By Joey on Sunday, April 04, 1999 - 08:17 pm: EditIt seems to me that the San Diego Swing scene is not up to par as most other cities. It seems that most San Diego dancers are in it for the fad. Most guys go to the swing clubs with their wing tips and spectators, but the rest of the clothing just doesn't fit the shoe. The shoes gentlemen stick out like a sore thumb. The ladies, I have to say, are a but more classy. There are some men out there that look quite good on and off the dance floor. But the LA, SF, Chicago, NY, swing scenes, most people go out full vintage or look vintage. There are no adidas, nike, reebok, striped pants, sweats, baggy jeans. There are some but not like San Diego. Now there has been the argument about being comfortable in dancing, sure sure, I don't mind it if it's like for practice or anything, but in a social club with a Big Band like BTO or other bands from different areas of the country, why not try to dress the era to give an ambiance of nostalgia. The SD rockabilly crowd sure does fit that bill. It sort of brings me back to "Grease".
Now to the issue of dance style.
The style war between "Savoy" and "Hollywood" means no such thing. The labeled "savoy" was made becuase Frankie came out of retirement and was asked to teach by PBDA (Pasadena Ballroom Dance Association). Back when everybody was dancing the lindyhop/jitterbug. It was just plainly called the lindyhop/jitterbug. Nothing associated with Hollywood or Savoy. The old film clips of the jitterbug contests as well as the movies displayed how the lindyhop was danced. People nowadays just like to put a lot more syncopation steps (West Coast Swingers), jazzy moves, or a bit of a hip hop flare into the lindyhop to give more of variations in the movements of a simple tuck turn, spin, double spin, texas tommy, whatever.
So nowadays a lot of people want to start dancing the lindyhop as it was danced in the movies. Many
people have learned the dance in so many variations that it has confused them. All I can say is practice that lindy rhythm people. Just take the the Charleston and keep turning around on it. Many people are trying to dance like the old movies that it just bugs me when they try to practice on a social dance floor, ouch, ouch, ouch. Look if the dance ain't in you, then it just ain't in you. I suggest just move off the dance floor and give people who want to dance the space.
The many "so-called moves" of the famous Rhythm Hotshots are cut and pasted from the good-old film clips, I know, I've asked Eddie and Lennart where they get their materials from. Eddie responded that they watch a lot of the old movies because they are inspired by it. That is why most of the time when they teach, it's mostly routine when both partners are in tune with each other.
The one thing that most people must learn is the lindy rhythm, and from there, once the foundation has been established, then everything else will slide together smoothly or bouncily, whatever the music is telling the body to do. What I have seen and especially among beginners is that they are so consumed with moves and moves and moves, that they literally don't know what to do with the basis of the lindy rhythm. The many syncopation steps or stylings are from more experienced dancers that have been doing other dance techniques such as the sultry "west coast steps" or jazzy movements of modern dance (Meeshi and Margaret, and Emily are
very well known for such steps).
So IMHO, there's no such thing as slow style lindy as was exemplified in the recent MOS. It seemed to me more of an erotic dance where people can just throw dollars to the performers. The actual performance that was well suited for a good showcase was done by the Hollywood Jitterbugs, great job ladies and gorillas.
When I watch and dance with Sylvia , Lisa, Alicia, Corrinna, Melissa, Holly and the many fabulous ladies of Los Angeles as well as ladies
of San Diego Tammy, Lisa, Julia, Dinah (sp?) , and the ladies of San Francisco Angie, Terry, Judy, + many others, these lovely women don't try to take a lot of the free time on 1-2 7-8 to do a lot of fancy footwork that many of the women being taught at PBDA or other structured Dance Studios.
The Best Thing to do is really work on that Lindy Rhythm and then build on it and try to play it along with the music. But remember that the "women" must shine on the dance floor.
So to Shadow Charlie (aka Adidas), James Bennet, Andy (hitman), there is no such thing as Savoy style, only modern lindy and old-fashioned lindy.
