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Boxing Day
It seems to me monstrous that anyone should believe that the jazz rhythm expresses America. Jazz rhythm expresses the primitive savage.
-- Isadora Duncan
Friday, December 26, 1997
A while ago I subscribed to the swing kids mailing list. The swing kids is/are a club associated with the Univerisity of Washington. A plea went out on a recent mailing: a big band gig at the West Seattle Golf Club Auditorium (this is part of a public park, not a private country club) had gotten lower attendance in November than had been hoped, because it was on the night after Thanksgiving. Unless there was a good turnout in December, the date might be canceled.
So I proposed to Kate and Glenn, Denys, and Karrie, that we go and check it out! Kate counter-proposed that we eat takeout sushi at their house beforehand.
I was a little confused when I arrived, because they are in process of preparing their place to be lived in by Steve (who is already living there) while they go touring around in a yet unbought recreational vehicle. I wasn't sure if they had already turned the main floor over to Steve or not. But Glenn found me as I was walking towards the back door, and steered me to the right place.
We feasted on sushi from Ai, then caravaned off to West Seattle. The hall was medium-sized, and thankfully smokefree. The band, John Holte's Radio Rhythm Orchestra, was very good! If not quite a big band size, it was more than a combo at nine pieces. Denys did his duty and danced with both Karrie and me, especially when Glenn got tired.
I tried to teach Denys and Karrie some pull-ahead moves, and Larissa, one of my lindy teachers from the Century Ballroom, kindly stepped in and helped when I wasn't able to convey the complete idea. The pull-ahead has the follow going under the lead's arm, but instead of the lead turning around to face the follow, zie has zir back to the follow. Then zie pulls on the follow's hand (the "pull-ahead" part of it) and the follow dashes back to the front again. This is a foundation for lots of moves, depending on what happens when the follow gets there: spins, turns, etc.
It's amazing and inspiring to see the lindy hop dancers going to town. At one point we sang "Happy Birthday" to one of the club members, then she did a birthday dance, where she had to dance for the whole song while various partners switched in and out. I think the size of the crowd will mean that this event will continue.
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