Tampa Bay's Swing Dance News for July 23rd 2007

Tampa Bay's Swing Dance News

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Swing Time Newsletter — Monday JUL 23rd 2007

Dear Swingsters, It's been nearly three years since our last live-music event at Centro Asturiano, so we've been hearing from a lot of people who are really excited about attending this coming Thursday's Swing Centro Live with The Venturas! The band, which already had a huge swing repertoire, has been working hard expanding that repertoire, and are bringing a hot new music mix to us live this coming Thursday! Get ready to dance! Also in this newsletter... Hundreds of New Photos Online; Gulfport Casino Swings Big Every WED; Swing Back to the Future! 50's / 80's Theme Friday August 10; Celebrate Sinatra Party; DJ Talent Search Finals; Summer Class Schedule; + Calendar of Events. --Sam

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NEW PHOTOS Online!
450+ New Photos from the Last 5 Events

Photos are now online from the last two Wednesday Gulfport Casino Swing Nights, from the last two Thursday Swing Centro events, and from the latest (Friday July 13th) Swing Time live music/dance event! Check them all out, and feel free to grab the ones you like for your Myspace, Facebook, or other personal web pages!

Direct Links to the Photo Scrapbook Pages:
Photos - JULY 19 - Swing Centro Photos - JULY 18 - Gulfport Casino Swing Night Photos - JULY 13 - Swing Time! at the Gulfport Casino w/ Charlie Vegas & the New Blues Combo Photos - JULY 12 - Swing Centro Photos - JULY 11 - Gulfport Casino Swing Night

GULFPORT CASINO SWING NIGHT !
EVERY WEDNESDAY in Gulfport (St. Petersburg, FL)

Swing Music & Dancing, 8pm-Midnight
Dance Lesson, 7-8pm (no partner needed)
Shim Sham, Dance Jams, Prizes, Mixers, & More!

Beautiful & Historic Waterfront Grand Ballroom
Friendly Social Atmosphere
One of the World's Best Dance Floors!

* All Ages * Smoke-Free * Full Bar * Free Parking *
Admission $6 (includes Free Lesson)

[Map & Directions] [More Info]

SWING CENTRO LIVE!
Thursday, July 26th, 2007
featuring... The Venturas!

Thursday, July 26th, Swing Centro hosts a special night of live music and swing dancing featuring the hot swingin' sounds of The Venturas! The event starts with a group swing-dance lesson, 7-8pm (no partner needed), followed by live music & dancing, 8pm-midnight, all happening in the fabulous Grand Ballroom of Centro Asturiano in Tampa!

A favorite of Bay-area swingsters, The Venturas have also made a big impression on the Florida music scene, receiving rave reviews from press & fans alike, playing for tens of thousands of people, winning Best Band awards, and recording four CDs! Each time they've played for Swing Time, the band has put on a smash performance for a huge audience of fans. And each time they've played, people have remarked that it's been an incredible night of dancing, music, and all-around fun!

Centro Asturiano is located at 1913 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa FL 33602 (at the corner of Palm Ave. & Nebraska Ave. in Ybor City).

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Live Music & Dancing w/ The Venturas, 8pm-Midnight
Swing Dance Lesson, 7-8pm (no partner needed)

Exciting Social Atmosphere!
Fabulous Vintage Grand Ballroom
Huge Floating-Wood Dance Floor

* All Ages * Smoke-Free * Full Bar * Prize Giveaways *
Admission $10 (includes Free Lesson); Free Gated Parking

[Band Bio] [Map & Directions] [More Info]

Student Special! Any student who shows a valid ID at the door when buying a ticket will receive a free pass, good for admission at an upcoming Swing Centro Thursday event. No other free passes or student discounts will be accepted/offered at Thursday July 26th's band night.

DJ TALENT SEARCH FINALS
Friday August 3rd at Magic Dance Club

The DJ Talent Search finals will be held Friday night, August 3rd, at Magic Dance (formerly Bayou Dance Club) in Pinellas Park. The finals matchup features Richy & J, who together will spin a total of four hours of (mostly) swing for your dancing pleasure. Stay tuned for details.

Friday, August 10th, 2007
SWING BACK TO THE FUTURE!
1950's / 1980's Theme Event!
at the Gulfport Casino Ballroom
featuring Freight Train Annie

Friday, August 10th, at the Gulfport Casino Ballroom, Swing Time presents Swing Back to the Future! Just like the movie, the event starts in the 1950's with a Sock Hop 9-11pm, and finishes in the 1980's with an '80's Dance Party 11pm-1am! The evening features live band Freight Train Annie, playing sock-hop-era favorites the first half of the evening, then rocking it out 1980's-style the second half of the night! Kicking off the whole affair is a swing dance lesson, 8-9pm (no partner needed). Showcasing the versatility of swing dance, participants will be able to swing to most of the songs played during the evening!

Everyone's encouraged to dress the part, and prizes (including cash prizes) will be awarded for the best 1950's costumes, the best 1980's costumes, and the best hybrid 50's/80's outfits! The ballroom will be decorated in sections from both eras, and photo opportunities will abound! In addition to jitterbug/swing/partner dancing while the band is playing (expect plenty of good and creative live tunes for east-coast swing, west-coast swing, lindy hop, and more), everyone can also join in a variety of crazy group dances and contests during band intermissions! During the Sock Hop, dance the Stroll, the Hokey Pokey, and even the Hand Jive, plus join in the Hula Hoop Contest at 10pm for your chance to win some really cool prizes! During the '80's Dance Party, dance the Thriller, plus enter the Moonwalk Contest at 11pm for your chance to win some totally awesome prizes!

Freight Train Annie is a talented and versatile band with sax, guitars, piano, bass, drums, and Annie herself, whose passionate and powerful vocals give the band its name! With an immense repertoire of music, this band knows how to rock, and they know how to swing! Band members are big performers in the area's live-music scene, and they've played with some of the greats of blues, jazz, and rock music. Guitarist, Craig Van Tilbury, spent five years on the road with entertainer, Joey Dee, singer of the 1961 hit song, Peppermint Twist. Drummer, Alan Whitman, has backed up the Ink Spots, the Del Vikings, the Coasters, and the Drifters. The Freight Train Annie band maintains a hard-working performance schedule, and has recently appeared at House of Blues and opened for the Neville Brothers. Annie is currently working on her debut CD of original songs, but when it comes to retro music, the band expertly brings the dynamics and live energy of past hits to life. For the sock-hop-era, Annie covers not only female artists such as Peggy Lee and Etta James, but she delivers exciting renditions of hits by Dion, Chuck Berry, Bill Haley, Bobby Darin, Sam Cooke, the Isley Brothers, and even Elvis! When the band swings back to the 1980's, expect to hear rockin' dance numbers made famous by artists including Blondie, Prince, Go-Go's, Pretenders, Cars, Gap Band, Sade, and B-52's, to name a few!

Swing Time is Florida's Premier Swing Event, held the second Friday of every month in Tampa Bay at the Gulfport Casino Ballroom. The Gulfport Casino is located in the St. Petersburg area at 5500 Shore Blvd. S., Gulfport FL 33707.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Swing Dance Lesson (no partner needed), 8-9pm
Live Music & Dancing w/ Freight Train Annie
1950's/60's Sock Hop, 9-11pm
Swing Back to the 1980's, 11pm-1am

Hula Hoop Contest at 10pm
Moonwalk Contest at 11pm
Prizes for Best 1950's & 1980's Costumes!

All Ages & Smoke-Free
Friendly Social Atmosphere
Beautiful Waterfront Ballroom
Huge Dance Floor
Prize Giveaways
Full Bar

$11 Admission includes Everything! Free Lesson! Free Parking!

For more info, visit www.SwingTime.info on the web, or click the links below:
[Band Bio] [Map & Directions] [More Info]

10TH ANNUAL CELEBRATE SINATRA PARTY
Saturday July 28th at Centro Asturiano
presented by Ken Walters Promotions

Swing Time is proud to take part in one of Tampa Bay's premier annual parties, Ken Walters' 10th Annual Celebrate Sinatra! This black-tie optional affair happens Saturday July 28th, 9pm-1am, in the elegant 3rd-floor ballroom of Centro Asturiano in Tampa. The event celebrates the life and music of Frank Sinatra, with dancing to the sounds of the 14-piece Joe Stagi Orchestra, featuring the vocal stylings of Tom Tiratto. Joe Stagi is Tampa's premier society band leader and arranger. His orchestra includes players that have backed Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis Jr, and Frank Sinatra himself! Recording artist and actor, Tom Tiratto, has taken his Rat Pack Show across the U.S., including Vegas, Detroit, San Francisco, and Beverly Hills, and has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno!

A special feature of this year's landmark anniversary event is the addition of Sinatra, Paul's Way! -- a 45-minute show at 8pm in Centro Asturiano's historic 2nd-Floor Theater. Headlining the show is Tampa's Cultural Arts Czar, Paul Wilborn. Paul is a Tampa native, journalist, and musical impresario whose music and shows have been entertaining folk in the Tampa Bay area and around the country for decades. Join Paul and his Blue Roses trio for backstage stories, witty observations, and hit songs from Sinatra's one-of-a-kind life.

Latam's restaurant, which features the world's longest onyx bar and is located in the original cantina of Centro Asturiano, will take dinner reservations for 6pm-9pm. Latam's will serve from a tapas menu in both the Ballroom and the Cantina. After dinner (during the party), the Cantina will become a cigar bar. Phone 813-223-7338 for dinner reservations.

On the first floor, next door to Latam's restaurant, will be the Havana Club, a retro dance lounge themed after Sinatra's Cuban visits of the late 1940's / early 1950's. Swing Time will staff the Havana Club with experienced dancers, instructors, hosts & hostesses. Any guest may stop in during the evening -- either with or without a partner -- to enjoy a quick lesson or a dance in the hot dances of the era including swing, mambo, and more!

Celebrate Sinatra recreates a time when style and sophistication were evident on a regular basis. The event has been held continuously since Frank Sinatra's passing in 1998. Tickets are $45 for the Celebrate Sinatra party, $20 for Sinatra, Paul's Way, or $55 for both. Tickets are limited to 700, and a limited number of reserved tables are also available. Valet parking will be available starting at 6pm in the secured Centro Asturiano parking lot. A portion of the show and party proceeds will benefit the Mayor's Beautification Program. For tickets or more information, visit www.CelebrateSinatra.com or phone 813-251-0500.

SUMMER SWING CENTRO LESSONS
FREE Lindy Hop, Charleston, Balboa, & East-Coast Swing CLASSES!

The exciting summer of swing-dance classes continues at Swing Centro! Classes cover a whole range of swing dances, from Lindy Hop, to East-Coast Swing, to Charleston, to Balboa, to Shim Sham, ...plus mixes of the above dances! In all classes, you'll learn new moves, steps, and techniques that'll make you a better dancer... for instance, how to skillfully turn & double turn, move & travel, swing out, kick, dip, etc. Overall, you'll gain versatility and experience more dance excitement on the floor! Lessons are free (with paid admission to the event) and can be attended by dancers of all levels, either with or without a partner. No prior experience is needed. All classes stand on their own; you need not take one to take any of the others. We encourage beginning dancers to take these classes... we encourage experienced dancers to take these classes... everyone will learn something new! To add these new & exciting things to your swing dancing, just arrive at Centro Asturiano by 7pm for each class!

Jul 26 (Thu): EAST COAST SWING - Triple-Time Moves & Movement
Aug 2 (Thu): LINDY HOP - Linear Moves & Turns
Aug 9 (Thu): CHARLESTONS - Side-by-Side Moves
Aug 16 (Thu): TEXAS TOMMY - Lindy Hop/East-Coast Swing Mix
Aug 23 (Thu): BALBOA
Aug 30 (Thu): CHARLESTONS - Front-to-Back Kicks & Variations
Sep 6 (Thu): LINDY HOP - Inside Turns & Swingouts
Sep 13 (Thu): EAST COAST SWING - Traveling & Dipping
Sep 20 (Thu): CHARLESTONS - Front-to-Back Turnabouts & Leapfrogs

Charlestons (Aug 9, Aug 30 & Sep 20) Learn the Charleston steps, plus how to work not just your legs but your arms and body into the dance. We'll cover partnering, leading and following, various styles and variations of Charleston, plus how to mix the Charleston into your swing dancing. The moves and styles and variations taught will vary from week to week. Moves and variations will include a variety of Side-BY-Side, Side-TO-Side, Hand-to-Hand, Front-to-Front, Front-to-Back, Kick-Away, and Free-Style Charlestons! The Charleston classes offer something for everyone from the beginning to the more advanced dancer. All classes stand on their own; you need not take one to take any of the others; but the more you take, the better your Charleston dancing will be! There are no prerequisites, and no partner is needed.

East Coast Swing (July 26, Aug 16 & Sep 13) The East-Coast Swing classes cover a variety of moves, steps, and techniques designed to make you a better dancer. You'll learn a variety of turns, turning skills, multiple turns, and double turns. You'll learn to swing with style, swing with a kick, travel, and dip. You'll learn single-, double-, and triple-time footwork, plus a number of exciting moves! You'll learn how to mix East Coast Swing with Lindy Hop and Charleston. The East Coast Swing classes offer something for everyone from the beginning to the more advanced dancer. All classes stand on their own; you need not take one to take any of the others; but the more you take, the better your swing dancing be! There are no prerequisites, and no partner is needed.

Lindy Hop (Aug 2, Aug 16 & Sep 6) Learn Lindy Hop, the original swing dance! Our innovative teaching methods (no math or counting required) will have you swinging & grooving to the Lindy Hop in no time! We'll cover single-time & triple-time Lindy Hop footwork, arms, open & closed body positions, partnering, leading & following, and numerous techniques, styles, moves and variations. Moves will include the Swing Out from Open Position, Swing Out from Closed Position, Lindy Circle, Tuck & Double Turn, Open Break, Outside Swingout Turn, Inside Swingout Turn, Free Swingout Turn, Texas Tommy, and more! You'll learn how to incorporate Charleston into your Lindy Hop and how to mix Lindy Hop with East-Coast Swing. Whether you're new to Lindy Hop or have taken several classes, try these out -- we know you'll like them! The Lindy Hop classes offer something for everyone from the beginning to the more advanced dancer. All classes stand on their own; you need not take one to take any of the others; but the more you take, the better your Lindy Hopping will be! There are no prerequisites, and no partner is needed.

Balboa Mini-Workshop (August 23) Stop sitting out those ultra-fast songs -- learn to dance Balboa! Balboa is a subtle & relaxed swing dance typically done in close position to fast-paced music. It's known as a dancer's dance, with communication between partners via body lead and weight shift. The footwork & moves range from simplistic to intricate, with enough variety to keep dancers of all levels entertained. There are no prerequisites, and no partner is needed. However, in this particular workshop only, each participant may choose to either rotate partners or to dance with the same partner the entire time.

SUMMER GULFPORT CASINO LESSONS
FREE Swing Dance CLASSES!

This summer, we have a hot lineup of swing-dance classes at the Gulfport Casino! Classes happen the hour before every event, and are free (with paid admission to the event); see the schedule below for dates and times. Summer events include the Wednesday Gulfport Casino Swing Nights and the second-Friday-of-the-month Swing Time live-music/dance events. Each event starts with a dance lesson covering a different topic in East-Coast Swing, which means you'll learn new steps, moves, and techniques every lesson. Plus, all of the Gulfport Casino classes are completely different from the classes offered at Centro Asturiano ...so anyone who attends both will get twice the knowledge and twice the fun! All Gulfport Casino swing-dance classes offer something for everyone from the beginning to the more advanced dancer. All classes stand on their own; you need not take one to take any of the others; but the more you take, the better your swing dancing will be! There are no prerequisites, and no partner is needed. Swing Time has been offering these wildly popular dance classes for over six years, with the goals of: giving newcomers the skills they need to dance the night away; giving experienced dancers a bigger and better repertoire with every lesson they take; and building the overall spirit and enjoyment of the dance experience! In that time, tens of thousands of dancers have passed through the ranks, including some of the top dancers you see on the scene today. Experience for yourself why these are the best attended and most popular dance classes in the state of Florida!

Jul 25 (Wed): 7-8pm
Aug 1 (Wed): 7-8pm
Aug 8 (Wed): 7-8pm
Aug 10 (Fri): 8-9pm
Aug 15 (Wed): 7-8pm
Aug 22 (Wed): 7-8pm
Aug 29 (Wed): 7-8pm
Sep 5 (Wed): 7-8pm
Sep 12 (Wed): 7-8pm
Sep 14 (Fri): 8-9pm
Sep 19 (Wed): 7-8pm

Swing Time! -- Upcoming Events
Click the links below for details on each event

EVERY WEDNESDAY: Gulfport Casino Swing Night

EVERY THURSDAY: Swing Centro

Jul 26, 2007 (Thu): Swing Centro Live!
    featuring The Venturas!
    Exceptional Talent w/ Hot Vocals!
    Tickets: $10; purchase at the door

Aug 10, 2007 (Fri): Swing Time! at the Gulfport Casino
    SWING BACK TO THE FUTURE! 1950's / 1980's Theme
    featuring Freight Train Annie!
    Costume Prizes, Crazy Contests, & much more!
    Tickets: $11; purchase at the door

The SECOND FRIDAY Swing Time! at the Gulfport Casino
of EVERY MONTH: Live Music & Dancing!

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