Hello dancers!

We know we’ve been silent for awhile now, and we apologize for that. There have been many conversations behind the scenes as to what is next for Lindybloggers.com , and we’ll be revealing the fruit of these secret meetings soon. In the meantime, if you’re anxious to write and produce material for us, contact: info@lindybloggers.com

For those waiting for the final P-Lindy-X before & after pictures and videos by Bobby White - they are coming up next!

And for those of you going, see you at Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown in New Orleans.

Filed Under: Lindybloggers | Thursday, September 17th, 2009

Event Name: Boston Tea Party
Event Date: March 26th to March 29th
Event Location: Danvers, MA
Event Website: http://teapartyswings.com
Event Hosts: Steve & Rebecca Drzewiczewski and Dan Mez
Event Teachers: Instructors Listed Here.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Music: DJed Music
Class Levels: Beginner, Intermediate/Advanced, Balboa, WCS
Competitions: Strictly Lindy, Strictly Balboa, Jack & Jills
Venue Floors: Portable Ballroom Floors

Tea Party is probably one of the most successful crossover events in the U.S.  It has exceptional competitors from both the Lindy Hop and the West Coast Swing scene, talented DJs and a host of great instructors on site.

This year a large majority of the Lindy Bloggers team was in attendance and we got a few group pictures snapped and some of their highlights and opinions on this years BTP.

Boston Tea Party is organized by Steve and Rebecca (last name unspeakable by normal man) in Danvers, MA.  It kicked off on March 26th and lasted till the 29th (yes this review is quite delayed).

I arrived Friday afternoon and settled into my room.  Having attended BTP for a number of years now I see many familiar faces from all over, it is a social event for many dancers as well as a dance event.  We dine, relax in the hot tubs, work out (P90X it), and party together on top of all the dancing.  Hotel events definitely enable this mingling atmosphere. (more…)

Filed Under: Event Reviews, Lindybloggers | Thursday, June 4th, 2009

Straight from our hotel room at the Canadian Swing Championships, this week’s song was picked by one of my favorite social dancers, Alice Mei.

The song is Hallelujah Joe Ain’t Preachin’ No More by Harlem Hamfats. You can purchase it off Amazon.com. Merci Alice!

Filed Under: Lindybloggers, Song of the Week | Tuesday, May 19th, 2009

This morning Frankie Manning passed away peacefully.

Frankie Manning has been an inspiration to us all and the outpouring of love from the community in these past few days is amazing.  Many people are sharing their stories of Frankie on Facebook and elsewhere.  Please feel free to leave your memories here as well.

I’ve done my part.  Now it’s your turn. A one… a two… you know what to do…

Frankie Manning

Tonight swingout for Frankie.

Filed Under: Dance Community, Lindybloggers | Monday, April 27th, 2009
Tags: ambassador of lindy hop, frankie manning, lindy hop, memories, passing, rip

From all of us at Lindybloggers we send our best wishes and love to Frankie Manning.

Here is the announcement from the Frankie 95 team on Frankie’s health.  Please send him your love and wishes so that we can ring in his 95th birthday with him at the front smiling that amazing smile.

Dear Friends of Frankie,

As you might have heard, Frankie entered the hospital a week and a half ago, due to problems with his medication. Then on Friday, he was taken into the intensive care unit after he developed pneumonia. It is a very serious situation.

Although he cannot talk or move his limbs, he recognizes people and responds to their messages of caring and love. Throughout all of this, his spirit remains strong and his family and close friends are with him.

Please take some time during your day to send Frankie healing energy, prayers and love, and tell everyone you know to do the same. You can also send him a personal note of encouragement here:

Frankie Manning, PO Box 737648 , Elmhurst NY 11373

Frankie needs our support!

Of course, we will keep you all updated as his condition changes.

The Frankie 95 Team

Please e-mail this on to your friends, so we can help spread the love, who may not see it on Facebook or read it here.

Filed Under: Dance Community, Lindybloggers | Sunday, April 26th, 2009
Tags: 95th birthday, frankie 95, frankie manning, health, love

Hi everyone, the Lindybloggers team is taking a short hiatus while we plant flowers for spring. New song of the week, Tuesday Trivia and other articles will be up next week.

In the meantime, check out Ben Yau’s http://iamlindyhop.com/ and don’t forget to purchase your Frankie95 commemorative greeting wish. Deadline is this Thursday April 23rd.

Filed Under: Lindybloggers | Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

Today’s song of the week comes to us from Lucy Falkner, founder of Rhythm City in Vancouver, Canada. Lucy has taught Charleston, Vintage Jazz, Lindy Hop, and Blues across Canada and the Pacific Northwest, and at the world-famous Herräng Dance Camp, in Sweden.

I had a difficult time choosing my song of the week. I set aside about 12 songs and listened to them incessantly for a week, vacillating between this one and that one as the one to choose. In the end, I went with my original choice, “Keep the Rhythm Going,” by The Mills Blue Rhythm Band.

Some songs make me want to swing out hard and do lots of big swingy long and loose movements, and some songs make me want to do lots of fussy and complex shapes and rhythms. This one gives me good doses of both. I love songs that build in energy, have strong rhythm, and a lot of texture (what some people think of as layers). Plus, I like chewy trumpet (that’s the best way I have to describe that particular sound). I guess I use food and eating metaphors a lot with regard to music. Never noticed that before. Well, then this song feeds me, but like a good appetizer: it leaves me wanting more. You can purchase this song from Amazon MP3 Download’s here: Keep The Rhythm Going.

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Song: “Keep The Rhythm Going”
Musicians: Mills Blue Rhythm Band
Album: Chronological Classics, 1933-1934

Personnel (for the album, not sure about the song)
Baron Lee, Lucky Millinder, leader
Wardell Jones, Eddie Mallory, Sheldon Hemphill, Ed Anderson, tpt
George Washington, arr, tbn
Henry Hicks, J.C. Higginbotham, tbn
Crawford Wethington, sax
Gene Mikell, cl, sax
Joe Garland, cl, sax, arr
Edgar Hayes, p
Benny James, bjo, g
Hayes Alvis, b, brass b
O’Neil Spencer, d
Adelaide Hall, Chuck Richards, voc
Lawrence Lucie, g
Elmer James, b
Alex Hill, arr

Thanks Lucy! You can find her teaching and judging this weekend at Lindybout, the Lindy Hop Championships in Western Canada.

Filed Under: Dance Community, Lindybloggers, Song of the Week | Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

Lindybloggers has gone off the deep end of social media and joined up with the Twittersphere.

If a blog post a day or so isn’t enough you can get our feed of favorite video links, dance tweets and more here.

We’ll also be using Twitter to live blog at events starting this weekend with the Boston Tea Party in Danvers, MA.

Follow us on Twitter.

You’ll also notice the new social sharing buttons at the bottom of posts so if you like a post, share it with your friends.

Filed Under: Lindybloggers | Friday, March 27th, 2009
Tags: boston tea party, lindy hop, Lindybloggers, live blogging, social media, swing dance, twitter, twittersphere

We apologize for the weird characters and missing information on the website. We are experiencing technical difficulties and are working on it. In the meantime, happy Frankie Week!

Filed Under: Lindybloggers | Sunday, March 22nd, 2009

Last week’s answer
Who topped the Billboard magazine top ten dance bands for 1940? As a bonus, name the top 3.

ANSWER: 1. Glenn Miller 2. Kay Kyser 3. Tommy Dorsey 4. Benny Goodman
5. Orrin Tucker 6. Jan Savitt 7. Guy Lombardo 8. Sammy Kaye 9. Hal
Kemp 10. Jimmy Dorsey

Freddie, you were so close. Three out of the top four. Thank you for the educated guess! Kudos to Sarah as well for getting two of the top three.

This Week’s Tuesday Trivia Question: Balboa dancers and high heels

Balboa is a dance originating from Southern California in the 1920’s. It was contemporaneous with Lindy Hop - both were danced to swing music. This week’s question: why do Balboa followers wear high heels?

Know the answer? Let everyone know and comment.

Although we use the title “Lindybloggers”, we definitely appreciate the support of Balboa dancers who read our blog. This should be an easy one for those of you who bal, and maybe not as easy for the Lindy Hoppers out there who haven’t tried it yet. For those of you who haven’t, I definitely recommend learning this dance, as it will open up your dancing to a whole new world. For more information, check out Bobby White’s interview with Balboa Mastermind Nick Williams and read BalboaNation.com

Filed Under: Dance Trivia, Lindybloggers | Tuesday, February 10th, 2009