Tampa Bay's Swing Dance News for December 24th 2018

Last Chance — Want to be part of a dance performance New Year's Eve? Come to the 6:00pm lesson Wednesday to learn and practice the St. Pete Stomp plus some cool Charleston/Boogie/Jazz steps! We've choreographed the St. Pete Stomp for New Year's Eve, and everyone who learns it is invited to perform the dance at band intermission at Swingin' the New Year! St. Pete Stomp Practice Guide

Carolina Shag Lessons start Wednesday January 2nd and happen every Wednesday in January, 6-7pm, at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night featuring special guest instructor, Renee Lipman. Carolina Shag is a dance known for its fluid and fancy footwork that's currently experiencing a surge of popularity. It's similar to East-Coast Swing, but is danced to R&B and what's known as "Beach Music". Instructor, Renee Lipman, has been bringing Carolina Shag to Tampa Bay for the last three years. She recently had the opportunity to compete and win first place with Shag champion, Brennar Goree.

This Saturday, December 29th, The Connection (Swing, Blues, & Fusion) returns to Simone Salsa studio in Tampa. The Connection features 3 simultaneous rooms of music & dancing. One $10 admission gets you into all three dances! Doors open 7:45pm. Lessons start 8pm. Dancing starts 9pm.

Join us 8-9pm for a Charleston Lesson taught by Sam from Swing Time. The topic will be Partner Charleston for Swing Dancers. The night also includes a Blues Lesson, happening 9:30-10:00pm in the Blues room. Lessons are free with admission to the dance. Dancing starts 9:00pm in the Swing & Fusion Rooms, and 10:00pm in the Blues Room.

11TH ANNUAL SWINGIN' THE NEW YEAR 12/31/2018
New Year's Eve — Florida's Biggest Swing-Dance Event!

Countdown 7 days 'til Swingin' the New Year!

Tickets are selling at a record pace this year, and reserved seats will likely sell out. Get Tickets Here

Swingin' the New Year is Tampa Bay's best New Year's Eve dance party, happening 12/31/2018 at the spectacular St. Petersburg Coliseum and featuring live big band, Gloria West & the Gents, plus midnight balloon drop, dance performances, and dancing with your favorite friends! Get ready for the fun to begin! See www.NewYearSwing.com for tickets and full celebration info.

Want to be part of a fun group New Year's Eve? Buy a Group Ticket and we'll put you with a great group of dancers.

Huge Prize Giveaway — We've outdone ourselves this year! See all prizes here. Drawings happen at band intermission. Enter the Prize Drawing at Swingin' the New Year for your chance to win:

a Dolphin Watch or Sunset Sail Cruise for Two courtesy of Dolphin Landings Charter Boat Center,
a $50 Gift Certificate to ON POINTE Dancewear & More,
2 Tickets to Palladium Theater for the Victor Wainwright show on Saturday January 5th,
2 Tickets to District Dance Academy to dance to the Jive Aces on Saturday January 19th,
2 Tickets to Mahaffey Theater to see the Glenn Miller Orchestra on Tuesday January 22nd,
2 Tickets to Mahaffey Theater for the Pink Martini show on Sunday January 27th,
2 Tickets to St. Petersburg Coliseum for the TomKats Big Band Ballroom Dance on Saturday February 2nd,
2 Tickets to the Gulfport Casino Swing Night,
2 Tickets to Swing Sunday at the Torpedo Room, and
2 Tickets to Soul Night at the Gulfport Casino!

Thursday, January 3rd (2019) — Learn & Advance in Lindy Hop — 3 Levels — The most complete Lindy Hop curriculum available in Florida. Courses are designed and taught by Sam from Swing Time, and range from absolute novice ( Lindy Hop I ) to fairly advanced ( Lindy Hop III ).

Courses are open to everyone, including dancers who learned their Lindy Hop elsewhere. Experienced Lindy Hoppers can test into the appropriate level and skip lower levels. We're confident that everyone who takes a course will benefit, advance, and learn new things. Get More Info / Register for Lindy Hop Courses

Friday, January 11th is Soul Night at the Gulfport Casino. Dance 8pm-midnight to the best in Funk, Soul, Disco, Motown, Rhythm & Blues, featuring an exciting mix of retro & modern dance music, great for a variety of partner dances (Hustle, Swing, West-Coast, Blues, Fusion, etc) plus group, line, and freestyle dancing! Arrive early for a West-Coast Swing Lesson 7-8pm. Just $10 includes the dance AND the lesson. Students get $6 admission if they show up by 7pm and take the lesson. Soul Night happens at the Gulfport Casino the 2nd Friday of every month.

Swing Time welcomes special guest instructor, Renee Lipman, who'll teach the 7pm West-Coast Swing lesson. Renee is a mover and shaker in the West-Coast world who's largely responsible for the resurgence of West-Coast Swing in Tampa Bay. Since 2006, she's won numerous competitions, including a silver medal in the 2007 U.S. Open Swing Dance Championships.