Thank you to everyone who came out to Uptown Swing this month as we celebrated Frankie Manning! It was a very fun dance with a wonderful, happy spirit, just as Frankie would have liked. Today would have been his 101st birthday.

Thank you so much to Guest DJs Dang Mai, Andrew Selzer and Paul Loschak for providing a wonderful night of great music.

Here’s the picture that’s been sent to the Frankie Foundation’s #iamFrankieManning photo project.

The request was to send in pictures using a classic Frankie pose. We had a good model with us to show the real thing!

Proceeds from this dance will be contributed to the Beantown Scholarship Program to help bring previous Frankie Foundation ambassadors back to Beantown. The Ambassador Program was established to support the growth and development of new ambassadors of Lindy Hop and to carry on Frankie’s legacy. We are happy to report that we raised $1,275, which included a $1,000 check from a very generous dancer. We are thrilled to announce that we can now bring to Beantown at least two additional ambassadors based on these contributions, bringing our total to five.

We also want to sent out a huge thanks to our Hop to the Beat classes who worked hard on “Rock-A-Bye Basie”, our new Lindy Hop/Solo Jazz routine. Check out the awesome performance.

May is Frankie Month and Lindy Hoppers worldwide will be celebrating this very special man. We’ll be doing so at Uptown Swing this Saturday, May 16. There isn’t a better example than Frankie Manning to remind us of the joy and fun we have dancing!

Frankie was dancing back in the heyday of the Savoy Ballroom with bandleaders such as Chick Webb, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Jimmie Lunceford and Lionel Hampton. Can you imagine dancing to their bands in person? We can’t make that happen, however, we’ll be honoring Frankie by dancing to his favorites with tunes provided by Guest DJs Dang Mai, Andrew Selzer and Paul Loschak!

Both a Newton and Boston Hop to the Beat class has been working on a new Lindy Hop/Solo Jazz routine and will be performing at the dance! Please come out to cheer them on!

Of course the night would not be complete without a Shim Sham, Frankie style! If you’ve been wanting to learn the Shim Sham or need to brush up on the steps, we’ll be doing it at the lesson before the dance.

Participate in the Frankie Foundation’s #iamFrankieManning photo project. We’ll be recreating a classic Frankie pose with a group picture at the dance.

Proceeds from this dance will be contributed to the Beantown Scholarship Program to help bring previous Frankie Foundation ambassadors back to Beantown. The Ambassador Program was established to support the growth and development of new ambassadors of Lindy Hop and to carry on Frankie’s legacy. Camp registrations are free of charge, however, funds are needed to cover housing, meals and travel.

The atmosphere at the dance is relaxed and friendly and all experience levels are very welcome to attend! There will be a beginner lesson at the start of the evening. It will be a little shorter than usual so that we can also go over the Shim Sham.

Beginners welcome, no partner needed
Location: KI (Kehillath Israel), 384 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA 02446 (entrance on Williams Street)
Band: Solomon Douglas Heptet
Guest DJs: Dang Mai, Andrew Selzer, Paul Loschak
Date: Saturday, May 16, 2015
Time: 8:15pm-12:00am 
Swing Lesson: 8:45-9:15pm
Shim Sham Lesson: 8:15-8:45pm
Performance: Hop to the Beat
Extras: Group Frankie Photo
Fundraiser: Beantown Scholarship Program
Admission: $12 ($8 with Student ID)

For a little taste of Frankie, check out this video invitation to last year’s Frankie 100 celebration in NYC. Over 2000 Lindy Hoppers attended from 47 countries!

Full Uptown Swing details.

Join the Facebook dance event.

May is Frankie Month and Lindy Hoppers worldwide will be celebrating this very special man. We’ll be doing so at the next Uptown Swing on Saturday, May 16. There isn’t a better example than Frankie Manning to remind us of the joy and fun we have dancing!

Frankie was dancing back in the heyday of the Savoy Ballroom with bandleaders such as Chick Webb, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Jimmie Lunceford and Lionel Hampton. Can you imagine dancing to their bands in person? We can’t make that happen, however, we’ll be honoring Frankie by dancing to his favorites with tunes provided by Guest DJs Dang Mai, Andrew Selzer and Paul Loschak!

Of course the night would not be complete without a Shim Sham, Frankie style! If you’ve been wanting to learn the Shim Sham or need to brush up on the steps, we’ll be doing it at the lesson before the dance.

Participate in the Frankie Foundation’s #iamFrankieManning photo project. We’ll be recreating a classic Frankie pose with a group picture at the dance.

Proceeds from this dance will be contributed to the Beantown Scholarship Program to help bring previous Frankie Foundation ambassadors back to Beantown. The Ambassador Program was established to support the growth and development of new ambassadors of Lindy Hop and to carry on Frankie’s legacy. Camp registrations are free of charge, however, funds are needed to cover housing, meals and travel.

The atmosphere at the dance is relaxed and friendly and all experience levels are very welcome to attend! There will be a beginner lesson at the start of the evening. It will be a little shorter than usual so that we can also go over the Shim Sham.

Full Uptown Swing details.

Join the Facebook dance event.

The Solomon Douglas Heptet is a tight-swinging little band that plays music inspired by the great later Swing small groups and early modernists of the late 1940s. Although Solomon has been playing for Swing dancers for many years with his own band as well as with others, he formed this new NYC-based group just last September and we’re looking forward to having them here in Boston.

Guest DJ Stan Yen will be handling the band breaks to keep the great music flowing through the night.

Also happening this weekend and attending Uptown Swing will be dancers from the Second Rate Swing Exchange! However, there are some folks who will NOT be at the exchange and therefore NOT at Uptown Swing either.

Never fear. Solomon Douglas Heptet, DJ Stan Yen, Second Rate Swing Exchangers, Providence Swings and many other friendly dancers will all be in the house. (You may even see 1 or 2 of those listed on the video:-) Sounds like a first rate evening of fun!

KI is a beautiful large space with a smooth wood floor and a convenient location on Harvard Street in Brookline (entrance on Williams Street). For those taking the T, it is close to both Coolidge Corner and Harvard Ave stops on the Green Line. If you want to come early for dinner or a drink, there are plenty of places nearby. Parking is free after 8:00pm (some areas after 6:00pm) and there is plenty of street parking and several town lots in the vicinity.

Beginners welcome, no partner needed
Location: KI (Congregation Kehillath Israel), 384 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA 02446 (entrance on Williams Street)
Band: Solomon Douglas Heptet
Guest DJ: Stan Yen
Date: Saturday, April 18, 2015
Time: 8:15pm-12:00am 
Swing Lesson: 8:15-9:00pm
Admission: $18 ($14 with Student ID)

Full Uptown Swing details.

Join the Facebook dance event.

We’ll be having another 5 week class session instead of the usual 6 (due to lingering effects of snow cancellations), starting on Monday, April 13 at Ruggles Baptist Church in Boston (on Beacon Street near Kenmore Square) and on Sunday, April 19 at the Lower Falls Community Center in Newton.

This will be our last session prior to Beantown Camp! No partner required for Levels 1 and 2 as classes will rotate. The 2nd part of the routine class will be with a partner.

• Beginner Swing/Intro to Lindy Hop Level 1
  Appropriate for anyone starting out as well as those with experience who are working on building a solid foundation of dance skills. Includes six count basics, an intro to eight count basics, along with a variety of fun steps to build your repertoire and get you out on the dance floor! Meets in both locations.
• Lindy Hop Level 2
  For more intermediate level Swing dancers, some prior Lindy Hop experience is helpful. Eight and six count basics will be mixed along with a variety of classic Lindy Hop (including Charleston), newer variations, and a focus on partnering, technique and style. Meets in Newton only this session.
• Lindy Hop/Jazz Routine, Part 2
  Part 1 has been challenging, but a lot of fun! Part 2 will continue to work on movement, rhythm and musicality. In addition, focus will be on performance, teamwork, formation and practice. The class is for those who took the first part and will be continuing with a partner.

Singles and couples welcome. Both locations are conveniently accessible by car or T with free parking available. Missed classes may be made up at the alternate location.

Full class details.