Balboa

TSDS Battle of the Genres DJ Swing Dance

On Saturday, January 7, 2012, I will be one of three DJs battling it out in the first ever Triangle Swing Dance Society Battle of the Genres. I will be representing pre-WWII swing, Jason Sager will be playing post-WWII swing, and Kristy Milliken will dish out a healthy portion of blues, soul, and anything else you can swing out to.

We’ll also be continuing our March Madness-style battle of classic swing songs, where you’ll vote with your feet and your applause to determine the best classic swing song!

Saturday’s showdown is from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at the Murphey School, 3717 Murphy School Road, Durham, NC. Admission is $7 for members and students, $10 for non-members.

And eat your Wheaties! It’s going to be an awesome night!

Eastern Balboa Championships 2011

This weekend, November 3-6, is the Eastern Balboa Championships, the epic Balboa workshop and competition weekend that takes place in Raleigh, NC every year. I’m pleased to be a part of the DJ roster again this year, along with head DJ Kyle Smith, DJ Kristy Milliken, and DJ Abigail Browning. I am also excited to be a featured vocalist with Russ Wilson’s Nouveau-Passe Orchestra on Saturday night.

On Saturday, I have made arrangements with the Raleigh Vintage Collective to have a trunk show at EBC from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. that will feature clothing and accessories for men and women from the 1920’s, 1930’s, 1940’s, and 1950’s. This is an exciting prospect because everything offered will be era-appropriate for swing dancing! Lindy Shopper will be reporting, of course.

RDU Rent Party: Glenn Crytzer Takes the Cake Edition, October 13, 2011

Glenn Crytzer and his Syncopators played for the Gatsby Edition Rent Party last year and burned it down, so RDU Rent Party is honored to be hosting Glenn on his birthday and would like to cordially invite you to attend and help us celebrate in style.

We will be providing a cookie cake and beverages, you provide the energy. Feel free to bring other refreshments and let’s make sure and give Glenn an unforgettable birthday!

In preparation for the Eastern Balboa Championships, Chris & Holly Owens will be teaching Balboa for the Intermediate and Beginner lessons. Bring your slick shoes and canning wax.

This Rent Party will be held at the Trotter Building in lieu of/collaboration with the normal Thursday night Hot Club of Durham festivities.

The Trotter Building
410 W. Geer St.
Durham, NC

Admission is pay-what-you-can with a suggested $10 donation.

7:00 p.m. – Intermediate Balboa lesson
8:00 p.m. – Beginner Balboa lesson
9:00 p.m. – Birthday boy takes the stage and plays until midnight

Pink Renaissance: A Jazz Affair

This Friday, September 23, 2011, I will be performing with the Al Strong Quartet +1 as a dancer at Pink Renaissance: A Jazz Affair. This concert is a fundraiser sponsored by the Kappa Alpha Alpha Sorority and the money raised will go to scholarships. The concert will feature some early jazz tunes, to fit the Harlem Renaissance theme, and will feature the dancing of local swing dancers, including myself, performing Lindy Hop, Balboa, Charleston, and Blues dancing to the music performed by the band.

The event runs from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and will also feature heavy hors d’oeuvres and an amazing cake created by Gregory Bingham of The Art of Cake.

UNC- Chapel Hill, Sonja Haynes Stone Center Theater
150 South Road
Chapel Hill, NC

For more information visit the Kappa Alpha Alpha web site.

DJ at Hot Club of Durham, September 15, 2011

I’m excited to be DJ’ing for the Hot Club of Durham swing dance again this week! Come swing out at Durham’s weekly Lindy Hop, East Coast Swing, Charleston, and Balboa night and enjoy the new swing and early jazz tunes I have ready to play for you. 🙂

Beginner lesson at 8:00 p.m., dance from 9:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. Come early and grab dinner at one of the food trucks parked across the street at Fullsteam Brewery or Motorco.

Hot Club of Durham
Trotter Building
410 W. Geer Street
Durham, NC

RDU Rent Party: Some Like it Hot Edition featuring the Solomon Douglas Sextet

On September 1, 2011, RDU Rent Party is partnering with Hot Club of Durham to bring you a special Thursday edition swing dance at the Trotter Building in Durham, featuring Seattle bandleader Solomon Douglas and his sextet. A special 7:00 p.m. intermediate Role Reversal class will be offered as well as the usual 8:00 p.m. beginner class. The Solomon Douglas Sextet goes on at 9:00 p.m. and plays until midnight. We will also be hosting a J&J (that’s Joe & Jerry) role reversal dance contest!

The Trotter Building
410 W. Geer St.
Durham, NC

As always, Rent Party is pay what you can with a suggested $10 minimum donation to the band. For more information about the event, see http://www.rdurentparty.com.

Rent Party: Piedmont Blues Edition featuring th’ Bullfrog Willard McGhee and Tad Walters, August 12, 2011

On Friday, August 12, 2011, RDU Rent Party is playing host to the swing dance debut of Bullfrog Willard McGhee. Simply known as th’ Bullfrog to many of his fans, his bio describes him as “A multi-instrumentally talented, rambling-shaggy-dog-story-​telling, torch-song-sentimental-bee​r-hall-bawdy-songwriting genius.” He is every part a serious blues man, storyteller and historian of Piedmont and Mountain blues. If you have any interest in blues, southern culture, or serious dance music, you owe it to yourself to be here.

And if you are not blues dance inclined, never fear! There will still be plenty of danceable music for at a variety of tempos and a beginner blues dance lesson before the dance.

Triangle Dance Studio – upstairs studio
2603 S. Miami Blvd.
Durham, NC

Beginner blues dance lesson from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., band plays from 9:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. Admission is pay what you can with a $10 suggested donation.

Rent Party: Bad Mofo Edition Featuring The New King Rippers and TCF Bake Sale, July 23, 2011

It’s time for another edition of RDU Rent Party, featuring Triangle trad jazz superstars The New King Rippers. Jason Sager and I will be teaching an intermediate swing dance lesson that will focus on enhancing your performance and inspirational skills on the dance floor. Come as your favorite Bad Mofo and throw down in the World Famous Jack Rabbit Slim’s Twist Contest. Can you dig it? Lesson from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Triangle Dance Studio, band plays from 8:00 to 11:00 p.m.

Also, The Carolina Fascinators will be having one of their famous bake sales at the July 23 RDU Rent Party – come dance, buy some goodies, and support this local jazz dance performance troupe!

Atomic Plays TSDS and TCF Perform at Summer Solstice Festival

There’s another busy weekend in the works, with The Atomic Rhythm All-Stars taking the stage at the Murphey School in Durham, NC this Saturday, June 18, 2011 for a night of swing dancing, thanks to the Triangle Swing Dance Society.

On Sunday, June 19, The Carolina Fascinators will be performing their Shortenin’ Bread routine at Greensboro, NC’s Summer Solstice Festival, around 4:30 p.m. TCF member Abigail Browning will also be performing social swing dancing with her dance partner and partner in crime, Adam Speen. Looking forward to being a part of this outdoor festival!

All Balboa Weekend 2011

This weekend I’m heading to Independence, OH for the eleventh annual All Balboa Weekend. I’ll be pulling triple duty at the event: DJ’ing for my favorite group of dancers, co-coordinating a fashion show based on whatever credibility the Lindy Shopper blog has given me, and two performances by The Carolina Fascinators. Needless to say, it will be a busy week! Looking forward to all the wonderful dances, old friends, and some serious vintage and repro shopping in Cleveland and from vendors at the event.