[Dixielandjazz] Music for swing dancers

Sat Mar 8 17:32:52 PST 2008

Once again I find myself agreeing with Steve Barbone . . . Geeze, what is 
happening???  This really has me worried.  (grin)

As far as the list of tunes, if the tempos are to the liking of the dancers, 
and the beat is there, they will dance to anything.  The length of tunes 
that Steve mentions below is right.  Sometimes they want the 3-minute tunes 
because they are used to dancing to the 3-minute 78s, plus they don't want 
to get stuck with the same partner for long.

Sometimes they like the longer tunes, especially if they are dancing with 
their long-time dance partner.

I cannot believe how fast the really good, young swing dancers like to 
dance.

The main thing is to be very observant of the dancers, and their age.

The young swing dancers that we play for will dance every dance from 9:00 PM 
to midnight.  Then go somewhere else and dance every dance until 5:00 AM.

Remember the days when we had that kind of energy?  Play a 4 or 5-hour gig 
and then go somewhere and jam until dawn?

--Bob Ringwald

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stephen G Barbone" <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
To: "Bob Ringwald" <robert at ringwald.com>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 08, 2008 2:32 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Music for swing dancers

> 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
>
>
>
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