Page 6
- LIONS EYE -
September 30, 1998
—Intertai
ments
“It Don’t Mean a Thing ...
(Continued from page 1)
It provides an alternative to
hanging out on the streets or drink-
ing beer at parties. Besides there is
also a high degree of romance asso-
ciated with this partner dance.
Steve Perry, lead singer for
Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, said “With
punk or alternative shows, people
walk in and try to look real angry... .it
sounds hippieish, but (swing) breaks
down the barriers. Swing tends to
err on the fun side, and attitudes tend
to go out the window. It’s a lot more
female-friendly, too. There are less
elbows being thrown out on the
dance floor.”
The revival of swing is at-
tracting younger generations, even
those in high school and junior high,
mainly because of its mainstream
popularity. Swing dancing is no
longer stuffy dance steps that grand-
parents perform, but a cutting edge
trend. After the hippie, disco, and
grunge eras, 90s swing is like a
breath of fresh air.
Fashion is ever important to
music-inspired trends, and swing is
no exception. The clothing styles of
the 40s have experienced resurgence,
especially with people under thirty.
This has made the swing movement
especially interesting, as many fol-
lowers clad in vintage clothes also
sport tattoos and multiple piercings.
This is truly a movement that blends
what’s old with what’s new.
The classic swing style for
men is the Zoot Suit, with its baggy
pants, drape coat, big fedora, and
wing-tipped shoes. Women’s styles
include vintage dresses, elaborate
hair, beaded cardigans and knee-
length skirts. Forties styles for both
men and women are available in
catalogues, department stores and
over the Internet. Though for a bet-
Photo by V. Vale
ter selection try vintage clothing
stores, for as the trend grows so do
the offerings.
* The look is associated with
the attitude of feeling good. “There
is nothing like being decked out in
classy clothes and pulling off a
snazzy move with a dance partner,”
says Lance Bury, a swing dance in-
structor.
But dashing good looks can
only get you so far. With swing, it’s
essential to know how to move.
Swing requires practice and
skill, though dancing with friends to
music in the fun atmosphere of a
swing club helps any newcomer
loosen up and learn. Swing dancing
is a great way to try something dif-
ferent.
From Duke Ellington to
Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, swing has
come full circle. For serious danc-
ers, swing is not a fad, but a way of
life. Longtime swing devotees ab-
hor the new popularity, with all its
commercialism and massive crowds
storming clubs, for they fear the soul
of swing will get lost. Though many
speculate that the neoswing move-
ment is not about to fade any time
soon. Since people are making the
effort to learn how to swing, it should
hang around for quite a while.
Club Review of the Cabaret
A Beginner's First Glance at Swing
By Lori Craddock
Lion's eye Staff Writer
The car rolled down South
Second Street until we found 415. A
neon sign protruded from the hidden
building which read “New Market
Cabaret.”
My friend and I parked the
car and walked up towards the ticket
booth. It was a Tuesday night. Les-
sons began at 8 p.m. and lasted until
9 p.m., when the night really began.
| We were running a little late.
My heart raced with anticipation
within my vintage suit and I felt a
pang of nervousness about going in
the club at all. Nevertheless, I paid
the $5 cover charge and stepped in-
side.
At the next door, a man
dressed in a retro suit with suspend-
ers asked us if we planned on drink-
ing once inside. We flashed our
I.D.’s and he told us that there was a
$3 minimum at the bar. (For under-
age readers, all are welcome as long
as you dress up and stay away from
the bar.) |
Now stamped to show we are
of age, we stepped over the thresh-
old into the dimly lighted room.
There were tables lining a pit
in the middle where many couples
of all ages were learning step by step
how to do west Coast Swing. The
instructor, Greg Avakian, was on
stage with a partner yelling out things
like, “1 and a 2 toss, toss away.” He
used analogies to help his students
correctly hit each move. I heard him
say “Your hand should be like
you’re picking up a phone, your feet
at seven on a clock, and now hold
your partner like a basket as you
whip her around.” This type of in-
struction made it easy for even the
most uncoordinated to accomplish
each dance.
The instructor himself I
found to be friendly, intuitive, and
most importantly patient. He was
open to dancing with various stu-
dents. Although Mr. Avakian kept
to each student’s speed, he helped
their individual moves grow and de-
velop. The lessons lasted until the
instructor felt that everybody had the
hang of things.
Tuesday nights Greg Avakian
teaches West Coast Swing and on
Thursday East Coast Swing is taught.
The difference here is that West Coast
is slower yet more technique is re-
quired. It is a footwork and pattern-
based dance. East Coast is more of a
fast paced dance like that of the Jit-
terbug (which can be seen on the
GAP commercial.) For competition,
West Coast dancers can win up to
about $30,000 whereas East Coast
dancers win $5,000 at best.
As a beginner, I found this
club to have a great atmoshere for
learning. There is something for ev-
erybody here with the bar, friends,
couples, lessons, free dance, and
music old and new. The main music
that I heard was blues, contemporary,
soft rock, and jazz.
I found that the good part
about this dancing is that it is an art
that you can always add to. Every-
body brings dance moves from all
eras and classes of music to form one
new craze of Swing.
The most important thing to
remember as a beginner is that you
do not have to be the best nor be
embarrassed to ask questions. There
is nothing like the feeling of accom-
plishment as a beginner begins to get
the hang of Swing. Greg Avakian
says, ‘This is a bar-room dance, not
a ballroom dance.”
So, if you are daring enough
to give this dance a try, don’t be shy,
be inventive, and overall have fun!
Here is a list of some clubs nearby:
Fridays, West Coast swing at the
Sugar Push Café at the Trocadero
Dance Studio, 2030 Sansom Street,
Philadelphia 9:30 to 12:00(Free
Group Lesson at 8:30). (215)844-
1206
-Sundays, Five Spot, 5 S. Bank
Street, Phila. Begin less. 7pm.
Dance 9pm $5. City Rhythm Or-
chestra. (215)574-0070.
Louis Prima, Keely Smith, Sam Bufera