Tampa Bay's Swing Dance News for December 9th 2007

Tampa Bay's Swing Dance News

SUBSCRIBE to Swing Time's Weekly Email Newsletter

Swing Time Newsletter — Sunday DEC 9th 2007

Hi Everyone! Join us this Friday (Dec 14) at Gulfport for Swing Time! ...live music & dancing featuring Lounge Cat (details below). Coming soon are two HUGE events: Swing into the New Year! and Swing Time! ...featuring Roomful of Blues, 5-Time Grammy Award Nominees! Click the links above for full event info and to learn more about this incredible band! Tickets for both huge events go on sale this Wednesday at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night; tickets will work differently for these two events; for one thing, you'll want to purchase them as early as possible. See the end of this newsletter for full ticket information, plus a calendar of events! --Sam

SWING CENTRO Needs Your Support!

Please make a special effort to be at Centro Asturiano this coming Thursday, December 13th. It's been nearly a year since it all started -- the every-Thursday swing dance known as "Swing Centro". The folks who manage the Centro Asturiano building originally gave us a year for Swing Centro, with the hope that it would become a major successful weekly event. Well, the year is just about up... The Centro management will meet in a few weeks and decide whether to extend Swing Centro for another year.

Right now the decision is still up in the air, but the next two weeks, starting this Thursday, are going to be critical. I know it's a busy time of year for most people, so it's no coincidence that Swing Centro needs your support and attendance now, at the very same time you might find yourself very busy with school/work/pre-Christmas mania/etc... but if you wait until after Christmas to show up, this swing night will be history.

Please make a special effort to attend this Thursday, December 13th, and the following Thursday, December 20th. After all, dancing is one of the best breaks to take some stress off at a busy time. Also, bring some friends and help spread the word! If everyone does just a little bit, I'm confident this night will continue for another year, and far beyond that!

By the way, if you look at the wildly successful swing nights that Tampa Bay has had over the years -- Sugar Palm from 1998-1999, Gulfport Casino, Italian Club/Zendah Grotto, Centro Asturiano from 2000-2004, they all have one thing in common, and that's strong grass-roots support among the dancers. In none of the above cases was it the creative genius of some event organizer, or promoter, or DJ, or dance instructor that made these nights happen, but it was the collective enthusiasm, support, organizational and promotional efforts by the dancers that made these nights grow and succeed. I should know -- I was one of the dancers that helped start, promote, and support all of these events!

I look forward to seeing you there Thursday!

Sam

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]

This Friday, December 14th, 2007
Swing Time! at the Gulfport Casino Ballroom
featuring Lounge Cat

This Friday, December 14th, Swing Time features the velvety swingin' sounds of Lounge Cat. The event starts with a group swing-dance lesson, 8-9pm (no partner needed), followed by live music & dancing, 9pm-1am. It all takes place in the spectacular waterfront ballroom of the Gulfport Casino!

Lounge Cat is a six-piece swing band that's been entertaining people across the Bay area for eight years. Led by singer & guitarist, Eddie Rosicky, the band also includes sax, trumpet, electric banjo, upright bass, and drums. Lounge Cat's diverse repertoire ranges from Rat Pack favorites, to Louis Armstrong, to unique and often humorous swinging covers and originals. The band's cool, velvety sounds have won them a loyal following of dancers who recently recommended the band to Swing Time, fresh off a successful appearance at this year's WMNF Tropical Heatwave. In addition to Heatwave, the band has played hundreds of venues and events, including the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Disney, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, and the Ringling Art Museum. Lounge Cat has recorded three CDs and opened for acts ranging from B.B. King to the Red Elvises.

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/ Lounge Cat, 9pm-1am
Swing Dance Instruction (no partner needed), 8-9pm

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]

UPCOMING SWING TIME EVENTS
Click the links below for details on each event

EVERY WEDNESDAY: Gulfport Casino Swing Night

EVERY THURSDAY: Swing Centro

Dec 14, 2007 (Fri): Swing Time! at the Gulfport Casino
Live Music by Lounge Cat!
Tickets: $11; purchase at the door

Dec 31, 2007 (Mon): Swing into the New Year! at the Gulfport Casino
A NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATION for ALL AGES !
Tickets only $15, while they last...
Click here for Ticket Info

Jan 11, 2008 (Fri): Swing Time! at the Gulfport Casino
    featuring Roomful of Blues!!
    World's Greatest Jump-Blues Band!
    5-Time Grammy Award Nominees!!
    Tickets: Reserved Seating...$15/advance -or- $20/day of event
    Tickets: Dancing Room Only...$12/advance -or- $15/day of event
Click here for Ticket Info or to Purchase Tickets!

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

SPECIAL TICKET INFORMATION for 12/31 & 1/11 EVENTS

Dec 31, 2007 (Mon): Swing into the New Year! at the Gulfport Casino

This year, each ticket to Swing into the New Year! provides a reserved seat. Groups should purchase tickets all at once, to reserve seating at the same table. Tickets for Swing into the New Year!, while they last, must be purchased in person at the Gulfport Casino front desk. Ticket hours are 9am-5pm Monday-Friday, and Wednesdays 7pm-12 during the Gulfport Casino Swing Night, plus this Friday (Dec 14) 8pm-1am at Swing Time! Phone 727-893-1070 for ticket inquiries. No online tickets will be sold for Swing into the New Year!, and no other ticket outlets are currently provided. We recommend buying your tickets as far in advance as possible; last year, all tickets sold out days before the event!

Jan 11, 2008 (Fri): Swing Time! at the Gulfport Casino featuring Roomful of Blues!!

For January 11th's Swing Time! event featuring Roomful of Blues, about half of the available tickets will be RESERVED SEAT tickets, and the other half will be GENERAL ADMISSION (Dancing Room Only) tickets. Both types of tickets are available now securely online, or at any prior Gulfport Casino or Centro Asturiano swing events. Reserved-Seat tickets buy you a seat at a table, and these tickets are sold on a best-available basis, meaning the earlier you purchase your tickets, the better (closer to the action) your seats will be. Want Seating? We highly recommend you purchase advance tickets now! General-Admission tickets admit one person to the event, on a dancing/standing-room-only basis, meaning no seat and no table are provided. This is perfect for dancers who dance all night, or people who like to go around the hall and socialize. There will be areas for General Admission ticket holders to congregate, mingle, enjoy a drink, and set down drinks, dance shoes, etc. There will also be 5000 square feet of dance floor open for dancing! If you want to sit, however, buy a "Reserved Seat Ticket" instead.

GET THE SWING NEWS Delivered to Your Email