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| Michael Forrester, president of Dal Swing Society, shows off some moves with the help of fellow enthusiast Rebecca Ladouceur at the AV俱乐部 Society Fair. (Nick Pearce Photo) |
Everything old is new again (again.) If the crazy kids before Facebook and Twitter rode/wore/owned a vehicle/garment/accessory, the Millennials are reclaiming it. But there鈥檚 one retro-chic trend you may not have heard of 鈥� the triumphant rebirth of swing dance.
Mike Forrester, president of the Dal Swing Dance Society (DSDS) traces the lindy-hop revival to the States.聽鈥淧eople rediscovered some old videos, including 鈥楬ellzapoppin.鈥� It was a small, two-to-three minute dance sequence in the middle of a movie.鈥�
Youtube 鈥樷�� and you won鈥檛 need to ask how 120 seconds of black-and-white footage turned into a global obsession. Now swing dance clubs can be found worldwide (full disclosure: I learned to shuffle with Vancouver鈥檚 Jungle Swing) and the community is growing fast. 鈥淲e鈥檙e only a decade or two, give or take a couple years, into the swing revival.鈥�
How to explain lindy hop to those unfamiliar with the dance? I could tell you to dig up a DVD of Swing Kids, but I was forced to watch that movie twice in high school and now even a pre-crazy Christian Bale can鈥檛 quite redeem it. I could also link you to Christina Aguilera鈥檚 Candyman video, but I want to maintain my ability to face my reflection in the morning. But if you head down to Oxford Street鈥檚 First Baptist Church some Saturday night, you鈥檒l find a group of several dozen Dal students, faculty and community members 鈥� the Dal Swing Dance Society, headed by fearless, fedora鈥檇 leader Mike 鈥� looking like they鈥檝e been swinging since the dirty thirties.
鈥淚 had wanted to learn a partner dance for a while,鈥� says Mr. Forrester. The AV俱乐部 student (doing a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology, and now in his 2nd year as president of DSDS) is explaining what turned him into an incurable jitterbug. 鈥淚 wanted to be able to dance nicely on my wedding day 鈥� or at other people鈥檚 weddings, since I鈥檓 getting to that stage of life.鈥�
When he started dancing in January 2008, he was 鈥淎wkward. Two left feet. (But) it鈥檚 the kind of dance where you can be a goof and it鈥檚 okay.鈥� Plus, you pick up the basics fast. 鈥淎t the end of three to four weeks, you can go out and socially dance convincingly.鈥� He practices what he preaches in that regard, not only at designated swing spots but more unusual venues like Pacifico and the Halifax Alehouse. 鈥淕irls like to be twirled,鈥� he confides.
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Mark Pavlovski and Jill Grant and Josh Hood and Justine Muller enjoy last year's Swing with the Fishes. (Dave Williamson Photo) |
But there鈥檚 more to swing dancing than twirling girls (no, really.) Accessibility is important to DSDS; AV俱乐部 is one of only a handful of Maritime locations teaching swing dance, and group representatives have even visited schools to teach a new generation the value of a well-executed tuck turn. And, of course, part of the mandate of any retro dance club worth its weight in saddle shoes is keeping the classic dance intact.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a desire to keep it as authentic as possible鈥� certainly we want to try and keep the authenticity of swing.鈥澛燤r. Forrester聽says.
聽鈥淲here there鈥檚 changes that have happened, they鈥檝e become entirely different cultures and swings.鈥� The splinter dance 鈥淲est Coast Swing鈥�, for instance, has little in common with lindy hop anymore 鈥� it鈥檚 become a partner dance in its own right. One place where modernizations have crept into lindy hop, however, is in its move names 鈥� when I visit DSDS to brush up on my Charleston, we鈥檙e taught the 鈥淭exas Tommy鈥� and the 鈥淪ugar Push鈥� but also the possibly less traditional 鈥渟ushi roll.鈥� When I mention this, Mr. Forrester聽is quick to point out that a turn by any other name is still a turn: all the moves are traditional, but 鈥渢he names that we have for these things are kind of convenient for us.鈥�
Swingers dishing to show off their sushi rolls are invited to DSDS鈥� annual 鈥淪wing With the Fishes鈥� community dance. Current non-dancers are also encouraged to attend. 鈥淵ou do not need dance experience to come to this event,鈥� Mr. Forrester emphasizes. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to keep it to a moderate tempo and we鈥檙e going to have a beginner lesson鈥� it鈥檒l get you through at least half a song and then you can repeat the sequence!鈥�
Swing with the Fishes will be held Saturday, Nov. 13 in the McInnes Room, Dal SUB. Tickets are $15 advance and $20 at the door; you can buy tickets at Atlantic News, Morris and Queen Streets, Pretty Things Boutique on Blowers Street, or the website. Live music will be provided by Shirley Jackson and her Good Rockin鈥� Daddies.
Those who simply must swing sooner are invited to drop in on the DSDS鈥� weekly social dance at the Coconut Grove any Thursday night. 鈥淲e absolutely encourage people to come out to Coconut Grove. We鈥檙e not scary people,鈥漵ays Mr. Forrester.
Swing might look intimating at first, but you won鈥檛 know until you try. Take a deep breath, put on a fedora, and practice your sushi roll 鈥� the DSDS will see you on November 13th.
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