Friday, February 13, 2015

I Loved Los Angeles

                                      
*I really miss the LA swing scene and seeing the regulars all over So Cal on a nightly basis.

*We danced to all styles and era's of music and tempo's, even if we didn't have the skill too.

*We danced with our girlfriends all night, the term Dance Partner was foreign and lame.

*In The Neo-swing scene, it didn't matter how good you were at dancing, if you were a cool person, you were an equal.

*We remember the people who called themselves Lindy hoppers, they wore Blyers, and t-shirts and swiveled "on 1 and 2".

*If you were single, you asked the nicest or best dressed to dance, but not the best dancer.

*We socially danced Partner Charleston and nothing else for entire nights.

*Guys that changed partners every song were creepy as hell.

*We knew the difference between The Lindy, the Lindy Hop and Swing and never stepped foot in a class.

*In Hollywood, Hollywood style was a look not a dance style.

*We watch the first person to ever enter a jam solo, Jeremy Sutton​ at SF swing jam, and went home and practiced.

*We would block off a corner of the dance floor from tourist, so another couple had space dance and trade off.

*We started DJ battle trend in Swing, of Benny vs Shaw and NY vs KC at Memories ballroom.

*When someone said lets Shag, we asked which one.

*We started the first "solo Charleston" contest at Memories, everyone starting right foot forward starting on 1.

*Being a international dancer didn't mean shit, if your were stuck up or dressed like a clown.

*We competed for money in front of the public.

*Jam circles for the better dancers, and beginners took notes to be better.

*We danced faster then any other city, and if you didn't like it, gave you your money back.

*We loved to bust out as many free spins as possible, but were quick to say more then 2 is not partner dancing.

*No different then our old timers, we danced 7 nights a week and twice on Sunday.

*We hated being called Neo-Swingers and called ourselves Jitterbugs.

  Looking back 20 years, i really am proud to say, I was and will always be a Neo-Swinger!