It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that Swing
Swinging in the 20th Century

gill prendergast
The Plant

Have you got any plans for next Saturday night? If you’re tired of the same old nightclub scene, never fear! There may be a solution to your lame “Night at the Roxburyesque” ritual. Ever heard of swing dancing? You might have seen it before in those old Gap khakis commercials or if you’re into musicals, the immortal “Swing Kids”.

Swing, commonly referred to as Lindy Hop, is a popular type of swing dancing that is quickly beguiling a sizable following amidst the Montreal crowd, not to mention the diverse Dawson population. “There are so many different stages; you can feel comfortable at any level. There’s definitely something in it for everyone,” Civil Engineering Technology teacher and frequent swing dancer Steve Babb said. With dance moves named Messin’ Around, Suzie Q and Shorty George how could you not be the least bit curious?

The Dance

Swing dancing, not to be confused with the other lewd kind of swinging, has been around for a while. Lindy Hop, as swing is more widely known, got its name from Charles Lindberg’s transatlantic flight to Paris in 1927. At the time, a newspaper headline read: “Lindy hops the Atlantic”. Although the dance has no real ‘hops’ in it, the name stuck. The Lindy Hop dance is actually made up of very smooth, precise motions that are made to a rhythmic 8-count or 6-count “pulse”.

The dance has been evolving ever since it began in the late 1920’s during the hot Jazz era, all the way up until the Big Bands of the 40’s. The dance gets its moves from a variety of sources. The embracing hold and turns are of European descent and the grounded posture and breakaway give the dance a little African flavour.

Lindy isn’t the only kind of swing dance. There are many other different swing dances such as West Coast Swing, East Coast Swing, Jive and Rock’n’Roll Jitterbug. For the purpose of clarity, I’ll stick to Lindy in this feature.

Learning the basic triple step is a good way to get the ball rolling. Once you’ve got the “step, step, triple step” monologue going on in your head it’s time to partner up. Swing dancing involves leads and follows. Leads are traditionally men and followers, women. If there happens to be a shortage of leads, an occasional occurrence, women can also take on the role of a lead. Additional moves that you can learn are the Tack Annie, Jitterbug stroll, Shim Sham, Texas Tommy, and the whirling Stomp Texas. “It’s really easy to learn and it becomes almost addictive” Jasmine Fitzwilliam, a Dawson Fine Arts Student and Administrator of the Volunteer corps at Cat’s Corner, said.

The Music

Many people get into swing, if not for the exercise or the social aspect of the dance but, for the music. “(The) music associated with Swing dancing is very high energy and a lot of fun,” Karrwright Lee, an instructor for Cat’s Corner, said.

Songs can be fast paced or slow depending on your skill level. In other words, the faster the song is, the quicker the steps will be and vice versa. In the beginning, swing students will dance to slow to medium tempo songs. No one should expect to look like the swing kids after a few beginner lessons, but rest assured; you’re on your way.

While you’re dancing, artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong will be often be supplying the mood music. Other artists less known to the general public and more to the swing population such as Buddy Johnson, Ardie Shaw, Nina Simone and Count Basie also share the play list on Swing soiree nights.

The music associated with swing alone can be the spark of a swing-dancing career. Such was the case for Fred Ngo, founder of Cat’s Corner Dance Productions. Ngo fell in love with the song “On the Sunny Side of the Street” upon hearing it during a University athletic class. Soon afterwards Ngo became hooked on swing. “I really loved the music,” he said, “and best of all I could dance to it”.

The Place

You’ll find there are a lot of Montreal destinations out there for you to test out your swing skills. Every Tuesday at Le Petit Medley (6206 St-Hubert), the Swinging Air Force will gladly whisk you around the dance floor. Mocha Jo Dance hall also has a few swing and blues nights. If you can wait until summer, the Concordia Swing Society has swing nights every Sunday in the Gazebo at Mont-Royal Park.

However, if you’re just a beginner, as every professional swing dancer once was, and you want a few lessons or a bit of formal instruction before you throw yourself out onto the dance floor; Cat’s Corner Dance Production offers free beginner lessons at 9 o’clock every Saturday before an entire soiree of dancing with their own in-house DJ’s. With a convenient location downtown, (near the McGill metro), student discounts, a spacious hard wood floor studio and friendly staff, it tops my list of swing destinations.

Etiquette

If you choose to go to Cat’s Corner or any similar club, make sure you bring a pair of “non-street shoes” to dance in. Sorry, but those nice dance floors aren’t for your shoes that survived the long winter. In the coming summer months you might be able to get away with it in a few outdoor swing events, but for now, double up on the shoes.

Another pointer for those new to the swing scene: this is a social dance. If someone asks you to dance, don’t consider it as a marriage proposal. They’re only asking you to dance - this one song- and afterwards by all means you can dance with someone else. Swing dancing is supposed to be fun. “You don’t have to be dating the person or physically attracted to them to dance with them,”said Lee. Also, don’t be shy to ask someone more experienced than you to dance. Dancing with an experienced dancer is the one of the fastest ways you can improve your skill.

So if you’re tired of the cold, smoky, and at times sleazy bar scene and you’re in the mood for some easygoing, friendly social dancing, why don’t you give swing dancing a whirl. Worst-case scenario, you’ll discover that you have two left feet. But hey, you might be introduced to a whole world of music attributed to the swing scene that you never knew you loved.

For more info:

www.swinginmontreal.com

www.swing.ca