Tampa Bay's Swing Dance News for June 1st 2009

Hi Everyone! Join us this Wednesday (June 3rd) at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night for Lindy Hop & Swing Rueda Lessons 6-7pm, followed by Swing Dance Lessons 7-8pm, and Swing Music & Dancing 8-11pm. This Friday (June 5th) at the Gulfport Casino is Swing Time! LIVE w/ The Venturas. Our next event in Tampa is Friday June 26th's Swing Time! at Centro Asturiano. Read on for full event details and see bottom for the latest Calendar of Events. See you this Wednesday and Friday at the Gulfport Casino! --Sam

Lindy Hop & Swing Rueda start THIS WEDNESDAY June 3rd! Get Ready for Six Different Levels -- Beginning to Advanced -- of Lindy Hop (the partner swing dance) and Swing Rueda (the partner-switching group dance). Lindy Hop will advance, expand, and add excitement to your swing dancing! Swing Rueda will give you opportunities to dance your Lindy Hop with a roomful of dancers! To learn Lindy Hop & Swing Rueda simultaneously, just take the 6-7pm Bonus Lessons at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night. We used to charge $35 for 4 weeks of these classes, but now all classes are yours FREE! ...with paid admission to the event. Every Wednesday in June & July, the 6-7pm Bonus Lesson will be Lindy Hop & Swing Rueda, followed by the Swing Dance Lesson 7-8pm and Swing Music & Dancing 8-11pm. More Info -- Lindy Hop & Swing Rueda Classes

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I just returned from Frankie 95, held Memorial Day Weekend in New York City. With over 1800 dancers from 30+ countries, the dancing was off-the-charts impressive! In addition to dancers from across the USA, I got to dance with lindy hoppers from Norway, London, Australia, even Lithuania! Each night featured many hours of energetic dancing, plus the weekend offered workshops and world-class performances, including a tribute-to-Frankie show put on by the world's best lindy hoppers at the Manhattan Center's theater. The tribute show recreated some of Frankie's impressive routines with the finale being a show-stopping rendition of Hellzapoppin' (Ryan Francois as Frankie Manning). Overall, the weekend -- like Frankie himself -- was highly inspirational, and I'm look forward to bringing some of that excitement and energy of lindy hop and swing dancing back to the Florida events! Enjoy the videos below. --Sam

World's Biggest Shim Sham Central Park 5/22/2009 -- I handed the camera to a randomly selected volunteer (so I could dance!)

Global Shim Sham Highlights This is the official compilation of all the Global Shim Sham submissions from around the world. Note Tampa Bay is represented for a fraction of a second at 3:33!

The Venturas

Swing Time! at the Gulfport Casino Ballroom
This Friday, June 5th, 2009
featuring... THE VENTURAS
Exceptional Talent w/ Hot Vocals

This Friday, June 5th, 2009, is Swing Time! at the Gulfport Casino Ballroom, an exciting evening of live music and swing dancing, featuring the hot swingin' sounds of The Venturas! Kicking off the event is a group swing-dance lesson, 8-9pm (no partner needed). Then it's time to swing, with live music & dancing, 9:00pm-12:30am, plus a dance exhibition at intermission!

A favorite of Bay-area swingsters, The Venturas have also made a big impression on the Florida music scene, receiving rave reviews from press & fans alike, playing for tens of thousands of people, winning Best Band awards, and recording four CDs! Each time they've played Swing Time, the band has put on a smash performance for a huge audience of fans. And each time they've played, people have remarked that it's been an incredible night of dancing, music, and all-around fun!

Swing Time is Florida's Premier Swing Event, held one Friday each 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/ The Venturas, 9pm-12:30am
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] [Dance Lesson] [Map & Directions] [More Info]

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GULFPORT CASINO SWINGS! — Every WEDNESDAY
Exciting 2009 Format — Bonus Lessons, Student Discounts & More!

Every Wednesday in June & July, the 6pm Bonus Lesson topic will be Lindy Hop & Swing Rueda! Get Ready for Six Different Levels -- Beginning to Advanced -- of Lindy Hop (the partner swing dance) and Swing Rueda (the partner-switching group dance).

Bonus Lesson 6-7pm
Swing Dance Lesson 7-8pm
Swing Music & Dance 8-11pm

* All Ages * No Partner Needed *
Huge Dance Floor — One of World's Best!
Beautiful Retro-Era Waterfront Dance Hall

Admission $7 (includes 2 Free Lessons!)
Students get 2-for-1 Admission!

Full Bar ~ Prize Giveaways ~ Smoke-Free ~ Free Parking
Celebrate Your Birthday at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night!

The Gulfport Casino is one of the world's best ballrooms, offering up social dance excitement in a picturesque beachfront setting.

Map & Directions Dance Lessons More Info

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Swing Time! at Centro Asturiano in Tampa
Friday June 26th 2009
Swing Music & Dancing, 9pm-1am
Swing Dance Instruction, 8-9pm
Admission $7 Prize Giveaways!

ALL AGES WELCOME
Fabulous Vintage Grand Ballroom
Huge Floating-Wood Dance Floor!
Exciting Social Atmosphere

Admission includes Free Lesson ( No Partner Needed )
Free Gated Parking Smoke-Free Event Full Bar Available

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 Dance Lesson More Info

Swing Time will be teaching two hours of swing dancing, Noon-2pm, at The Art of Rescue: Dancing to a New Beat, a benefit for Florida Boxer Rescue held Saturday June 13th at the Art Institute of Tampa. This all-day event runs 8am-7pm and includes a pancake breakfast, ice carving demonstration, 8 hours of dance lessons (belly, line, disco, swing), seminars (arts, crafts, dogs, culinary), art displays, and auctions. It's followed by a "whine down" party, 7-10pm, with hors d'oeuvres, refreshments, wine and beer, and live music. Visit the website above for tickets or more info.

Dancers4Cancer is the creation of Cheryl Altman (one of our regular swing dancers at the Gulfport Casino). Last year, both of Cheryl's parents died from cancer. She wanted to find a way to honor their lives, and began planning the Dancers4Cancer Sock Hop. Her hope is to bring together 400 dancers who will raise $10,000.00 for the Gulfcoast Oncology Foundation. Cheryl said, "Dancing was Mom's passion and now my passion! I am having a blast following in her footsteps." The benefit includes snacks, raffles, tributes, a dance demo, and live music by Terry & the Pirates. It's Friday June 19th, 8pm-12, at the Gulfport Casino. Tickets are $15 in advance or $18 at the door. For more info, phone 727-424-6945 or visit the website above.

Swing Time DANCE TEAMS are now forming! Interested in training, learning, performing, even competing? Just reply back to this newsletter ( email Events@SwingTime.info ) for more info. To get started, attend the Lindy Hop & Swing Rueda classes, 6pm Wednesdays starting June 3rd, at the Gulfport Casino Swing Nights. You must learn Lindy Hop & Swing Rueda to perform.

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

Jul 3, 2009 (Fri): Swing Time! at the Gulfport Casino
PRE-INDEPENDENCE-DAY CELEBRATION
featuring Charlie Vegas & the New Blues Combo
The Kings of Retro Swinging Blues!
Tickets: $11; purchase at the door