A Passion for Change

As I have grown to appreciate Swing Dancing throughout the past couple years, I have thought various times about how I might be able to use my new passion in the future. At my University I have been studying Youth Ministry, and with this in mind I have thought about the possibility of using Swing Dancing to reach out to kids. It is a very good social event, and I see that this may be a way for me to use a new found passion to assist in my greatest passion, youth. I will be working with youth in some way after I graduate. I simple am not sure of what way that will be. I just hope that I might be able to use this new activity that I have grown to enjoy greatly to change the lives of people that I care about.

An Amazing Dance

Last night was the Spring Swing dance and my college, Eastern University. We had about thirty or so students show up and the entire night went great. The dancers were mostly from Eastern, but there were also some students from other schools in the surrounding area. The theme of the night was New York, New York. It was a great chance to get dressed up and enjoy a night of dancing. The dance itself went from about 8:30-11:45. One of the best parts about the night was the fact that there was a very talented live band there, Drew Nugent & The Midnight Society. I had heard them before at another Swing Club in the area, and they were once again great to dance to. All together, it was an extremely fun night and I will be looking forward to the next time I get to Swing Dance to a live band.

Spring Swing Dance

At some point during each semester at my college, the Swing club sets up a large Swing Dance for the entire school and also other people that live nearby and might be interested. This next Friday is the date for the Swing Dance this semester. This dance especially has potential to be an exceptionally good dance. The Swing club was able to get in touch with a significantly popular jazz band called Drew Nugent & The Midnight Society. This band has recently been playing at other venues around the area and I had the pleasure of hearing them once already. Not only is the band exceptional, but it also sounds like there will be a large number of people coming out to dance. I will have much to discuss following this dance.

Aerials

One part of Swing Dancing that often draws people in is aerials. Aerials are moves where either the lead or the follow at some point comes off of the ground. There are many different aerials, and multiple different variations of each aerial. At official Swing Clubs and other similar atmospheres, aerials are very rarely seen. However, during jam circles, where the majority of the people present are simply observing, aerials and other difficult moves are often thrown out. I have learned a few different aerials so far. There are many more that I have not tried yet, but I am attempting to learn more. This past week one of my friends that I Swing Dance with asked me about trying to learn a new aerial with her called The Angel. There is definitely still room for improvement, and we are still working to make it flow more smoothly, but earlier this week we took the time to learn it. The Angel is probably my favorite aerial at this point that I know how to do.

Improvisation

One of the best parts about Swing dancing is the fact that everyone has their own style and tendencies. There is a clear basic step that is the foundation for each style of Swing, but beyond that there are countless variations. There are some people that spend a lot of time developing different ways to do the basic step, possibly by instead of simply stepping with the music at certain parts, stomping with the music. There are also many different moves that can be learned and then incorporated into the overall dance. However, one you learn a few moves that also gives room for much more improvisation. There is not just one way to start or end any move because there is always room for transitioning into or out of the move. I personally enjoy grouping together sequences of moves where both the guy and the girl are spinning with fun transitions in between.

What Drew Me In...

There are many different aspects of Swing Dancing that draw individuals in. There are some people that simply love to learn new dances and when they hear about Swing Dancing they decide to try it out. Swing is a dance style that is considerably different from many other dances, yet it is not difficult to begin learning. On the other hand, I had not been involved in any other styles of dancing prior learning Swing. There were a number of different aspects that drew me in. Many different aspects of Swing attracted me including the very social atmosphere that is created. One other aspect that makes Swing very entertaining is the music that accompanies it. Some of the most common musical genres that accompany Swing are Jazz and Bandstand. I recently found another blog, which is focused primarily on the music involved with Swing dancing. Throughout his blog, he offers many songs from different genres that are extremely fun to dance to.

Faryl's Ballroom on High

At my college, our swing club meets each Thursday night for approximately two hours. A few of the other Swing dancers and I also like to go out to a Swing Club on some weekends to experience a different atmosphere. The primary Swing Club that I go to is called the Swing Kat. At this club they host various styles of dances depending on the night. Other than Swing, they also host Ballroom, Country, and Salsa dancing. Most nights begin with a half-hour teaching sessions with varying lessons. Most nights the music is simply electronic and played over speakers throughout the ballroom. However, on certain nights they actually have a live band come and play. The price is slightly higher on these nights, but it is still considerably cheap. One of the most enjoyable parts about this Swing Club is the wooden floors. When swing dancing, wooden floors make it much easier for the girl to spin around and to do different moves.

Like a Puzzle...

There is not one style of Swing Dancing, but many. There are some styles that focus more on the basic steps, and there are others that place much more focus on the various moves that can be done. I have only been exposed to a few different styles at this point. The primary style that I dance is called East Coast Jitterbug. This type of Swing has a very basic step. Because of the simplicity of the step, there is much room for inserting various moves and even just improvisation on the guys part. Another considerably faster type of Swing is called Lindy Hop. This style is much faster, and the basic step is considerably more difficult. Different moves can be inserted into this style as well, but the primary focus is the step itself. Another type of Swing Dancing that I have just recently encountered is called Balboa. This style is much different because unlike Jitterbug and Lindy Hop, Balboa is a body led dance. The lead guides the follow primarily with the movement of their body rather than the use of their arms. One of the great things about Swing Dancing is that it is possible to transition from one style to another in the middle of a song. Therefore, if you are dancing Jitterbug and at some point want to speed it up you can quickly transfer into Lindy Hop. As you learn more of the different types of Swing, you can begin to piece them together in order to have a more creative dance.

What it's all about...

I was first introduced to Swing Dancing as a Freshman at Eastern University. It has become one of my great passions. It is a very social style of dancing. This blog is devoted to a variety of aspects related to Swing Dancing. I will discuss various moves that I have been taught by others and that I have learned on my own since I have started dancing. I will also highlight some experiences that I have had dancing at different Swing Clubs and other locations. I will also attempt to discuss some of the history and musical styles that are intertwined with Swing Dancing. My goal is that this blog will be a place where other people who are interested in Swing Dancing can come to discuss there own experiences. At the same time I hope to present Swing Dancing in a way that those who have never even heard of it before can come and find interest.