Swing dancing, Balboa, and Lindy Hop in Los Angeles and Orange County
These articles will be recycled on the front page belowed the featured article
The Pasadena Ballroom Dance Association has been giving dance lessons since 1983. Sisters Erin and Tami Stevens have taught thousands of people how to swing dance (including me!) So, as the pandemic dragged on, I was wondering how PBDA and…
In this era of COVID-19, I feel like partner dancing will probably be one of the last activities that will resume in a way that we remember it. It’s hard to imagine a worse activity in a pandemic: physical touch…
The COVID-19 shutdowns are a huge challenge to the livelihoods of our local and worldwide musicians, who’ve had nearly all of their gigs canceled. And, it’s a bummer for us fans who miss hearing the great music they make. So,…
Guest Post by Jack Malmstrom I’m very grateful to Brian Shim for inviting me to share information about a new law that prohibits many workers from being independent contractors and may threaten our live music scene. Musicians invented the “gig”…
I really like the energy in this 1956 clip from Don’t Knock the Rock featuring Bill Haley and the Comets performing Rip it Up. The only thing is, please don’t try these moves on the social dance floor! These are…
OK, last Camp Hollywood, video for now, I promise! This routine by LA Varsity Shag came in third place but many thought it should have been first! What do you think? – Brian
Wow, it’s been another great Camp Hollywood! There were so many great performances, but these are absolutely insane!
With Camp Hollywood, around the corner, I have posted their DVD opener from 2005. I love seeing how today’s moves are inspired by and dedicated to preserving what the dancers did in the 30’s and 40’s. See you there!…
Here’s another contest from Camp Hollywood, with it being just around the corner. Who can forget Steve Sayer’s LA Shag team’s first-place routine at Camp Hollywood 2014 featuring “San” by the California Feetwarmers? This video has over 2.2 million…
A post shared by Live.Collegiate.Shag (@live.collegiate.shag) on Aug 13, 2018 at 10:14am PDT I’m a huge fan of Kendall and Ronnie’s Live Collegiate Shag videos. Here’s the latest one with some great moves, not to mention dancing on sand! –…
This is the first in my series of Featured Videos which I’ll be showcasing on the home page. With Camp Hollywood not far off, I thought it would be appropriate to start with the 2017 Camp Hollywood Open Lindy Final!…
Are you making any new year’s resolutions this year? Here are my top reasons why learning how to Swing dance should be at the top of your list in 2018. 1. It’s Insanely Fun What is your idea of a…
Shag (or “Collegiate Shag”) is a partner dance that is done by a good number of Swing dancers in Los Angeles and Orange County, usually to fast music from the 1920’s or 30’s. A little while ago, I saw a…
If you live on the West Side of Los Angeles like me, you’ll know what it’s like to constantly have to drive all the way to Downtown L.A. or Pasadena to go Swing dancing. For some reason, the West Side…
Director Susan Glatzer’s Alive and Kicking, a movie featuring many well-known local and national Swing dancers, is getting great reviews among swing dancers and in mainstream media. As of this writing, it has a 98% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes…
Finding authentic clothing from the 1940’s is not easy: it can take a lot of time and the pickin’s can be slim. Plus, clothes that old can be fragile. So, I’ve asked local vintage fashion dress company, Loco Lindo, to talk about…
On Thursday, June 30th, 2016, Lindygroove celebrated its 15th anniversary with a huge dance featuring Jonathan Stout & his Campus Five featuring Hilary Alexander plus the Grand Slam Sextet. Lindygroove is the largest weekly Swing dance event in Southern California (and…
Clifton’s Cafeteria is a cafeteria, vintage bar, and kitschy “natural history museum” all rolled into one amazing multi-level building. It’s one of the last remaining vestiges of golden-age Los Angeles charm.
I finally got my hands on the long-awaited album from Dave Stuckey and the Hot House Gang, released on September 1st 2015! It’s called “How’m I Doin’?!” which sounds like something Dave would actually ask in the middle of a…
Here is a bucket list for LA/OC Swing dancers. No, I haven’t done all of these, but I figure it’s a good list to strive for. How many have you done? Check the boxes and see your percentage below! You…