By Valerie Yau on Tuesday, April 04, 2000 - 06:00 pm: Edittest
| By Valerie Yau on Tuesday, April 04, 2000 - 06:00 pm: Edit |
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| By Valerie Yau on Tuesday, April 04, 2000 - 06:10 pm: Edit |
Updates: If any San Diegans can let us borrow any of the following items for the weekend...pls let us know asap! email Melissa at: varriano@rohan.sdsu.edu -large brooms -christmas lights -large fans -coolers (for the sodas we'll be selling) -blue ice -a ladder or two Registration is now closed. There is still room to show the day of and pay at the door for the fri/sat evening dances & sat. afterhours.... fri&sun afterhours are iffy, depending on how many registrants end up showing. There are a total of 155 dancers registered for Swing Break SD (120 out of those have paid for the entire weekend) and we are expecting a good number at the door! We have pretty much matched up all hosts & visitors...thanks much to those who offered accommodations. If you did not receive a guest, it is most likely because you live far from events, cannot provide transportation, etc... but we may have some last minute requests for places to crash so don't be surprised if we call you up right before :) A printable schedule of events is now available on our webpage: http://www.swingorama.com/exchange/exchange.html I would check it again right before the exchange for updates/changes...you never know! :) Our friday afterhours will no longer be at Cafe Savoy. We will inform you of the new venue once we have things set. Thanks much! again, if you all have questions, pls. email us at: varriano@rohan.sdsu.edu or swing4me@san.rr.com |
| By Shawn Hanna on Tuesday, April 04, 2000 - 06:14 pm: Edit |
I'll donate a easily portable ladder, medium pedistal fan, large broom and large dustpan if you would like. |
| By Jane Hance on Tuesday, April 04, 2000 - 11:32 pm: Edit |
I have a 24" push broom, a 6' ladder and 2 large floor fans. I also have a station wagon if you need help transporting stuff around; I believe my house guests will be driving themselves. |
| By Melissa (Melissa) (az1.aznet.net - 207.167.71.1) on Wednesday, April 05, 2000 - 01:28 am: Edit |
Thank you all for your generosity. I will get in touch with you soon and arrange pick-up/drop-off information. Or, anyone can call me with questions, comments, etc. at 619-523-9529. Thanks again, Melissa |
| By Melbamoose on Wednesday, April 05, 2000 - 11:45 am: Edit |
I have coolers... ~Krista |
| By HopMichael on Wednesday, April 05, 2000 - 10:52 pm: Edit |
Hey, Val, Now that registration is closed, how about a list of what cities will be coming? Who's coming the farthest? |
| By Ron on Thursday, April 06, 2000 - 02:36 pm: Edit |
Boy, you guys are doing a super job organizing it. I like the detailed directions and everything. |
| By Valerie Yau on Friday, April 07, 2000 - 10:22 am: Edit |
Wow...thanks for all the input guys! :) Shawn & Jane & Krista, we can definitely use all your stuff...hmmm. i wonder how we should get all the stuff there. would you be able to bring any of it early? i'll have to discuss it w/ mel and get back to ya :) Michael...i can tell you most will be coming from SF, Seattle, Chicago, the LA/Orange county area. a group is coming out from denver... there's a couple from Santa Barbara, Ohio, & Oklahoma registered, someone from DC... and probably a few other places I can't think of right now. Ron, thanks for the encouragement! :) |
| By Valerie Yau on Friday, April 07, 2000 - 10:23 am: Edit |
Oh, we may need extension cords too...anyone out there have any? -Valerie |
| By Valerie Yau on Saturday, April 08, 2000 - 05:39 pm: Edit |
Swing Break SD Updates! We've got a new location set for our Friday nite afterhours: Starlight Dance Studio in the SDSU college area. It's a really nice place - lots of room so no worries about that (2 large dance floors: 3200 & 1600 sq ft!) I just sent the directions to Shawn to add it onto the printable schedule off of our webpage, so look for it & print it out within the next couple of days: http://www.swingorama.com/exchange/exchange.html Kia from the "3rd Street Swingers" (LA area) will be coming down to provide sound equipment & dj'ing for our Saturday Afternoon at La Jolla Cove. He will also be sticking around for the Sat. evening dance to help us out with some sound & spinning as well. For more info about what the 3rd Street Swingers are all about, check out their website at: http://www.geocities.com/thirdstreetswingers Thanks a million Kia!! : ) the Hollywood Jitterbugs are graciously taking time away from their busy schedules to come down & perform the ORIGINAL version of the Big Apple for us at our Friday evening dance!! Thanks much Peter, Lisa, Justin, Jenn, Josh, & Teresa!! : ) stay tuned for more... we can't wait! |
| By Jane Hance on Monday, April 10, 2000 - 09:22 am: Edit |
I've got those 20' industrial extension cords with 6-plug strips attached to them. I can probably free up 2 or 3 for you. Will that help? |
| By Jane Hance on Monday, April 10, 2000 - 09:28 am: Edit |
Oh, I could also make myself available on Friday after about 3:30 to maybe go around and collect donated items from those who can't get them to you. I have a station wagon, so most stuff would fit. And/or if you set up a "drop-off" location, like the Rocket on Tues. or the Firehouse on Thurs., I could collect stuff then and keep it until you need it on Fri. Jane |
| By Valerie Yau on Tuesday, April 11, 2000 - 11:45 am: Edit |
Jane you read my mind :) I think having people drop off their stuff at the firehouse this thursday would be great...& if you could collect the stuff & bring it to us 7pm Friday at the NTC that would help out plenty. we still need more of the following items: -large fans -large coolers for selling drinks -extension cords and extra outlet/plug-in strips -christmas lights (any color) -duct tape, masking tape, large trash bags (to donate of course) -large push brooms and dust pans so everyone, pls. bring your items (name marked w/ a sharpie & masking tape) to the firehouse this thursday. all coolers will go to Billy and the rest will go to Jane, Mel & me. thanks! I'll also send this to our registered list... -Valerie- |
| By Valerie Yau on Tuesday, April 11, 2000 - 01:40 pm: Edit |
Update: Kia from the L.A. 3rd Street Swingers will be unable to attend our Exchange weekend because of last minute priorities... So... if anyone has a large, battery-powered boombox that we could use for our Saturday afternoon event at the Cove, pls. let me know! swing4me@san.rr.com |
| By Ron on Tuesday, April 11, 2000 - 01:54 pm: Edit |
Are you guys regretting organizing this, yet? I can bring batteries, which you'll need a lot of. |
| By Valerie Yau on Tuesday, April 11, 2000 - 04:23 pm: Edit |
originally we were planning to have a boombox at the saturday cove picnic - music & dancing won't be the highlight of the afternoon... it's more for socializing & having fun... but Kia had offered his whole system - so we said "why not"? no major setback here. it'll probably be better this way & more of the atmosphere we're lookin' for :) everyone bring cd's if you want certain songs played - especially some non-swing stuff... hip hop, funk, disco, or whatever :) so to answer your question Ron, no...I am not regretting organizing this event at all. There are certain things I've learned that I know to do differently next time - but having everyone here will more than make up for everything. I knew what I was getting into from the start as far as the amount of time, work, and stress that would come about from all this, but I also knew what I'd be getting out of it - something I can't really put a price on...and I'm sure Mel would say the same as well. Can't wait :) -Valerie- |
| By HopMichael on Tuesday, April 11, 2000 - 04:39 pm: Edit |
Valerie, I would talk to Jeff Eldridge about a amplification system fit for outdoors. It's the one he used for the Frankie Manning workshop. A boombox would have to be VERY big to provide enough sound. |
| By Valerie Yau on Tuesday, April 11, 2000 - 09:01 pm: Edit |
exactly what I'm doing right now Michael... not sure about where the power source is or if the public has access to it around there.. so if anyone has any info, pls. let me know. I will probably go check it out again tomorrow though if that's what we decide to do. there's also a possibility that we'll get an adapter like the one Kia uses to power his system.... but that's also questionable and experimental since we've never done it before. Like I said before, dancing/music will not be the main focus of the picnic at the cove....so no biggie if we just have a boom box or two. The people that really want the music & nothing else can go huddle around them if that's an issue. We have a couple of other fun things in store...plus you all will be bringing your lunches to eat too & hopefully getting to know each other better... that's what the exchange is all about. :) |
| By HopMichael on Wednesday, April 12, 2000 - 10:58 am: Edit |
Valerie, When I talked to Kia up at 3rd Street, he ran his system off a car battery (?). Give him a ring and he can give you full details. La Jolla Cove is a beautiful place to bring the dance! |
| By Ron on Wednesday, April 12, 2000 - 11:17 am: Edit |
But her point is, we don't HAVE to dance. We could actually socialize. You could even court your favorite Seattle or San Francisco follow, Michael. |
| By Valerie Yau on Wednesday, April 12, 2000 - 12:15 pm: Edit |
michael, jeff was going to provide his emergency car battery for kia's equipment... and i have spoken to kia before regarding how he powers his system. he says all we need is the specific adapter i mentioned above, but since it's something jeff has never tried out before w/ his equipment, he's weary about just experimenting for the exchange. anyhow... i'm going to the cove today to see if there's a power source somewhere. jeff has a 150ft. extension cord! and thank you Ron, my point is that the picnic is there to do other things besides dance! |
| By HopMichael on Wednesday, April 12, 2000 - 01:02 pm: Edit |
Point taken. =) |
| By Chris on Wednesday, April 12, 2000 - 01:04 pm: Edit |
What about a car stereo? Someone is bound to have a kick ass system in their car? I have two car amps (one 120WATT and another 100W), they are not installed. We could have those hooked up to a car battery, and recharge the battery w/ the car. The only thing is that we need a power line from the car battery to the amp. It sounds pretty complicated, and it probably would be so just forget I mentioned it. |
| By Melbamoose on Wednesday, April 12, 2000 - 11:13 pm: Edit |
Okay...I'm driving down tomorrow night, and need to know if my coolers are still needed, and if I should drop them off at the firehouse. And....I have a pretty good system in my car. It's a shitty car, with a good system. I didn't install the amps I bought because it didn't need it in my shit ass small car, but then again...I wasn't testing them on being the musical source for an outdoor picnic at the beach... Whatever. I'm rambling. Point being, I'll help out if I can. AND...I really miss everyone and can't wait to dance with you all!!! I haven't danced since I left San Diego...even if I did move back to L.A. Peace out y'all. See you soon. ~Krista |
| By Chris on Thursday, April 13, 2000 - 09:08 am: Edit |
Melba, you better save me a dance!!! |
| By Valerie Yau on Thursday, April 13, 2000 - 11:05 am: Edit |
Hey Krista! Yeah, we can use your cooler - pls. bring it to the Firehouse...thanks much! As far as the picnic goes - we're going with the boombox. looked around for an outlet yesterday and was unsuccessful. they have some at that bridge club but supposedly there are weddings there every saturday and don't think they'd be too happy w/ us pluggin' in to their power then. so everyone bring a cd or two if you have any requests : ) see ya all tonite at the firehouse! make sure you dance w/ Chris from Oklahoma & Heather from Houston... I believe Terisa & Jeanette from Seattle are arriving late tonite and maybe a few more that I haven't heard about yet! |
| By Chris on Thursday, April 13, 2000 - 03:36 pm: Edit |
Val and Mel, I just e-mailed Mel, and I am posting here b/c I want to make sure you get this info. We are supposed to meet at NTC on Friday night to help out, and one of our guests is driving down from north of LA. Most likely he'll get caught in the wonderful LA traffic. We will need to be at home to welcome him. i don't have away of getting in touch with him, only e-mail, and that's if he reads it in time. I can't guarrantee that we will be there at the appropriate time due to this problem. I just wanted you to know about this, and make sure it is ok? E-mail me back ASAP to let me know. Chris and Shana |
| By HopMichael on Thursday, April 13, 2000 - 04:42 pm: Edit |
Welcome back Krista! Save me a dance. I know you'll be asked to dance by dozens of out-of-town folks, but we all miss you too, so be kind to your San Diego homies. =) |
| By Melbamoose on Thursday, April 13, 2000 - 05:45 pm: Edit |
Oh the love! I got nothin but love for my SD hoodrats! :) It's on people!!! Course, I just hope I have the stamina to last...it's been so long... |
| By Valerie Yau on Friday, April 14, 2000 - 08:53 am: Edit |
hey there Chris... Misha told me he was planning to leave LA around noonish so it should be okay no? I asked him to make sure he can make it to the contest....I remember before he was planning to fly directly into SD much later... Everyone, we can still use more large fans and coolers for the weekend...so if you have any, pls. bring them to the dinner between 5-6pm & mark your names on them. also we could probably use more power strips and extension cords! thanks much! can't wait! :D |
| By CatThyme on Friday, April 14, 2000 - 11:41 am: Edit |
For Michael Hwang: Amy has your guests and is showing them around town. However, there is a bit of a problem... They left your contact information behind. Could you call Amy or me? I emailed our phone numbers to your worldnet.att.net address. Thank you! Valorie |
| By Ron on Friday, April 14, 2000 - 12:03 pm: Edit |
I'm really looking forward to Candye Kane's show tonight at the Naval Training Center Peninsular Athletic Club (gym!) Be there at 9:00 pm! Candye Kane's mix of fast swing, groovy swing, west coast swing, country and god knows what else is sure to keep you on your toes. I'll be DJing the breaks including the "Jill or Jack" contest. It should be a hoot. |
| By HopMichael on Friday, April 14, 2000 - 01:29 pm: Edit |
Thanks for the message. It's sad when you realize you check the forum more often than your e-mail =) |
| By Valerie Yau on Friday, April 14, 2000 - 02:03 pm: Edit |
hey ron...are you still donating duct tape for the weekend? need to know within the next couple of hours - pls. email me: swing4me@san.rr.com it would be good if you can bring it to the dinner tonite between 5-6:30pm. if not, i need to go run & get some thanks! -valerie- |
| By HopMichael on Saturday, April 15, 2000 - 11:12 am: Edit |
Oi! I can't believe I'm up right now after returning from some Late Night Lindy at 5:00 AM (PDT). Still, my Swingorama compulsion draws me to type up some news from the front. The weekend perhaps really started on Thursday. At the Firehouse, early arriving Swing Breakers descended on an unsuspecting San Diego and raised the energy level in that den of dancing a big notch up. Some of the most styling traveling swing cats and kittens busted some fine moves there and enjoyed dancing with their welcoming host leads and follows. Then the official start on Friday night saw upwards of 50 Lindy Hoppers gather at the Woodcarver's Pizza for some pie and some introductions. It was great to see so many familiar and new faces from out-of-town. San Franciscans were extremely well-represented. One Sacramento dancer (Dan) had decided only the previous night to come down for the weekend and rode a Greyhound for nearly 10 hours to get to Swing Break. Folks from places such as Chicago, Colorado, Seattle, Oregon and as far away as Virginia raised the expectant high spirits of the evening. Nearly 200 Lindy Hoppers gathered in the Naval Training Center Gym for the swingin' sounds of Kandy Kane. And her band did not disappoint. She had nearly everyone up on the floor for her performance. In between sets, a "Jill or Jack?" contest was held. Following a brief power outage, Peter Schumerth of Orange County got the crowd to clap a beat while he and his partner danced in the not-so-proverbial dark. The lights restored, much hooting and hollering was elicited by the brave contestants willing to risk their dignity by cross-dressing and cross-dancing. Dang! Some men have got the womanly strut down natch! After careful studied deliberation (read: audience cheering) Megan Hornbeck of San Francisco and a gentle(wo)man (whose name escapes me) were crowned with paper crowns as the winners, giving new meaning to "king and queen" of the dance floor. On the next break, Peter Loggins and Lisa Ferguson with 4 other Hollywood Jitterbuggers floored the crowd with a re-creation of the movie version of the Big Apple set to the original blazing tempo. The crowd's cheer after their "Broken Legs" march off the floor was immmediately followed by dancers asking the fortunate few with videocameras for copies of that inspiring performance. Late Night Lindy ensued in the sleepy hills of the College area by SDSU. At the Starlight Dance Studio, Lindy Hoppers sweated and grinded to soulful and sultry blues dancing. Neil of LA and Ken Watanabe of SF kept everyone in the groove through the wee hours with their choice DJing. Those intrepid enough to stay until 4:30 AM were rewarded with a performance dance between Little David of Orange County and Big Elliott of San Francisco. The crowd's humor and spirits were restored by their raucous antics of a mock coupling (in as many meanings of the word as one could imagine). OK, who's ready for more today?? |
| By HopMichael on Monday, April 17, 2000 - 10:02 pm: Edit |
Cough, cough. This weary dancer is recovering from a cold acquired at the exchange. So while waiting for the immune system to kick in, he fills the time with more recollection of the weekend. Saturday's picnic at La Jolla Cove was simply blessed. Morning clouds gave way to a picture perfect blue sky afternoon to grace the Cove's setting. With the ocean a mere idle walk away, dancers gamboled, frisbeed, and enjoyed each other's company. Certainly, more than a handful of out-of-towners were tempted to move to our fair city based on the afternoon alone. An attempt at some dancing on the grass to a small boom box soon gave way to dancing to the rich orchestral sound of Marty Conley's Big Band Express playing swing standards for a wedding reception held right next to the chosen picnic grounds. Coincidence? Careful planning on the part of the dynamic duo of Valerie and Melissa? Either way, the Lindy gods were smiling that afternoon. The crowd soon was cajoled into a sort-of Lindy Olympics after a 6-count division of the dancers. Wheelbarrow races, relay races with a runner holding an orange under his/her jaw while Shorty Georging down the lane, potato sack races, and water-ballon tosses soon followed. Not being able to stay for the full afternoon, I cannot vouch for the winners but can report on how even the slowest competitor did events with his/her unique dancer's flair! Dancing resumed at the NTC gym in the evening to the performance of Sue Palmer and her band. A birthday jam was held for Melissa the organizer and several other dancers celebrating their happy day with a dance. When the evening's dance concert ended, the crowd was cleared from the gym for the Lindy Zamboni to sweep the floor. After Hours dancing ensued with tempos drifting downward to below pulse rates as the early morning hours were passed. What can I say except the SF dancers showed us how to dance the blues in some of the most seductive movements this side of foreplay. Little David again reigned over the dance floor with his skirt-grabbing, tied-up-hair freeing, scream-eliciting dance with an innocent (?) follow from San Francisco. The hour of four was half passed when this writer left. Somehow, bleary-eyed dancers made it for an afternoon of Lindy on Horton Square in downtown San Diego. On the concrete square just outside Horton Plaza, corn meal was spread to convert it into a danceable floor. Jeff Elridge's powerful amplifier and speakers filled the enclosed Square with the reverbations of Swing Music. Lindy Hoppers stomped, slid, spun, kicked, hopped, and just grooved for the pleasure of themselves and the on-looking crowd. The Shim Sham's universal language was spoken with a massive line of dancers--quite possibly the largest Shim Sham done in San Diego to date! A Jam Circle erupted with the cheers of the supportive crowd just before the afternoon ended. Only the full stomachs of the pigeons who dined on the corn meal now carry the trace of that afternoon. I cannot say much about the Tami Thomas concert at Champion Ballroom in Hillcrest because I took a longer-than expected nap after dinner. Anyone care to comment on the evening's entertainment? After Hours dancing at the Firehouse capped the weekend and made for a matching bookend to how the weekend started. Dancers bid their farewell to their favorite leads/follows with some serious slow dancing. The heat of the moment was turned up a few degrees when a strip-a-thon ensued among a group of hot-to-not-exactly-foxTrot dancers. Melissa certainly looked pleased surrounded by a writhing circle of bare-chested leads! The more modest, more dressed dancers queried native San Diegans if this regularly happened in town, and if so, when was the next Exchange! What a weekend! Many compliments were made of how well-run the weekend was, how hospitable the Lindy hosts were, and how kick-ass the San Diegans danced! San Diegans showed their out-of-town guests a heckuva party! See you on the dance floor! HopMichael |
| By Valerie Yau on Monday, April 17, 2000 - 11:07 pm: Edit |
thanks for the weekend summary michael! : ) Just wanted to add in a few additions and corrections though if you don't mind... -it was Mickey who provided all the sound set up for Horton Square with the help of Margaret, Jim, and Mark...he also provided some equipment & set up for Tami Thomas Sunday nite @ the Champion. Jeff & Meeshi provided sound for our Saturday evening dance & afterhours, and then Meeshi at the Friday nite dance...Thank You much! -close, it's Megan HornbeckER, Candye Kane, & the Hollywood Jitterbugs : ) -Misha Akkerman from the D.C. area won the Jill portion of our Jill OR Jack?!? contest... they were crowned w/ plastic jewelled king & queen crowns...hehe. they received a compilation cd put together and donated by Ron made up of all sex swing songs, each a Candye Kane cd, Starbucks gift certificates, and 20 bucks each : ) -the Hollywood Jitterbugs that performed the original Big Apple for us friday evening: Peter, Lisa, Justin, Jenn, Josh, & Teresa -DJ's @ friday evening afterhours @ starlight: megan, ken, eman, heather We'd like to put up a reflections on our webpage eventually... so please send any photos our way! : ) |
| By Ron on Tuesday, April 18, 2000 - 12:03 pm: Edit |
Besides Megan Hornbecker from SF, what were the full names of the out-of-town DJs (Ken, Eman, Heather, Greg, Neil), and where were they from? I'm typing in the list of all songs the DJs played (well, most of them) and thought full names would be cool. I know some. I suppose I should just call Meeshi. But I guess I'm asking here, for fun. |
| By Valerie Yau on Tuesday, April 18, 2000 - 01:10 pm: Edit |
Full names: Megan Hornbecker (SF) Greg Heasley (Seattle) Heather Jernigan (Houston) Neil Figuracion (LA) Misha Akkerman (D.C. Area) Emannuel Eng Ken Wantanabe I'm at work so that's just from the top of my head... I'll have to look up where Eman & Ken are from... I believe Eman from Seattle & Ken from SF but I'm not sure. |
| By HopMichael on Tuesday, April 18, 2000 - 01:38 pm: Edit |
Emannuel told me he is from Oregon. Ken Watanabe is from SF; he often DJ's the Lindy in the Park up there. Thanks for all the corrections! It's often hard to get accurate information over a PA system or second-hand info. For all inaccuracies, I stand corrected. =) |
| By Ron on Tuesday, April 18, 2000 - 01:45 pm: Edit |
That's pretty darn good for off the top of your head! Valerie the memory machine. |
| By Valerie Yau on Tuesday, April 18, 2000 - 10:29 pm: Edit |
ahh..Portland... I was close :) thanks Ron : ) but after going through all those registration forms, schedules, and emails it just all kinda sticks....plus I knew some of them before hand. for the next few days I could probably tell you where people are from, their last names, whether or not they're allergic to pets or have any, what kind of beds/futons/sleeping arrangements they have, how old they are (oops, I shouldn't reveal that huh?), etc, etc. Mel & I were joking that I could be the Erin Brockovich (sp?) of the lindy community...hehe...truthfully my memory is not very good. ask me again in a few weeks and most likely it'll all be gone! |
| By Ron on Wednesday, April 19, 2000 - 12:23 pm: Edit |
So you wrote about 150 registered people, 120 for all events, and you told me 250 people were at the Friday night dance, which is probably the most we've ever had at a swing event in San Diego. Just out of curiousity, how many were out-of-towners, and where were they from? From the people I met, it seemed like 50% were from San Fran, 50% other, with large groups from LA, Denver, Chicago, Seattle... |
| By Valerie Yau on Wednesday, April 19, 2000 - 01:45 pm: Edit |
honestly i can't give you a final head count of out of town people... and 250 total is also an estimate from the # of people that checked in, the # of waivers signed, etc... I'll have to go through the papers that are left and give you guys some more exact #'s if that's possible. But yes, you are right... as far as visitors go, a good group was from SF, as well as Seattle, Chicago, LA, Denver, etc. |
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