Tampa Bay's Swing Dance News for November 7th 2016

Free Admission Wednesday — Show us both your Swingin' the New Year ticket AND your Jazz Classic ticket for free admission at this Wednesday's Gulfport Casino Swing Night! If you're missing one or both tickets, you can buy them on arrival Wednesday to get free admission. Offer valid this Wednesday 11/9, one night only.

Balboa lessons happen every Wednesday in November, 6-7pm, at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night, featuring instructors, Sam & Teresa. Learn Balboa, the top dance craze in the swing world! ...and if you already know Balboa, take these classes to practice, to add to your repertoire, and to increase your Balboa skills. Each class covers different moves, steps, and topics in Balboa dancing. No prior experience needed.

This Sunday, November 13th, is Ballroom Fusion Night at the Gulfport Casino, with Carolina Shag Lessons 6-8pm, and Dancing 8-11pm to a variety of music for a variety of dances. Just $8 includes the lessons and the dance, and students get $5 admission. 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!

Carolina Shag is a dance known for its fluid and fancy footwork that's currently experiencing a surge of popularity. Carolina Shag is similar to East-Coast Swing, but is danced to R&B and what's known as "Beach Music". Swing Time welcomes special guest instructor, Renee Lipman, who'll teach the Carolina Shag lessons. Renee is a mover and shaker in the West-Coast world who's largely responsible for the resurgence of West-Coast Swing in Tampa Bay. Since 2006, she's won numerous competitions, including a silver medal in the 2007 U.S. Open Swing Dance Championships. She recently fell in love with Carolina Shag, and had the opportunity to compete and win first place with Shag champion, Brennar Goree.

SWINGIN' THE NEW YEAR 12/31/2016

Swingin' the New Year features UK swing sensations The Jive Aces at the spectacular St. Petersburg Coliseum! This Grand New Year's Eve Celebration for All Ages is Florida's biggest annual swing-dance event...make plans now to join us!

Purchase Tickets Now securely online to save $5 AND secure the best seats! Tickets are $30 if purchased by December 10th, or $35 after December 10th. Group discounts and VIP Alcoves and Tables are available for parties of 10 or more, so start organizing your group today.

Free Alcove SuperSpecial — Save $379! — Only 8 Alcoves Remain

SWING TIME SECTION — We've reserved a central block of 60 of the best seats in the house for Swing Time regulars, and are selling these Wednesdays at the Gulfport Casino Swing Nights, while they last! Buy one of these tickets and you'll be among friends and fellow dancers. Tickets in the Swing Time Section are available exclusively to dancers who attend (and purchase them in person at) prior Swing Time events.

Friday, November 18th, the Suncoast Jazz Classic festival hosts its 7th annual Friday Night Swing Dance at the Sheraton on Sand Key (Clearwater Beach). The dance features an amazing lineup of live music, featuring four superbly swinging bands from across the USA! This is a must-attend event for swing dancers, balboa dancers, lindy hoppers, and music lovers who appreciate swinging big-band and traditional jazz. Get ready to dance to some world-class live music! Each band performs one full hour's set of music for your dancing pleasure. The evening's lineup is 6:30-7:15pm Swing Time Dance Lessons, 7:30-8:30pm Hot Jazz Pie (Orlando, FL), 8:45-9:45pm The Midiri Brothers (NJ/NY/PA), 10:00-11:00pm The Fat Babies (Chicago, IL), and 11:15pm-12:15am Dave Bennett Quartet (Detroit, MI). Tickets are $22 online in advance or $25 the day of event. Special advance tickets are available for just $20 at all prior Swing Time events...you must purchase these in person. More Info

Saturday, November 19th, is Saturday Swing in Tampa, with Swing Dancing 9pm-12:00, plus Blues Dancing starting at midnight! Join us at 8pm, prior to the dance, for the Swing Dance Lesson. Admission is $10 before midnight (includes lesson, swing dancing, and blues dancing), or $5 after midnight (includes blues dancing only). All ages are welcome, no partners are needed, and prizes are given away at intermission. Saturday Swing happens the 3rd Saturday of every month at Simone Salsa studio, 8336 W. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, FL 33615. Simone Salsa features awesome atmosphere, lighting, and sound; its own free parking lot; and a large smooth hardwood dance floor.

Wednesday, November 23rd — With Thanksgiving on Thursday, the weekend starts Wednesday night, when Swing Time hosts a special evening of live music and swing dancing! Join in celebration at the Gulfport Casino Swing Night for Swing Time's Pre-Thanksgiving Bash! This huge swing-dance party is always one of the biggest Wednesday Swing Nights of the year, attracting not just locals but out-of-towners who are home for the holidays.

The Bash features live & swingin' music by the St. Pete Blues All-Stars! The evening starts with a Balboa Lesson 6-7pm, followed by East-Coast Swing Lesson 7-8pm, then Live Music & Dancing 8-11pm. Admission's just $12 (get your tickets at the door), all ages are welcome, no partner is needed, and it all happens in the spectacular waterfront ballroom of the Gulfport Casino!