We created a special video to celebrate liberation 75...in lockdown!
Lindy hop is a fun, joyful dance, and the members of Lindy Hop Jersey have a strong bond.
Liberation 75 was going to be a major event for us, with many live gigs to look forward to, and several Parishes asking us to dance for them.
When the Covid restrictions came into place, being unable to dance together felt like a real loss. After a couple of weeks of lockdown, we were inspired by a video of Brian White’s Jazz Quartet playing together over Zoom, and we began organising classes online. At the last minute we decided to put together a video of us dancing, to celebrate Liberation Day.
The track we chose was Opus One, which was written in 1943. It was initially made famous by Tommy Dorsey, but Ted Heath also recorded a version in 1945 and went on to make it one of his signature tunes. The version we chose was recorded in 1953 by the Mills Brothers, who added their own lyrics.
Lindy hop is a partner dance and dancing by ourselves feels a little unnatural, but there is a strong tradition of solo “jazz steps”, which have been handed down from the early pioneers of the dance, who were often keen tap dancers. Dancing together over Zoom has mainly been a way for a group of friends to stay in touch, but it’s also been an opportunity to focus on these jazz steps and return to some of the classic lindy hop “strolls” such as the Shim Sham. Some of these classic moves were included in our Liberation Video, as well as a couple of others that some of us have just made up while we’ve been in lockdown!
At first we thought about trying to film us “passing” a union flag from one person to the next. But with limited time this seemed too complicated to organise, and anyway we didn’t think we could compete with the Jersey Police service’s famous toilet paper film! So instead we choreographed a routine in which each person “steals” a move from the previous dancer, and passes their own one on to the next person.
In the first half of the video you see us dancing in our homes under lockdown conditions: phones were propped up on kitchen tables, spouses were coerced into filming, and aging parents were educated in how to use smart phones. In the second half we are dancing outside in various locations around the island, so there is a sense of moving from confinement to liberation through the video (fortunately, filming coincided with the partial relaxation of lockdown restrictions last weekend). The clips were all sent to one of our dancers, Gemma Tipping, who is an IT technician at Hautlieu. Gemma edited all the clips together at breakneck speed and the choreography, which had never been performed before, came together for the first time.
The dance is a celebration of the spirit of Liberation Day. It shows a group of people separated by the conditions we find ourselves under, but still united by our friendship for each other, as well as the music and the dance that brought us together. And we’re already looking forward to a massive party on May 9th next year!
Words by Daniel Thomas - Co-Founder of Lindy Hop Jersey
Liberation 75 was going to be a major event for us, with many live gigs to look forward to, and several Parishes asking us to dance for them.
When the Covid restrictions came into place, being unable to dance together felt like a real loss. After a couple of weeks of lockdown, we were inspired by a video of Brian White’s Jazz Quartet playing together over Zoom, and we began organising classes online. At the last minute we decided to put together a video of us dancing, to celebrate Liberation Day.
The track we chose was Opus One, which was written in 1943. It was initially made famous by Tommy Dorsey, but Ted Heath also recorded a version in 1945 and went on to make it one of his signature tunes. The version we chose was recorded in 1953 by the Mills Brothers, who added their own lyrics.
Lindy hop is a partner dance and dancing by ourselves feels a little unnatural, but there is a strong tradition of solo “jazz steps”, which have been handed down from the early pioneers of the dance, who were often keen tap dancers. Dancing together over Zoom has mainly been a way for a group of friends to stay in touch, but it’s also been an opportunity to focus on these jazz steps and return to some of the classic lindy hop “strolls” such as the Shim Sham. Some of these classic moves were included in our Liberation Video, as well as a couple of others that some of us have just made up while we’ve been in lockdown!
At first we thought about trying to film us “passing” a union flag from one person to the next. But with limited time this seemed too complicated to organise, and anyway we didn’t think we could compete with the Jersey Police service’s famous toilet paper film! So instead we choreographed a routine in which each person “steals” a move from the previous dancer, and passes their own one on to the next person.
In the first half of the video you see us dancing in our homes under lockdown conditions: phones were propped up on kitchen tables, spouses were coerced into filming, and aging parents were educated in how to use smart phones. In the second half we are dancing outside in various locations around the island, so there is a sense of moving from confinement to liberation through the video (fortunately, filming coincided with the partial relaxation of lockdown restrictions last weekend). The clips were all sent to one of our dancers, Gemma Tipping, who is an IT technician at Hautlieu. Gemma edited all the clips together at breakneck speed and the choreography, which had never been performed before, came together for the first time.
The dance is a celebration of the spirit of Liberation Day. It shows a group of people separated by the conditions we find ourselves under, but still united by our friendship for each other, as well as the music and the dance that brought us together. And we’re already looking forward to a massive party on May 9th next year!
Words by Daniel Thomas - Co-Founder of Lindy Hop Jersey
Hop on the Rock! With Angela Andrew and tom kerwin
On Saturday 26th October 2019, Lindy Hop Jersey took over Trinity Parish Hall for a 5 hour workshop followed by an evening of social dancing. The night before, we piled into the Auditorium at Jersey Museum for a talk titled "Everything You Didn't Know About Lindy Hop" by Angela Andrew.
Here's our dancer Hayley's recollection of the brilliant weekend we all had:
Friday evening
Angela learned Lindy Hop from the original masters such as Frankie Manning and Norma Miller who were in Harlem in the twenties as the dance was evolving. They toured the world performing as part of Whitey's Lindy Hoppers in the forties and when Lindy Hop was rediscovered in the nineties, they toured the world again. Angela assisted Frankie Manning for over ten years and has now made it her mission to make sure that today's generation of Lindy hoppers understand and don't forget its origins, with an emphasis on the soul and roots of the dance. Engaging and full of passion, Angela's talk was part history and part personal journey; she shared a number of stories, photos and quotes as we all listened intently, and also answered our questions.
Talking of personal journeys, something that strongly resonated with me was the sense of community and belonging that Angela spoke about. I've only been attending Lindy Hop classes since June this year (I've been planning on doing so for years!) but in that time, I have learnt so much, got to know some amazing people, gained more confidence and even took part in the Battle of Flowers in August. Knowing that you can attend a Lindy Hop event anywhere in the world and dance with anyone, including those who don't even speak the same language as you, is something truly special.
With Lindy Hop increasing in popularity all over the world, it's not difficult to understand why Angela wants to continue to spread her important message. I've since found myself educating others, even if they don't dance themselves.
"When I dance, I dance with my whole. For me it is an exchange, between my heart, my soul, my body and my mind.” - Angela Andrew
Saturday's workshop
Fast-forward to Saturday morning and the 5 hour workshop started with a very energetic warm-up... and we all certainly felt warmed up, with everyone promptly reaching for their water bottles and the windows being opened!
We were also joined by the lovely Tom Kerwin who alongside Angela, taught us a number of partner and solo moves (many very familiar and some new) over the course of the day. In addition to the moves, they also reinforced the importance of responding to and feeling the music, connecting with your partner and simply having fun. With their smooth moves and flawless techniques, Angela and Tom made it all look so easy but everything was clearly broken down and they both took the time to help those who may have been struggling.
In addition to some well-deserved breaks, we also gathered round a laptop to watch the iconic dance scene from Helzapoppin' (amongst a few other things). Even those who have seen it before watched in awe as the incredible dancers from Whitey's Lindy Hoppers dance troupe energetically moved across the small screen. Frankie Manning choreographed the routine and also performed himself - I think we were all imagining how incredible Angela and Frankie would have looked dancing together.
Towards the end of the workshop, the moves we had learnt were strung together into a routine. By this point we were all feeling a little exhausted but Angela and Tom's contagious enthusiasm kept us going. Afterwards, we revisited Helzapoppin' where Angela pointed out that we were doing swing outs just like Frankie and co. only a moment before, albeit at a decelerated speed! Before we left, Angela and Tom kindly performed the entire routine for us to film and every time I've watched it since, or a lead has thrown in any of the new moves we learnt, it's put a huge smile on my face as it transports me back to that wonderful day in Trinity.
Saturday evening
After some much needed rest, a shower and dinner, it was time to head back out for an evening of social dancing. The night kicked off with a beginner's class for those giving Lindy Hop a go for the first time. From the moment we started dancing, the room was full of energy, with each and every one of us who had attended the workshop putting to practice what Angela and Tom had taught us during the day. I also took some time out to watch the two of them and was simply in awe of their energy, Tom's effortless style and Angela's improvisational skills on the dance floor.
I also later learnt from Daniel that Angela was very strict about the music selection during the workshop - she demanded that Tom only play songs recorded from the classic swing era (circa 1935 - 1941). It was safe to say that Angela was also pleased with the selection of music that Emily played in the evening, with a comment made along the lines of "they don't play this stuff in London anymore!".
It's true that time flies when you're having fun, especially when you're dancing the night away with such a fantastic bunch of people, so once the clock struck 11pm, it was time to wind down and head back home. After helping to tidy up and trying to reunite a pair of lost boots with its owner, Nikki and I got chatting to Angela before we eventually got kicked out of the hall (sorry Pete, we just weren't ready for the night to be over!).
Hopefully it won't be long before we welcome Angela and Tom back to Jersey for another unforgettable day/weekend of dancing and learning.
"One, two, you know what to do..!"
Jumpin’ at the Woodside 2019 – a weekender to remember
By Pam Pearce and Tori Morel-Orchard
Jumpin’ at the Woodside is not unusual territory for the Lindy Hop Jersey contingent. For over six years it’s been an annual pilgrimage for the likes of Kelly, Steve and Pete – with ‘Auntie Anita’ at the helm of the Festival, keeping an eye on the Jersey bunch. However, this year JATW was blessed with an even bigger island contingent – likely more troublesome too – with the addition of Pam and Tori.
Here’s their recollection of what was a weekend to remember:
Tori: Ever since I started lindy’ing over two years ago, I’ve wanted to go on a weekender. I had been to learn with Sharon Davis in London, but that was a mere afternoon of seriously intense learning. JATW was my chance to go away and totally immerse myself in the world of Swing.
I didn’t know what to expect but, I have to say, the Festival exceeded my expectations considerably. Held at Dowty Sports and Social in Gloucestershire, there was ample space for us all to dance in different marquees and dance rooms, learn a variety of dances and levels of Lindy, and all meet in the middle to share our experiences.
With five hours of lessons a day, of which we had about four different classes per hour to choose from, plus dancing the night way to live bands until 1/2am every night, we certainly got our fill. After this weekend of intensity, I came away with a newfound confidence in both myself and my dancing – I picked up new styling, new moves and new technique which I now draw into my dance style every time I slide on my trusty Katz on the Jersey floor.
One really interesting element of the weekend was that, although you learn huge amounts in the classes, the social dancing was the real game changer for me. The number of people to dance with, and to watch dancing, taught me how to improvise with different people and showed me the variety of styles people learn in different parts of the country, and the world. Most importantly, the social floor is where you have the most laughs and make new friends.
Key takeaway for me: Have confidence, go wild and love your unique style because that’s what makes you YOU– oh, and don’t forget to eat! (Thanks Pam, for keeping me alive.)
Pam:
So we arrived in Cheltenham on the Friday afternoon and had a great lunch in town followed by a wander around. Tori and I were staying in a lovely Bed and Breakfast really close to the Dowty venue. On the Friday night we rocked up ready to dance the night away- half excited and half nervous! As we found a spot in the main dance hall Kelly was immediately whisked away on the dance floor, Pete was off chatting to people and Tori and I stood apprehensively on the side. It didn’t take long before Tori was asked to dance and I had re-connected some of the people that I had previously met in Calpe. The weekend had gotten of to a swinging start!
Saturday and 5 hours of classes (with half hour breaks) ensued. There were lots to choose from. Intermediate and advanced Lindy of course, plus the opportunity to learn a routine, but also Shag and Balboa and even Tango. Having done plenty of martial arts camps, courses and seminars over the years I am pleased to say that this compared really well, it was well run and the teachers were all great. We started off with Lindy Hop first, but I took the opportunity to try Shag in one of the lessons, Kelly took advantage of the advanced classes and Pete stuck to Lindy the whole time. Steve put in an appearance with his campervan as a space to escape to (GnT anyone?), but I was too busy moving from one lesson to another. There was even a tea and cake tent/marquee which was good as I needed to make sure Tori had enough sugar to get through the whole day of dancing.
After all the classes it was back to the Bed and Breakfast for a fast shower and change then off for dinner at Aunty Anita’s before heading back to Dowty for more dancing – The fancy dress theme was Movies – and although we had just made a nod to the theme (I was wearing a dress with music notes on it as a ‘score’) some of our fellow dancers had gone all out including the whole cast of Wizard of Oz…..House included!
All 5 rooms had different things on. There was the Big R Band in the main room with teachers dj-ing in between, a Silent Disco in the ‘feral room’ (don’t ask!) with 3 sets of music – If you’ve never done a silent disco I highly recommend it! In the bigger of the 2 tents was a band called the Revolutionairs – they were the highlight of my weekend! They were brilliant, the dancefloor was hopping ( 😊 ) and the atmosphere electric, there was barely any space to dance because there were so many people getting in on the action! Pete and I had our best dance of the weekend and there was even an impromptu Jam circle.
Sunday rolled around and with better provisions we were back for another day of lessons. This time I tried both Balboa and Argentine Tango as well as a 1920s Charleston class with Bic and Simone. Sunday night we surprised Kelly with T-shirts for a mini hen do and all went to the evening event matching. This totally worked in Kelly’s favour as her t-shirt said –Ask me to dance whilst I’m still single….and everyone did!!! Live music wise, Si Cranston was playing in the main hall, this made Pete very happy, whilst Tori and I went around all the rooms seeing all of the different bands. Shirt Tail Stompers were excellent but my highlight of the Sunday night band wise were the Strays who were a little more rock. They were faster than our normal dance tempo, but we got involved, danced with everyone including some formation dancing and I even led Tori on what was probably the fastest dance for her that weekend!!!! After the excitement of the bands we went to the tent where Aunty Anita was dj-ing and got quite a few dances in with some of her students before all heading back to the main hall for a final shim sham to finish the weekend.
All in all it was an Epic weekend of dancing, learning new moves, meeting new people and discovering new bands…Tori and I are already planning on our return visit…..
Here’s their recollection of what was a weekend to remember:
Tori: Ever since I started lindy’ing over two years ago, I’ve wanted to go on a weekender. I had been to learn with Sharon Davis in London, but that was a mere afternoon of seriously intense learning. JATW was my chance to go away and totally immerse myself in the world of Swing.
I didn’t know what to expect but, I have to say, the Festival exceeded my expectations considerably. Held at Dowty Sports and Social in Gloucestershire, there was ample space for us all to dance in different marquees and dance rooms, learn a variety of dances and levels of Lindy, and all meet in the middle to share our experiences.
With five hours of lessons a day, of which we had about four different classes per hour to choose from, plus dancing the night way to live bands until 1/2am every night, we certainly got our fill. After this weekend of intensity, I came away with a newfound confidence in both myself and my dancing – I picked up new styling, new moves and new technique which I now draw into my dance style every time I slide on my trusty Katz on the Jersey floor.
One really interesting element of the weekend was that, although you learn huge amounts in the classes, the social dancing was the real game changer for me. The number of people to dance with, and to watch dancing, taught me how to improvise with different people and showed me the variety of styles people learn in different parts of the country, and the world. Most importantly, the social floor is where you have the most laughs and make new friends.
Key takeaway for me: Have confidence, go wild and love your unique style because that’s what makes you YOU– oh, and don’t forget to eat! (Thanks Pam, for keeping me alive.)
Pam:
So we arrived in Cheltenham on the Friday afternoon and had a great lunch in town followed by a wander around. Tori and I were staying in a lovely Bed and Breakfast really close to the Dowty venue. On the Friday night we rocked up ready to dance the night away- half excited and half nervous! As we found a spot in the main dance hall Kelly was immediately whisked away on the dance floor, Pete was off chatting to people and Tori and I stood apprehensively on the side. It didn’t take long before Tori was asked to dance and I had re-connected some of the people that I had previously met in Calpe. The weekend had gotten of to a swinging start!
Saturday and 5 hours of classes (with half hour breaks) ensued. There were lots to choose from. Intermediate and advanced Lindy of course, plus the opportunity to learn a routine, but also Shag and Balboa and even Tango. Having done plenty of martial arts camps, courses and seminars over the years I am pleased to say that this compared really well, it was well run and the teachers were all great. We started off with Lindy Hop first, but I took the opportunity to try Shag in one of the lessons, Kelly took advantage of the advanced classes and Pete stuck to Lindy the whole time. Steve put in an appearance with his campervan as a space to escape to (GnT anyone?), but I was too busy moving from one lesson to another. There was even a tea and cake tent/marquee which was good as I needed to make sure Tori had enough sugar to get through the whole day of dancing.
After all the classes it was back to the Bed and Breakfast for a fast shower and change then off for dinner at Aunty Anita’s before heading back to Dowty for more dancing – The fancy dress theme was Movies – and although we had just made a nod to the theme (I was wearing a dress with music notes on it as a ‘score’) some of our fellow dancers had gone all out including the whole cast of Wizard of Oz…..House included!
All 5 rooms had different things on. There was the Big R Band in the main room with teachers dj-ing in between, a Silent Disco in the ‘feral room’ (don’t ask!) with 3 sets of music – If you’ve never done a silent disco I highly recommend it! In the bigger of the 2 tents was a band called the Revolutionairs – they were the highlight of my weekend! They were brilliant, the dancefloor was hopping ( 😊 ) and the atmosphere electric, there was barely any space to dance because there were so many people getting in on the action! Pete and I had our best dance of the weekend and there was even an impromptu Jam circle.
Sunday rolled around and with better provisions we were back for another day of lessons. This time I tried both Balboa and Argentine Tango as well as a 1920s Charleston class with Bic and Simone. Sunday night we surprised Kelly with T-shirts for a mini hen do and all went to the evening event matching. This totally worked in Kelly’s favour as her t-shirt said –Ask me to dance whilst I’m still single….and everyone did!!! Live music wise, Si Cranston was playing in the main hall, this made Pete very happy, whilst Tori and I went around all the rooms seeing all of the different bands. Shirt Tail Stompers were excellent but my highlight of the Sunday night band wise were the Strays who were a little more rock. They were faster than our normal dance tempo, but we got involved, danced with everyone including some formation dancing and I even led Tori on what was probably the fastest dance for her that weekend!!!! After the excitement of the bands we went to the tent where Aunty Anita was dj-ing and got quite a few dances in with some of her students before all heading back to the main hall for a final shim sham to finish the weekend.
All in all it was an Epic weekend of dancing, learning new moves, meeting new people and discovering new bands…Tori and I are already planning on our return visit…..
Pete's time at Calpe Swing Fiesta 2019:
As many will know, I have gone to Spain these past three years for a Lindy Hop weekender in a place called Calpe which is 20 minutes north of Benidorm in Spain.
The weekender is run by Bic and Simone Graham from The Lindy Club in the south of England. They have put this event on now for four years and it keeps getting bigger and better each year with people not just coming from all over Britain, but Sweden, Germany, Holland and Denmark. There were a lot more Spanish people too this year. Although all the lessons are in English, no one struggled as Lindy is an international language we all understand.
So what is on offer?
Although the weekend officially starts on the Friday there is a social dance on the Thursday night. Friday begins with two lessons in the afternoon. This is followed by pool side dancing and introductions of the teachers and information about the events over the weekend. The teachers this year were Bic and Simone, Ryan and Jenna, Michaela and Ben from England and Andres and Jessica from Sweden. The pool side dancing for me personally is one of my favourite times and a great chilled atmosphere with an opportunity to talk to people and of course dance.
Saturday and Sunday are busy with lessons. Four hours each day followed by an extra optional hour to do a solo routine or Jazz steps. Once again followed by the poolside dancing which finishes at 8pm. After that everyone leaves to shower, change and eat. Accommodation is either full board at the hotel or in self catering apartments next door to the hotel. The first year I stayed in the hotel but for the past two years I have booked an apartment. As the event is only 200 meters away from the sea front where there is not only a great beach but the promenade is full of bars and restaurants. Eating out is very reasonable with the price of a meal and drink is around 20 Euro.
The Saturday and Sunday night social begin around 10pm with the Gordon Webster band playing both nights till 4 in the morning! For those who have not heard of Gordon Webster do look him up on YouTube. He and his band come from New York and they fly them over epically for the weekend.
But the weekender does not finish on the Monday, a lot of people stay on through the week as there are lessons every day and evening social dancing till late. They also put on other events during the afternoons such as a water polo competition which is great fun. Tapa's bar and dancing on the beach to name but a few.
The only complaint I hear a lot is people saying they wished they had stayed on longer and not booked to go home so early.
I have paid my deposit for next year and can't wait to go back. It would be great if more were to come from Jersey, we need to make up a water polo team for a start!
If you want to know more just come and ask me as I do like to talk.
(Yes Pete, we know...)
Lindying in Leeds!
April 2019
One of our longtime and lovely dancers, Helen Barnes, recently went to the Leeds Swing Revolution event in early April. We are really proud of our island cohort of dancers who travel to various places around the UK, and the world, to experience more and bring back superb tips and skills.
Here's Helen's account of 'lindying' in Leeds:
"Never have I danced as much as at the Leeds swing revolution 2019 in early April, an annual event held at Leeds University.
It was a full-on weekend of demos, dance workshops, competitions and live bands. I attended as many workshops as was physically possible; four on Saturday and four on Sunday.
There were always several workshops going on at the same time for different standards and dance styles. I still had energy to Lindy at the live band socials in the evenings.
I joined the melee of hundreds of mainly students crammed onto the dance floor of the refectory to do the shim sham - Quite an experience!
All that for £65 with reasonable accommodation nearby at Premier Inn in the leafy suburbs of Headingly.
P.S. For hundreds of inspiring photos and videos view their Facebook site."
One of our longtime and lovely dancers, Helen Barnes, recently went to the Leeds Swing Revolution event in early April. We are really proud of our island cohort of dancers who travel to various places around the UK, and the world, to experience more and bring back superb tips and skills.
Here's Helen's account of 'lindying' in Leeds:
"Never have I danced as much as at the Leeds swing revolution 2019 in early April, an annual event held at Leeds University.
It was a full-on weekend of demos, dance workshops, competitions and live bands. I attended as many workshops as was physically possible; four on Saturday and four on Sunday.
There were always several workshops going on at the same time for different standards and dance styles. I still had energy to Lindy at the live band socials in the evenings.
I joined the melee of hundreds of mainly students crammed onto the dance floor of the refectory to do the shim sham - Quite an experience!
All that for £65 with reasonable accommodation nearby at Premier Inn in the leafy suburbs of Headingly.
P.S. For hundreds of inspiring photos and videos view their Facebook site."
Strictly Jersey 2018
(20.11.2018) This year, Lindy Hop Jersey's co-founder, Daniel Thomas, was set the fun task of taking part in BBC Children in Need's Strictly Jersey competition. He partnered up with BBC Channel Islands News' Alison Moss and put on a top-notch Charleston performance at the Jersey Arts Centre last weekend.
Reflecting on their experience, Alison kindly put pen to paper:
"Exciting, exhilarating and exhausting - that was just the practicing for
BBC Jersey's Strictly Come Dancing - the performance was something else!
Daniel started teaching me back in September, slowly introducing me to the
Charleston steps and I realised if I could do the feet, I couldn't do the
arms and vice versa. Daniel came up with a 20's inspired jazz version of
Thriller which really was the moment I started to imagine actually
performing in front of an audience. We had so much fun, I loved our
classes but nothing will beat going out on the first night with scary 'day
of the dead' faces and smashing it! We got two 10s on that very first
night !
It has been a blast, almost like learning a new language and Daniel has
been patient, brave (you should have seen some of the moves we tried and
scrapped!) and volunteered his spare time to make this Children in Need
Strictly show hugely successful. He gets a 10 from me!"
And here's what Daniel learnt from the challenge:
"What my mistakes in Strictly made me realise about swing dancing.
Standing in front of 3 highly experienced judges, who had each taught thousands of Jersey dancers over the years, and put on hundreds of shows, was very intimidating.
Still panting from the dance, brain zinging around with adrenaline, I tried to listen to their feedback. We’d just danced to a jazzed-up version of Michael Jackson’s Thriller with our faces painted up like skulls: it wasn’t what people normally expect from a Charleston, and I wasn’t sure how they would take the routine.
And what each on them criticised was… Alison’s swivels.
Putting aside the fact that the floor at the Arts Centre is like Velcro so any spins or swivels were knee-wrenchingly hard (I’d used half a tub of talcolm powder on my shoes before we went out- you can see the line of white footprints in the video!), I was surprised by the criticism.
Thinking over it later, I can see where they were coming from. Each dance has its points of technique, and a dance school teacher has to be very particular about teaching them.
And a couple of weeks previously Alison had even come to class worrying that her swivels weren’t good enough. “No one will be looking at your feet” I reassured her- the performance as a whole was what counted: big arms, facial expressions, the level of energy and enthusiasm is what would make the impact.
So where had I gone wrong? Had I missed something fundamental to the dance I was supposed to be teaching?
Well, in a way yes. And that shows up the difference between learning Dance at a dance school from the age of four, and stumbling across swing dance as an adult. Swing dance is less about performance, it’s a social activity. Of course, we pay attention to technique: adults that have never danced before have to learn how to pivot turn or spin. And a lot of technique classes focus on how to lead a move and how to follow it, because every dance is improvised: it’s a three-way conversation between the lead, the follow and the music. So how you communicate, how you feel to your dance partner, how you create something fun together, is more important than how pretty your movements are.
And we do have competitions, where looking good is important: the culmination of months of hard practice where couples or groups come to show off the imagination of their choreography, with jaw-dropping lifts and badass attitude. But they are noisy, raucous, joyous affairs where any nitpicking about minor points of form would be laughed off as missing the point.
So maybe I was naïve, and I didn’t think enough about the judges and what they would be looking for. But we worked hard to put on a good show. We walked like zombies and I threw Alison on my back with her legs kicking in the air. She learned a dense routine with partner sections as well solo sections, which required fast footwork and expressive arm movements, with comical faces and big jumps landing on the break. And I think she nailed it.
And I still say that floor was too sticky…"
Have a watch:
I Charleston Jersey
2014 - Lindy Hop Jersey and Little River Pictures make Jersey's own I Charleston film!
On a beautifully sunny weekend in September Lindy Hop Jersey and Little River Pictures teamed up to create Jersey's offering to the I Charleston project.
After many hours of planning, location scouting, coordinating tide and sunset times (oh yes!) we set to work dancing around the island and attracting the attention of many curious onlookers as Tom Kennedy and Annigna Seiler filmed and directed. Daniel Thomas provided the main choreography, with plenty of freestyle moments thrown in by our regular band of lindy and charleston devotees. Music for the film was very generously provided by the Kings Cross Hot Club (a favourite band of Daniel and Emily's from their London days).
Tom and Annigna tackled the challenges of filming in swelteringly hot conditions, busy crowds, balancing themselves and precious filming equipment on slippery seaweed-covered walls and shot hours of footage of our dancers who dutifully pulled their best moves out of the bag in some of Jersey's most well-loved locations. Many of the locations that feature in the final cut of the film were made accessible to us with the kind cooperation of Jersey Heritage.
Once the weekend of filming was over we all smiled and breathed a sigh of relief after our hard work dancing. Thoughts then quickly turned to when the film would be ready...
Annigna Seiler was tasked with the incredibly hard job of editing the film, describing the work as akin to having to put together a 10,000 piece puzzle but with no clue of what the final picture is. Well, we think that she and Tom have done us very proud indeed. After many days spent editing footage and ensuring the image perfectly fitted the music the film was ready and we held a premiere for the film at the cinema in Jersey Museum. Popcorn was served up, lights were dimmed and the projector sprung into action and showed our film for the first time in public.
What of the film now? Well, it is now available for all the world to see and enjoy on youtube. We have been over-whelmed with the response so far and quite humbled to see just how many thousands of views the film has had in its first week of being online (surely it can't all be our parents' repeated viewing alone that have contributed to these figures?!)
Please have a little watch of our film and get in touch if you like what you see and want to learn how to dance.
And if you ever need to make a film of anything at all, we truly cannot recommend Tom and Annigna's talents highly enough. Do take a look at their website and see for yourself...
www.littleriverpictures.com