Tampa Bay's Swing Dance News for May 16th 2016

This Wednesday, May 18th, Keith Jones & the Makeshifts play the Gulfport Casino Swing Night! One of the best groups to ever headline the Gulfport Casino, this Cincinnati band swings hot jump-blues and traditional rock'n'roll for your dancing pleasure. Making their fifth appearance at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night, Keith Jones & the Makeshifts were a huge hit with dancers every time they played for us before. In fact, the band currently holds the Wednesday Swing Night attendance record!

Doors Open 5:45pm
Swing Dance Lesson (Intermediate-Level) 6-7pm
Swing Dance Lesson (Beginning-Level) 7-8pm
Live Music & Dancing 8-11pm

* All Ages * No Partner Needed *
Huge Dance Floor — One of World's Best!
Beautiful Retro-Era Waterfront Dance Hall
Full Bar ~ Prize Giveaways ~ Smoke-Free ~ Free Parking

Admission's just $12 (get your tickets at the door; cash only)
No free passes or student specials accepted on band nights

The Gulfport Casino Swing Night is one of the top swing dances in the U.S.A., attracting hundreds of dancers every Wednesday. The Gulfport Casino Ballroom is located in the St. Petersburg, Florida area at 5500 Shore Blvd. S., Gulfport, FL 33707. Map & Directions

This Saturday, May 21st, is Jazz Night, Tampa's Lindy Hop & Balboa dance. The night starts with Balboa Lessons 8-9pm with 2 Simultaneous Levels! Beginning-Level features instructors, Keegan Barkley & Les J Wardell. Intermediate-Level features instructors, Tom Blair & Aryn Kelly Rathbone. Dance 9pm-Midnight+ to the best of Big Band and Traditional Jazz, featuring DJs Sam Mahfoud and Dominic Howarth. Doors open 7:45pm and admission is $8 (which includes both the lessons and the dance). Jazz Night happens at Simone Salsa studio, 8336 W. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, FL 33615.

Advancing-Your-Swing Lessons in May — Advancing Your Swing is a series of intermediate-level swing lessons, happening 6-7pm every Wednesday in May at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night. Learn Cool Moves, Footwork Variations, Multiple Turns, Dips, Leans, and more. Add style to your swing dancing. Become a better leader or follower, and get asked to dance more often.

Blues Dance Lessons in June — Get ready for Blues Dance Lessons every Wednesday in June, 6-7pm, at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night. Special guest instructors, Will & Katy Flanery, teach the blues dance lessons.

Ballroom Fusion Night happens Sunday, June 12th at the Gulfport Casino. All social dancers from a diversity of dance scenes, ranging from Ballroom to Swing to Latin/Salsa to West-Coast to Tango to Blues and more, are invited to attend and help create this partner-dancing fusion. Ballroom Fusion Night is partnered social dancing "outside the box", featuring lessons and music for today's most popular partner dances, plus exciting new dance music! Ballroom Fusion Night is held the 2nd Sunday of every month at the Gulfport Casino.

BIG PRIZE GIVEAWAY — Enter the Prize Drawing to win a Dolphin Watch or Sunset Sail Cruise for Two courtesy of Dolphin Landings Charter Boat Center. Additional prizes include dance event tickets. Drawings happen at 9:30pm intermission, and you must be present to win. Dolphin Landings offers a variety of public day cruises and private charters including the ever popular Dolphin Watch and Sunset Sails, all departing from St Pete Beach. Dolphin Landings is located at 4737 Gulf Blvd, St Pete Beach, FL 33706 (Phone 727-360-7411).

Doors Open 5:45pm

LESSONS 6-8PM
Rumba: 6-7pm
Rumba/Salsa Fusion: 7-8pm
Instructors, Sam Mahfoud & Carol Rivera

Swing Time is teaming up with Salsa Rivera to bring you this month's dance lessons! Learn the basics of street-style Rumba and ballroom-style Rumba in the 6-7pm dance lesson. Rumba is one of the most useful partner dances for American popular music. A matter of fact, if you hear a great song and you're not swing dancing to it, odds are it would make a good Rumba! Rumba's underlying rhythm is "Slow-Quick-Quick". Salsa's is "Quick-Quick-Slow". So what's to keep you from incorporating your entire Salsa repertoire into your Rumba? Nothing at all! We'll show you how it's done in the 7-8pm lesson.

DANCING 8-11PM
8-10pm: Modern Ballroom Dance Mix
10-11pm: Fusion Mix...Anything Goes

Special Dance Performance at 9:30pm intermission

All Ages No Partners Needed Admission $8 (Students $5) Door Prizes

The Gulfport Casino Ballroom is one of the world's top dance destinations, offering social dance excitement in a picturesque beachfront setting. It features a rich history, a grand dance floor, a full bar, a smoke-free atmosphere, and free parking. The Gulfport Casino Ballroom is located in the St. Petersburg, Florida area at 5500 Shore Blvd. S., Gulfport, FL 33707. Map & Directions