Tampa Bay's Swing Dance News for October 28th 2011

Blues Dance Lessons start this Wednesday, NOV 2nd at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night! Keith Johnson instructs Blues Dancing every Wednesday in November, 6-7pm ...followed by Swing Dance Lessons w/ Sam & Carleene 7-8pm ...then Dance 8-11pm! Just $7 includes EVERYTHING and Students Get 2-for-1 Admission! (details below) ...Bonus Lesson Preview (6-7pm WEDs): DEC = Foxtrot (Social Foxtrot for Swing Dancers, featuring Special Guest Instructors from Let's Dance!)

Friday, NOV 18th, join Swing Time at the Suncoast Dixieland Jazz Classic's Swing Dance. Dance to the best swingin' jazz bands from across the USA! (details below)

Wednesday, NOV 23rd -- the night before Thanksgiving -- is Swing Time's annual Pre-Thanksgiving Bash at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night, featuring live and swingin' music by the St. Pete Blues All-Stars! This huge swing-dance party is always one of the biggest Wednesday Swing Nights of the year, attracting not just locals but out-of-towners who are home for the holidays. Mark your calendars, and stay tuned for details!

Saturday, DEC 31st is Swingin' the New Year at the spectacular St. Petersburg Coliseum, a grand celebration for all ages! Tickets go on sale soon. Mark your calendars, and stay tuned for details!

JAN 15th-22nd 2012, the Sea Swing Sensation Lindy Hoppers of the Caribbean dance cruise sails out of Tampa with stops in Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize, & Isla Roatan! Join Swing Time and 100+ swing dancers from California, Florida, and elsewhere for the cruising and dancing experience of a lifetime! Don't miss the boat... register today! (details below)

In honor of Veteran's Day... Swing Time! presents...
1940's USO Swing Dance
at the Gulfport Casino Ballroom
featuring the 18-Piece Ten O'Clock Big Band!
Next Friday, November 4th

Next Friday, November 4th... at the Gulfport Casino Ballroom... In honor of Veteran's Day, Swing Time presents our 7th Annual 1940's USO Swing Dance! WWII-era civilian or military attire is encouraged. The Ten O'Clock Band, Florida's Leading 18-Piece Big Band, will be decked out in their Army Air Corps khaki uniforms and they'll be swingin' for all the dancers, 9:00pm-12:30am. The event starts with a group swing-dance lesson, 8-9pm (no partner needed). The evening includes prize giveaways plus WWII-era decor and atmosphere.

The Ten O'Clock Band brings the big-band experience to Swing Time. When people speak of "the big bands", this is what they mean -- five saxes, four trumpets, four trombones, plus piano, bass, guitar, drums, and vocals. The band's bold & brassy sound will fill the grand ballroom, with minimal need for amplification, letting participants experience the classic days of swing as it was meant to be played, heard, danced to, and otherwise enjoyed. Exciting soloists, excellent musicianship, and great coordination as a unit have earned the band rave reviews from dancers as well as fellow musicians across the Bay area!

Swing Time is Florida's Premier Swing Event, held one Friday each 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

Live Music & Dancing w/ The Ten O'Clock Band, 9pm-12:30am
Swing Dance Instruction (no partner needed), 8-9pm
Doors Open 7:30pm

All Ages & Smoke-Free
Exciting Social Atmosphere
Beautiful Retro Waterfront Ballroom
Huge Floating-Wood Dance Floor
Prize Giveaways
Free Parking
Full Bar

SUNCOAST DIXIELAND JAZZ CLASSIC
SWING DANCE FRI NOV 18 AT SHERATON SAND KEY

Swing Time is gearing up to dance and perform at the Suncoast Dixieland Jazz Classic, happening NOV 17th-20th and featuring the best swingin' jazz bands from across the USA! Join us for the Swing Dance on Friday NOV 18th, 7pm-midnight, at the Sheraton Sand Key! The swing-dance lineup is huge, featuring 5 bands playing the main ballroom (Jake's): Tom Rigney & Flambeau, Dave Bennett & the Festival All-Stars, Cornet Chop Suey, Wally's Warehouse Waifs, and Clarinet Clambake. Tickets to the Swing Dance are $12 in advance or $18 day of event and can be purchased here. (Student Tickets are just $10 and provide admission to the entire weekend Festival!) This is going to great fun! Swing Time will give away two free tickets to the Jazz Classic's Friday Swing Dance at all of our Gulfport Casino events between now and the festival; enter the prize drawing for your chance to win!

GULFPORT CASINO SWINGS! -- Every WEDNESDAY

Every Wednesday in NOVEMBER 2011, the 6pm Bonus Lesson topic is Blues Dancing
(featuring Special Guest Instructor, Keith Johnson!)

Every Wednesday in DECEMBER 2011, the 6pm Bonus Lesson topic is Foxtrot
(Social Foxtrot for Swing Dancers, featuring Special Guest Instructors from Let's Dance!)

Bonus Lessons are yours FREE! ...with paid admission to the event.

Bonus Lesson 6-7pm
Swing Dance Lesson 7-8pm
Swing Music & Dance 8-11pm

* All Ages * No Partner Needed *
Huge Dance Floor -- One of World's Best!
Beautiful Retro-Era Waterfront Dance Hall

Admission $7 (includes 2 Free Lessons!)
Students get 2-for-1 Admission!

Full Bar ~ Prize Giveaways ~ Smoke-Free ~ Free Parking
Celebrate Your Birthday at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night!

The Gulfport Casino is one of the world's best ballrooms, offering up social dance excitement in a picturesque beachfront setting.

Map & Directions Dance Lessons More Info

LINDY HOPPERS OF THE CARIBBEAN SEA SWING SENSATION DANCE CRUISE ...Daily Classes ...Nightly Dances ...World-Class Instructors ...Super Crew of Lindy Hoppers from CA & FL! January 15th-22nd 2012, the 2012 Sea Swing Sensation, a 7-day Caribbean swing-dance cruise, sails out of Tampa with stops in Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize, & Isla Roatan! Join 100+ swing dancers from California, Florida, and elsewhere for the cruising and dancing experience of a lifetime! We (Sam & Carleene) will be teaching daily classes on the cruise, as will top instructors from CA. Check out the cruise and sign up at www.SeaSwingSensation.net.

WHAT's THE COST & DEADLINE? For current rates and registration, call or email Brenda, our swing-dancing travel agent & organizer, at BookWithBrenda@aol.com or 562-217-1371. If you're looking for a cabin mate to save $, just let Brenda know and she'll match you up with another dancer. The entire ship will likely sell out soon, so we recommend booking the sooner the better.

Last time Swing Time participated in a cruise (happens about once a decade) was seven years ago on an equally worthy embarkation, for Frankie Manning's 89th Birthday party ...and that one was a blast! We hope you'll join us for the Sea Swing Sensation!

UPCOMING SWING TIME EVENTS
Mark your calendars... + watch this schedule as it's updated in the upcoming weeks!

Nov 23, 2011 (Wed): Special Event at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night
PRE-THANKSGIVING BASH
Live Music by St. Pete Blues All-Stars
Jump/Swing/Boogie Woogie/Chicago Blues; 7-Piece Band!

Dec 21, 2011 (Wed): Special Event at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night
CHRISTMAS SWING-DANCE PARTY

Dec 31, 2011 (Sat): SWINGIN' THE NEW YEAR! at the St. Petersburg Coliseum
Grand New Year's Eve Celebration for All Ages!