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Swing Time Newsletter — Tuesday JUL 10th 2007
Hi Everyone! In this newsletter... New Photos Online; DJ Talent Search Final Four this WED (July 11) & next WED (July 18); Your One Chance of the Summer to Learn Shim Sham this THU (July 12); Swing Time! Live Music & Dancing this FRI July 13; Dance Performance Opportunities; Swing Centro Live! THU July 26; Gulfport Casino Swings Big Every WED; Swing Centro Every THU; Summer Classes in Shim Sham, Charleston, East-Coast Swing, Lindy Hop & Balboa; Celebrate Sinatra Party; + Calendar of Events. --Sam
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NEW PHOTOS Online!
400+ New Photos from Five Recent Events
Photos are now online from the last two Gulfport Casino Swing Nights (including last week's huge Pre-Independence-Day Swing Dance), from the last two Swing Centro events, and from the last (June 8th) Swing Time! live music/dance event... check them out! In each of the new photo galleries, you'll notice a few photos highlighted at the top of the page -- these are our "nominations" for Best Photo of the event.
Direct Links to the Photo Scrapbook Pages:
Photos - JULY 5 - Swing Centro
Photos - JULY 3 - Pre-Independence-Day Swing Dance at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night
Photos - JUNE 28 - Swing Centro
Photos - JUNE 27 - Gulfport Casino Swing Night
Photos - JUNE 8 - Swing Time! at the Gulfport Casino w/ The Juke Joint Kings
This Friday, July 13th
Swing Time! at the Gulfport Casino Ballroom
featuring Charlie Vegas & the New Blues Combo
Tampa Bay's Most Exciting Swingin' Act!
Get ready to jump... get ready to rock... get ready to swing! ...with Tampa Bay's most exciting swingin' act, Charlie Vegas & the New Blues Combo! This talented & energetic band features sax, drums, bass, and Charlie himself on guitar, harmonica & vocals. Whether it's uptempo & jumpin' or low down & gritty, these guys deliver a huge and varied repertoire of dance favorites... along with the power, the sound, and the excitement that'll pull you up out of your seat and get you onto your feet! It all happens this Friday, July 13th at the Gulfport Casino Ballroom, starting with a group swing-dance lesson, 8-9pm (no partner needed), followed by live music & dancing, 9pm-1am, plus a dance exhibition at intermission!
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
Live Music & Dancing w/ Charlie Vegas & the New Blues Combo, 9pm-1am
Swing Dance Instruction (no partner needed), 8-9pm
Dance Exhibition at Intermission
All Ages & Smoke-Free
Friendly Social Atmosphere
Beautiful Waterfront Ballroom
Huge Dance Floor
Prize Giveaways
Full Bar
$11 Admission includes 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]
DANCE PERFORMANCE OPPORTUNITY
Swing Time is looking for more dancers to perform at band intermissions at the monthly Friday events. Dancing couples, groups, and individuals are invited to perform... if you've been working on a performance or competition routine, here's your chance to show it to an audience of dancers! It doesn't have to be swing either -- it can be any type of dancing. If interested, email Sam@SwingTime.info or just hit your reply button.
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]
DJ TALENT SEARCH FINAL FOUR
This WED (July 11) & Next WED (July 18)
The Final Four in the DJ Talent Search compete this Wednesday (July 11) and next Wednesday (July 18), 10:30pm-Midnight at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night! Both evenings start with a dance lesson, 7:00-8:00pm, followed by swing music & dancing 8:00pm-10:30pm, followed by more music & dancing 10:30pm-Midnight to sounds spun by that night's two contestants! Come out and dance and support your favorite contestants! Winners advance to the finals and compete for $500 in top prizes!
MATCHUPS
This Wednesday July 11th: J & Steve
Next Wednesday July 18th: Richy & Tim
Click for Contestant Photos & Bios
SWING CENTRO !
EVERY THURSDAY in Ybor City (Tampa, FL)
Swing Music & Dancing, 8pm-Midnight
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 $7 (includes Free Lesson); Free Gated Parking
Students Get 2-for-1 Admission!
[Map & Directions] [More Info]
SUMMER SWING CENTRO LESSONS
FREE Lindy Hop, Charleston, Shim Sham, 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 12 (Thu): SHIM SHAM
Jul 19 (Thu): CHARLESTONS - Front-to-Front Moves
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
Shim Sham Mini-Workshop (July 12) Learn the Shim Sham, plus useful jazz steps for swing dancing, all in one accelerated 60-minute session! The Shim Sham is a swing line-dance & mixer that goes back to the early days of swing, jazz & tap dance. It has become a tradition at swing dances across the world, and is a fun & energetic part of just about every swing dance in the Tampa Bay area! There are no prerequisites, and no partner is needed.
Charlestons (July 19, 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.
SWING CENTRO LIVE!
Thursday July 26th at Centro Asturiano
featuring The Venturas!
Live Music & Dancing, 8pm-Midnight
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]
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 11 (Wed): 7-8pm
Jul 13 (Fri): 8-9pm
Jul 18 (Wed): 7-8pm
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
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 their choice of swing, mambo, foxtrot, tango, 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 $20 for Paul's show, $45 for the party, 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.
Swing Time! -- Upcoming Events
Click the links below for details on each event
EVERY WEDNESDAY: Gulfport Casino Swing Night
EVERY THURSDAY: Swing Centro
Jul 13, 2007 (Fri):
Swing Time! at the Gulfport Casino
featuring Charlie Vegas & the New Blues Combo!
Tampa Bay's Most Exciting Swingin' Act!
Tickets: $11; purchase at the door
Jul 26, 2007 (Thu):
Swing Centro Live!
featuring The Venturas!
Exceptional Talent w/ Hot Vocals!
Tickets: $10; purchase at the door
The SECOND FRIDAY Swing Time! at the Gulfport Casino
of EVERY MONTH: Live Music & Dancing!
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