[Dixielandjazz] Music for swing dancers

[Stephen G Barbone]

Interesting about dance tempi. Here's what we find at swing dances  
within 100 mile radius of Philadelphia PA. Forget the high heals, they  
wear flat soled athletic shoes and will bring their own sand if  
dancing on cement or on the streets outdoors etc.  Most are in their  
20s/30s while rest are up to 80s. Info based upon our experiences with  
both beginners and those who know how to swing dance expertly. (And  
Peabody or Foxtrot)  We play for several different clubs one for  
beginners, one for experts and the rest with a combination. On the  
other hand, we find ballroom dancers are very particular about tempo  
and song length, however swing dancers dance to everything in the  
Dixieland repertoire all the way up to as fast as we can play.

1) The most experienced swing dancers love:
      a)  FasterTempos - viewing them as a challenge for Balboa and/or  
Charleston and/or athletic throws.
      b)  Longer tunes -
            1) because that's what the dancers did in the 1930s at the  
Savoy
            2) they are dancing with their favorite, experienced  
partners.
            3) they are in great shape and like to flaunt it.
      c)  Solos don't bother them if the rhythm is steady. We love to  
see them dance to drum solos.
      d)  The high energy of loud bands and/or loud solos and/or long   
high notes excites them.

2) The less experienced swing dancers love:	
      a)  slower medium tempo tunes,
           1) They only know a few basic slow tempo step routines
           2) The cannot dance to faster tempi yet.

      b) 3 or4 minute tunes because:
           1) They only know a few basic steps and will exhaust them  
in a short time.
           2) They want to change partners a lot, not get stuck with a  
dud for 8 minutes.
           3) They learned from and practice with 3 minute records.

Particular dance favorites (for you Berl)  at specific Dixieland  
Concerts Jazz Societies etc., include "If I Had You", "I Can't Get  
Started", "Honeysuckle Rose", "Blue Room" "I Want A Little Girl", "I'm  
Confessin, "I Get A Kick Out Of You", etc.  Kern-Gershwin-Berlin -  
Rodgers et al. Basic society two step that Lester Lanin and Meyer  
Davis Society Bands played just before and after WW2 when everybody  
who was anybody  learned to dance to them.

For anyone near the Philadelphia area, Barbone Street is doing 3 swing  
dances as outlined above in the next three months. Come on out and  
dance or watch us play a mix of speeds, lengths and volume. See the  
dancers react.

Apr 19 (Sat) High Street Ball Room, Pottstown PA 9 PM to Midnight.  
(lessons at 8 PM) $15
                        A Swing Kat event. Great group of friendly  
people.

May 10 (Sat) Killen Pond State Park, Felton DE, 2 PM to 4 PM (lessons  
at 1 PM) $17
			Part of the Central Delaware Jazz & Blues Festival 11AM to 8:30 PM

June 5 (Thu) West Chester PA Swinging Thursday Night Out on Gay  
Street. 6:30 to 9:30 PM
                         FREE Street Festival Two bands, sidewalk  
restaurants etc. (Bring sand)

Cheers,
Steve Barbone