with beginners, the strapped-up arm precluded effective instruction, so I stuck with experience: Lil, Rachel, and the demonstrators.

There was a break in the music. Some dancers had gathered on the dance floor, but there was no music. The DJ/MC kept motioning to Lilian and me to join them. There was going to be a swing dance competition.

Rachel nudged us, and even folks at nearby tables urged us to enter; so, setting aside my bashfulness, I squired Lilian to the dance floor. There must have been ten couples. The music was a really good swing dance number, although I cannot remember what it was. People were flying through the air and this time my perspiration was the natural kind.

About the time I was working on (literally) breath-TAKING steps, the contest was over and the couples had to line up. When the monitor of the applause stood behind Lilian and me the crowd roared! "Why not?," I thought to myself: "We were the first in line to be tested. Surely, the roar would be louder for the far more fancy dancers down the line."

It wasn't. Only one couple received a response that rivalled that which was given to Lilian and me. A run off left no doubt. We had won!

The DJ called us to the stage, asked the name, rank and serial number kind of stuff. When he asked how long we had been married and I told him 42 years, the crowd gave another round of applause. (Lil corrected me later. It is 44 years.)

Now, get this, Frank and Carole and all you ships at sea: There was a genuine prize! Unlike the Koerner-controlled competiton, there was an honest-to-goodness prize that nearly brought perspiration to my eyeballs: It was ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS! - in cash, and it included an invitation to join the other September Saturday night winners in a contest this Saturday night when the prize will be ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS! However, we had to return to DC.

The DJ presented the money with a flourish and I accepted it with predictable humility. I started to tuck the wad in Lil's bra, but she was wearing a blouse that precluded access. Nevertheless, the crowd roared again while we hugged, both believing that our white hair had more to do with winning than my black and white shoes did. In any case, we had one happy, happy time, thanks to your advance work on our behalf.

So, if you are ever down and out, homeless and hungry, be aware that out of the largess you helped us acquire I would gladly cut you in on ten per cent of my winnings - after expenses, provided, Frank, that you are able to teach Lilian the drive shaft move.

Final note: On the way home from Dallas to Rockwall we spotted a Cheesecake Factory and I veered off the expressway to adhere to an tradition that is indulged in by our favorite swing dance people. The place was closed. It was 2a.m. We had breakfast at a Denny's and, being flush with dough, I picked up the tab and tip. No sweat.

When we returned to my brother's house somewhat after 3a.m. we found him "reading" in the living room. He denied that he was waiting up for us; but consider this: I was driving HIS car!

We hope to see you on Monday night at the Chevy Chase Ballroom.
All the best.
---Arnold

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