Tampa Bay's Swing Dance News for December 22nd 2007

Tampa Bay's Swing Dance News

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Swing Time Newsletter — Saturday DEC 22nd 2007

Hi Everyone!

Join us this Wednesday (Dec 26) at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night and this Thursday (Dec 27) at Swing Centro for two exciting nights of swing! We're expecting big crowds with everyone home for the holidays, so gather up your friends & relatives, and get ready to dance off some of that Christmas dinner!

New Year's Eve is just 9 days away, and tickets are selling very quickly for Swing into the New Year! You have to purchase these tickets in person at the Gulfport Casino, and your last chance to buy tickets at a dance event will be this Wednesday's (Dec 26) Gulfport Casino Swing Night. Don't delay, because last year all tickets sold out two days in advance!

Coming Friday January 11th to the Gulfport Casino is one of the biggest swing events to ever hit Tampa Bay... Swing Time! featuring 5-Time Grammy Award Nominees, Roomful of Blues! Reserved Seat tickets are selling at a record pace for this incredible event, with over one-third of the reserved seats already sold! Purchase your advance tickets securely online now! Or get them in person this Wednesday (Dec 26) at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night or this Thursday (Dec 27) at Swing Centro. If you don't need seats, we also have General Admission (Dancing Room Only) tickets available, and we encourage you to purchase yours before the last minute! In fact, this week we're offering General Admission tickets, which will cost $15 at the door, for only $10 if purchased at this coming Wednesday's (Dec 26) Gulfport Casino Swing Night or at this coming Thursday's (Dec 27) Swing Centro. This special rate is good two nights only at the above events, and will not be repeated.

Have a Merry Christmas, and we'll see you right after!

Sam

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Swing into the New Year!
NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATION
Monday, December 31st, 2007
at the GULFPORT CASINO

December 31st, 2007, the Gulfport Casino hosts Tampa Bay's hottest New Year's Eve dance party... Swing into the New Year! This New Year's Eve celebration for all ages features tons of music and dancing, plus an intro swing-dance lesson, courtesy of Swing Time! The celebration includes a champagne toast, party favors, refreshments, prize giveaways, and an Art Exhibit by City of Imagination (a not-for-profit arts organization). Doors open at 7:30pm.

Music, Dancing & Celebration! 9pm-1am
Swing Dance Lesson: 8-9pm (no partner needed)
Champagne Toast, Party Favors, Refreshments
Midnight Countdown, Decor, Fun for All Ages!
Art Exhibit by City of Imagination
Vintage Costumes Optional

* All Ages * Smoke-Free * Cash Bar * Free Parking * Prizes! *

TICKETS only $15, while they last... Available at:
Gulfport Casino Swing Night: Every Wednesday, 7pm-Midnight
Gulfport Casino: 5500 Shore Blvd S, Gulfport, 9am-5pm M-F, 727-893-1070

SPECIAL TICKET INFO: 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. Phone 727-893-1070 for ticket inquiries. No online tickets will be sold for Swing into the New Year!, and no other ticket outlets will be provided. We recommend buying your tickets as far in advance as possible; last year, all tickets sold out days before the event!

The event is co-sponsored by The Gulfport Casino, City of Imagination, and Swing Time! The Gulfport Casino is located in the St. Petersburg area at 5500 Shore Blvd. S., Gulfport FL 33707.

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

GET READY to JUMP, BOOGIE & SWING!
Swing Time! presents...
Roomful of Blues !!
5-Time Grammy Award Nominees
Live at the Gulfport Casino Ballroom
Friday, January 11th, 2008

Friday, January 11th, 2008, 5-Time Grammy Award Nominees Roomful of Blues play a special event at the Gulfport Casino Ballroom, produced by Swing Time! A group swing-dance lesson kicks off the evening 8-9pm (no partner needed). Then it's time to jump, boogie & swing to the incredible horn-driven sound of Roomful of Blues, with live music & dancing 9pm-1am.

Roomful of Blues is a legendary band that's now celebrating its 40th Anniversary! Founded by Duke Robillard & Al Copley in 1967, the band has been in continuous motion ever since, recording 22 Albums, accumulating awards & accolades including 5 Grammy Award Nominations, touring the world many times over, and amazing audiences at every stop. Throughout its history, Roomful has consistently earned and maintained an unparalleled reputation for excellent musicianship. The band keeps a fresh edge by hiring only the best talent available to replace outgoing alumni. Their list of alumni is quite impressive (Ronnie Earl, Lou Ann Barton, Sugar Ray Norcia,...) and the band has recorded albums with music legends ranging from Big Joe Turner to Earl King to Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson. Count Basie, himself, was a big fan of Roomful of Blues!

Today, Roomful's lineup is stronger than ever, with an amazing horn section that has won 6 W.C. Handy Awards (1998 & 2001-2005) for Best Instrumentals. Roomful's horn section is featured on albums by musical greats ranging from Stevie Ray Vaughan to Pat Benatar, Colin James, Mitch Woods, and Toni Lynn Washington (to name a few). In fact, when it comes to recording, the horn section is in such great demand that whenever you swing to your favorite tune, you just might be dancing to Roomful of Blues!

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/ Roomful of Blues, 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

Tickets: Reserved Seating...$15/advance -or- $20/day of event
Tickets: Dancing Room Only...$12/advance -or- $15/day of event
Purchase Advance Tickets securely online at www.SwingTime.info
-or- in person Wednesdays at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night
-or- in person Thursdays at Swing Centro
Admission includes Free Lesson; Free Parking!

Click Here for TICKET INFO or to PURCHASE TICKETS
Want Seating? We highly recommend you purchase advance tickets now!

SPECIAL TICKET INFO: 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.

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

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

The Gulfport Casino Swing Night is a high-energy social-dance event, happening in a beautiful retro-era grand dance hall -- the Gulfport Casino -- that beckons all who venture near to come inside and swing! Now in its 10th year, this every-Wednesday Swing Night has become one of the biggest swing dances in the USA, attracting hundreds of dancers of all ages, both locals and often visiting travelers.

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 $7 (includes Free Lesson)

The Gulfport Casino is located in the St. Petersburg area at 500 Shore Blvd. S., Gulfport FL 33707. For more info, visit www.SwingTime.info on the web, or click the links below:

[Map & Directions] [More Info]

SWING CENTRO
EVERY THURSDAY in Ybor City (Tampa, FL)

Every Thursday, the Grand Ballroom of Centro Asturiano comes alive, as all ages gather for Swing Centro, an exciting night of swing music and dancing! Dancers swing & move, shake & groove to the latest swingin' sounds, while scenesters socialize in the fabulous vintage surroundings or enjoy a drink at the bar. Every Swing Centro event starts with a group swing-dance lesson (7-8pm), where no partner is needed and no prior dance experience is necessary. Every event continues with music & dancing, 8pm-midnight. Vintage attire is encouraged (though not required) and many people come decked out in styles from the 20's-50's.

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!

Centro Asturiano is located at 1913 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa FL 33602 (at the corner of Palm Ave. & Nebraska Ave. in Ybor City). For more info, visit www.SwingTime.info on the web, or click the links below:

[Map & Directions] [More Info]

SWING CENTRO UPDATE

A big THANK-YOU goes to everyone who turned out to Swing Centro the last three weeks! We really appreciate the special effort you all made! Every week, the attendance has increased, and we're expecting the biggest turnout of all this coming Thursday, December 27th, to close out 2007! For 2008, Swing Centro is definitely on for the entire month of January. After that, I'm optimistic, but sometime in January, we should have a decision on the upcoming months in 2008. In the meantime, we hope you'll continue to support this incredible venue, by attending the Swing Centro events, by bringing new people to the dance lessons, and by spreading the word. See you this Thursday! --Sam

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

EVERY WEDNESDAY: Gulfport Casino Swing Night

EVERY THURSDAY: Swing Centro

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!

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