Thursday December 31, 1998

We were at Glen Echo for New Years Eve. We had a great time -- a far cry from LAST year when I was sick as a dog. The Rockin Bones were fantastic and a good time was had by all. Here are the photos and reviews from that momentous event!

The Bones played their entire book of swinging Rockabilly numbers and kept everyone hopping right up to the end. Here's one song they DIDN't sing, but should have:

From: Sue Fedor deevoo@mci2000.com

Our cold acquaintences, not forgot
while the wind outside does blow...
Our frozen digits now are shot
At old Glen Eskimo

At Glen Eskimo, dear friends, at Glen Es-ki-mo...
We'll wear our overcoats and dance
At Glen Eskimo...

We gathered on that frosty day
500 balloons to blow [and tie...]
To raise up in the rafters, high
In Glen Eskimo

At Glen Eskimo, dear pals, at Glen Es-ki-mo
We popped them in ten seconds flat
At Glen Eskimo.

To warm our hearts, the band was hot
Gotta love them Rockin' Bonz
We danced until we sweat alot
At Glen Eskimo

At Glen Eskimo, dear chums, at Glen Es-ki-mo
When it's cold, the sweat steams off your back
at Glen Eskimo.

From: Sue Fedor deevoo@mci2000.com

Another New Year's Eve in the icebox that is Glen Echo...deserved another annual parody of Bobby Burns' classic rhyme. All appologies to the Scots, but you should have been there. I made fun of the ladies who insisted on wearing strapless gowns. The Bonz were hot, hot, hot! Always a joy to see 'em. Steve and I were tired from blowing and tying 500 balloons with Sean, Debra, Janice, to name just a few...plus the engineer dude who designed the whole balloon drop. I danced with him for a nice swing number and a waltz. Highlight of the evening was the 12 am group hug with me, Steve, Cameron (Steve loves it when you squeeze his bum...you were trying to squeeze HIS bum, weren't you?), Lil' Lisa, Cullen, Sean, Steve & Carla, and a whole host of others. We linked arms and began to SHAG. The circle got larger and larger until we had about, say, 50 people SHAGGING away like mad. Who was keeping a beat? Some of us decided to toss in hesitation steps. Some of us were purposely trying to throw each other off. But what we created was evidence to the entire Washington dance community that at least 50 or so of us enjoy being really goofy around each other. Damn it, that's what we're all about. Young folks, folks to crazy to not realize they're not young anymore, and folks who have no age whatsoever. It was better than a jam because not only did it disrupt the dance floor, but everyone got to participate simultaneously! So Happy New Year (I prefer MIM in Roman numerals, if you please) to all you crazy Lindy Hoppin' fools. Don't let 'em step on your Blue Suede Shoes--unless they're earnest beginners.

From: Terry Chay

Frank and partner, Tom and Debra, Cameron and Lisa,
I'm back safe and sound, though slightly bedragged after a 30 hour train trip, in Champaign-Urbana and wouldn't you know it but a blizzard has just gone through here. When I arrived it was 20 below zero which apparently is a new record for Central Illinois, but I think that's just about the ideal temperature for Lindy Hopping. (This also offers a rare opportunity to try to con(vince) some girl that they can't call themselves a Lindy Hopper until they've attempted a swingout through a two foot drift of snow.) I promise to get the photos developed but due to the weather here, Kodak doesn't guarantee a return date and didn't stock enough forms for all my rolls so I'll have to wait a bit more (there is only one place around here that has the correct forms for 5x7 triple glossies).

Today my friend Dave hosted a desert party for the twelve of us stranded here in C-U. I brought along a copy of the what I recorded in D.C. for them so now they'd all know what Glen Echo looks like and the Tom Cunningham Orchestra sounds like. We did some dancing as I subjected them to the sounds of the Pittsburgh swing scene (a la Dr. Zoot). BTW, Legends was closed so I can now make a new venue comment about Dave's apartment: ``With the furniture clear and the rug rolled up it has a nice though slippery wood floor and can take up to three couples on the "dance floor". The ceiling is too low for aerials and he needs to address the CD skip problem whenever any of us do a jersey jump--the "towel under the boombox" just doesn't cut it.''

Of course, when I played the recording, you and the other D.C. Lindy Hoppers stole the show. It's the first time any of them had seen a dean collins style swingout outside of the movies (Mark would often try to teach us before he left), let alone the shag. Dave, who went to UVA, was quick to notice the odd couple or two in the background doing the prep step. They wowed over the aerials and laughed over some of the fun moves you all had and I'm afraid we're going to have to shamelessly steal them (if I don't give them all copies soon, I'll probably wake up next to a horse's head) :-). Of course, some of the girls said something to the effect, ``Forget the moves, check out that dress (or that hair, or those shoes)!'' I imagine the same response once the others come back from their respective vacations. I'll be sure to send jitterbuzz.com a copy of the tape along with the photos.

I have only 30 megs free on my computer so work on my web page at is delayed until I can free up some room (I need about 12 megs for a minute of uncompressed video to work on). I really want to put up a page with the photos and video from my D.C. trip when I get the chance though to show the world what a great bunch of people you are. I hope some of you can help me with that later (putting names to the faces and descriptions to the actions).

I'm writing this letter to thank you so much for your great hospitality. Actually the hospitality of all the Lindy Hoppers there in D.C., but especially you six and Sue (whose email I couldn't find). I had a great time talking, watching, and dancing with you and hope to see you hopping around. I wish I could take all my friends to visit you and show them how wonderful you are, but I guess the best I can do is describe you and show the video. I also tell them about Frank's cufflinks so maybe that'll convinced a few to make the trip down there. :-)

From: Matt Smiley
New Years Eve At Glen Echo: This was my first huge event since coming back from school and it was just what I needed. Everybody was there, Rockin' Bones lived up to their name, and the ballroom was just the right temperature (so long as you kept dancing!). Everybody was in high spirits and the event was a beautiful 2 year Lindy aniversary for me. Technically I've been dancing for three years now (I technically started in 1996, the last three hours of '96, but '96 all the same). I truly had a blast that night.

From: Cameron Sellers Cameron.Sellers@mail.house.gov

I will remember New Years at Glen Echo as cold! No, freezing! Words can't describe that ice box. I probably shouldn't have gone because I was already recovering from the flu, so my experience is skewed. I think Rockin' Bones played, but I was too cold. I think my partner and I went out into the JAM but I can't remember because I was cold. I remember thawing out at Bill's house only to realize I was losing my voice. New Years was too cold for me.

From: Lisa Morgan Brown

New Year's Eve at Glen Echo was a first for me, to experience the new year lindy hopping. And to Rockin' Bonz, no less. They were fantastic! New Year's Day, 1999, at America with the Tom Cunningham Orchestra.

From: Elizabeth Engel ewengel@apsanet.org

Taking NO chances, we decided to volunteer on New Year's so we'd be sure to get in. After a potluck graciously hosted by Susan Lusi, we headed over to the chilly ballroom with Frank and his partner. I have to say yet again that I just LOVE Rockin' Bonz. Fortunately they kept us moving all night long because anytime we stopped dancing, we about froze to the spot.

From: Elizabeth Engel ewengel@apsanet.org

The jam was just amazing - everybody looked great, everybody kept it short, the band was right with it, the crowd was totally into it. We were so bummed that we had to sit it out, but Jim's asthma was acting up with the cold, so....better safe than wheezy.

Even though it was freezing, everyone seemed to be having a great time. The place was quite full until the end and didn't really clear out until the cleaning crews really got to work in earnest.

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