After last week’s trip to the Thames Festival, it was by chance that Connie knew someone, Bob, who knew of a swing dance event this weekend at Metropolis, near St Paul’s. It was also by chance that the event was run by the London Swing Dance Society, who performed on the South Bank and where Miki and I were watching in admiration of the dancers.
When the invitation arrived in my inbox, my philosophy of trying something new whenever the chance pops up (e.g. Botswana) compelled me to give it ago. However, not only would it be my first swing dance class, it would be my proper first dance class ever (excluding those at the Oxford Balls and Burn’s Night attempts). I wondered how my one and a half left feet would do.
We took part in two of the beginners’ classes, both basic Lindyhop classes. I have to admit, I didn’t do too badly. First class was a basic step followed by the American Spin and switching places (not sure that that is the technical term for it!). Second class was more complex, with eight counts, six counts, spins, closed positions, tangled feet, elbows banging heads and coordination reminiscent of a drunken night in a student club. Ok, I lie about the last three descriptions, we were all doing not to badly by the end of it, but we (I) could do with a lot more practice! (Note to self: listen to more swing and practice those moves!)
Would I take it up properly, well, I’d like to, but work and time probably won’t permit. But I’ll almost certainly go down again for another Saturday event if I can. And hopefully I can be a bit good at it.
And maybe demonstrate there may be a hidden dance gene that runs in the Mak family?
(Thanks Bob and Connie!)
Judy Lewis Back in London
That Leading Lady of Jazz Rock Fusion, Judy Lewis, is back on tour again and will be visiting London’s Pizza Express Jazz Club and Fasching Jazz Club in Stockholm this time round and with a new line up of Shay Zelman (Israel) on drums and Gilad Abro (South Africa) on bass and Tal Gur returning on sax.
I thoroughly recommend going down to see the ‘rock star!’
Dates:
Pizza Express Jazz Club, London – 28-30 November, 2005
Fasching Jazz Club, Stockholm – 5 December, 2005
Previous Posts:
Review: September 2004
Review: April 2005
Tagged: Random London