Tampa Bay's Swing Dance News for January 2nd 2008

Tampa Bay's Swing Dance News

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Swing Time Newsletter — Wednesday JAN 2nd 2008

Hi Everyone!

Happy New Year! Join us tonight (Wed Jan 2nd) at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night and tomorrow (Thu Jan 3rd) at Swing Centro for the first two swing nights of 2008!

Just two weekends away -- Friday January 11th at the Gulfport Casino -- is Swing Time! ...featuring the biggest-name band to ever play a Tampa Bay swing-dance event... 5-Time Grammy Award Nominees, Roomful of Blues! This event is going to be HUGE, likely the biggest Florida swing-dance event of 2008! Purchase your advance tickets securely online now! Reserved-Seat Tickets are selling at a record pace for this incredible event. In fact, most of the Reserved Seats have already been sold! Get your tickets online now, while you still can, or get them in person tonight (Wednesday) at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night or tomorrow (Thursday) at Swing Centro.

Thank-you to everyone who celebrated New Year's Eve with us at the Gulfport Casino. Not only was it a sold-out event, but I thought it was the best yet "Swing into the New Year!" I hope you had a blast! I definitely enjoyed swinging in the New Year with all of you!

Sam

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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 (Jan 2nd or 9th) at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night
-or- in person Thursdays (Jan 3rd or 10th) 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 Swing Night or Swing Centro event. 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 UPDATE / First Dance of 2008!

Swing in 2008 this Thursday (January 3rd) at Swing Centro! Last Thursday was the biggest Swing Centro of all of 2007, and each week this dance keeps getting bigger! Once again, we thank everybody who has turned out to Swing Centro the last four weeks. We really appreciate the special effort you all have made! For 2008, Swing Centro is definitely on for the entire month of January. After that, I'm optimistic... sometime in January, we should have a decision on the upcoming months of 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

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]

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

EVERY WEDNESDAY: Gulfport Casino Swing Night

EVERY THURSDAY: Swing Centro

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!

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