October 9TH 2007 TUESDAY The spirit of Lindy Hop!
(Anyone know who this couple is?)
"All that is important is this one moment in movement.
Make the moment important, vital and worth living.
Do not let it slip away unnoticed and unused."
~ Martha Graham, 1893-1992
DON'T MISS THE NEWS BELOW
A NOTE FROM RUSTY
Halloween is just around the corner -- wanna help with our party?
Swing Dance USA
Vaudeville Clip
CLIP OF THE WEEK
Winning Showcase Routine a Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown 2007
HALLOWEEN PARTY AT THE RHYTHM CLUB
DO YOU HAVE EXTRA DECORATIONS?
Rhythm Club Halloween Party 2006
Halloween is just around the corner... and this year it actually falls on Wednesday! What fun we'll have!!! We've got a great band lined up, Neil Morrow and His Spooky Swing Gang," a Costume Contest with a $100 cash prize, tricks and treats, and loads of you!!
WANNA HELP?
"Captain Fun" (aka Cathryn Sayre and pictured far left) is head of our decorations "committee," and she could sure use some help with decorations. If you have some skeletons in the closet, so to speak, or other fun decorations or ideas, contact Cathryn via EMAIL or at the club this Wednesday.
COME EARLY ON OCTOBER 31 TO HELP SET UP
We'll be setting up at around 7:15... so if you can come early on Halloween, we could sure use your help. The more the merrier!
DO I DRESS UP IN COSTUME? IN A WORD -- YES!
Last year's 1st Prize Winners "Paper and Plastic" (Mae-Lae, Gio, and Sharlene)
Many new comers to our scene wonder whether or not to dress up in costume for our Halloween Party. And, of course, the answer is a resounding YES. For those new to us, you'll find that Lindy Hoppers love themed events and really go for it.
Just remember, that you'll still want to dance, so make sure you costume is "Lindy Hop-able". We also ask that you don't have masks, swords, etc.
Take a look at some of our past Halloween Party Scrapbooks:
I had a wonderful time this past weekend teaching/performing at Swing Dance USA in Florida. Hundreds of dancers from around the Florida area gathered to spend a super fun weekend taking classes, participating in contests, and dancing the night away to George Gee and Lavay Smith. The entire event was held in the historic Collosium... gosh, wish we had one here in L.A.!
Four California teachers were brought out as special guests for this event: me, Chester Whitmore, and Kim Clever and David Frutos. I have to say, I got to spend more time with them all the way out in Florida than I ever do here! What fun.
Pictures: Top Left - Rusty & Chester, Top Right - Kim and David, Bottom - Lovelynn & Rusty
Some of you out there may remember Lovelynn & Derek (they moved to Florida a few years ago). Lovelynn is very active in the swing scene. It was great seeing her and her family, and especially getting to spend some time with her. She also assisted me in one of my classes!
Special thanks to the whole gang out there for making us all feel so welcome, and especially to Carson and Diane for putting the big event on.
Thanks to Gio and the gang for holding down the front in my absense at Sunday's Classes, soon to be renamed "Gio By The Sea" (wink).
VAUDEVILLE CLIP UP
Rusty & Griff
Last month, another dream came true for me, and that was to appear in Vaudeville. Granted it wasn't 1922, but, hey, until they invent that time machine, I have to be content with "playing in the past."
The show was Vaudeville at the Alex Theatre, and I performed an ol' fashioned "boy-girl" act with my tap partner. C-O-R-N-Y and fun! We also had a special guest appearance by Rhythm Club pal Will Ryan.
When you have a spare few minutes, take a look!
See you on the dance floor!
Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown (ULHS) 2007 - Couples Lindy Hop Performance/Showcase Competition Winners Skye Humphries & Frida Segerdahl. They performed a pre-choreographed routine.
THIS WEEK'S CONTEST!!
The first person to send us an email with the answer to the following wins a free pass to the Rhythm Club for tomorrow nite:*
QUESTION:
In our clip of the week we show a sensational girl Lindy Hopper, Frida Segerdahl. Where is she from and what group does she dance with?
Send your answer to us at info@rustyfrank.com. Only the weekly winner will receive a response to their Contest Answer.
NOTE: Google is your friend! All the answers are only a Google search away. Have fun and learn about our swing history at the same time.
LAST CONTEST
QUESTION:
What was the name of Ina Rae Hutton's all-girl band?
ANSWER:
Ina Ray Hutton and Her Melodears
WINNER:
Kenn Horowitz (By the way, Danielle is one of our many enthusiastic high school kids!)
*Contestants may play as many times as they wish, but may only win the prize once a year. Contestants must use their Rhythm Club pass for the week they won the contest.
The Jeep Jockey Jump routine has become a classic world-wide. Originally choreographed in 1998 by Rusty Frank, Sylvia Skylar, Erik Robison, and Peter Flahiff, this partnered Lindy Hop routine is an exciting performance piece. The routine gives you an opportunity to work on your style and basic skills (Swingouts, Charleston, and more) with the added bonus of repetition -- you know what's coming!
Though the dance is done with a partner, you don't need a partner to join the class... as we will be rotating as usual.
If you are Level 3 and up, come along and join the fun.
YOU'LL GET TO PERFORM IT AT THE RHYTHM CLUB!
For those who wish, we'll perform it at the Rhythm Club at the end of the series!
SEE THE ROUTINE!
I taught the routine Down Under in 2003, and you can see them performing it (and surprising me) in 2004:
HERE
COMING TO THE RHYTHM CLUB:
10/10 -- Live Music Jumpin' Joz
10/17 -- Live Music Rhythm Club All-Stars
10/24 -- Live Music Swing Syndicate
10/31 -- HALLOWEEN PARTY!
Live Music Neil Morrow and his Scary Gang
PRIZES!!!!!!
Start thinking about your costume
11/07 -- DJ Music with "The Professor"
7:30-8:00pm Swing Dance Lesson with Rusty & Gio
If it's your birthday this week, just let us know at the Rhythm Club so you can get your birthday dance!
HOLD THESE DATES FOR UPCOMING WORKSHOPS
All workshops are held on selected Sundays throughout the year from 11:00am-1:00pm at Rebekah Hall in El Segundo 90245. Click HERE for details (as they are revealed to us!)
AVALON BALL -- If you're looking for something truly special to do... you must check out this annual event. They don't get much better than this. Only 26 miles across the sea, but a million miles away!
* Wondering
what the heck a "gate"is? This was a phrase popularized by 1940's comedian,
Jerry Colonna, who would holler it out every time he was introduced on the
Bob Hope radio program. It was a friendly salutation to a swing cat (dancer
or swing music enthusiast). Basically, we swing like a gate!
JOIN THE FUN!
BUT, WHAT THE HECK IS IT?
Many of you still don't know about our Swing Shift Rhythm Club. It's one of our best kept secrets. Now is the time to get the SSRC "above the radar."
THE SWING SHIFT RHYTHM CLUB (SSRC), founded in 2000 by Rusty Frank's swing dance students, The SSRC has two missions:
1. Having fun! (Fun)
2. Doing good deeds! (Philanthropy)
1. Having fun: Events where swing dancers can socialize and get to know each other outside of class (vintage clothes shopping, going to a dance-related movie, dancing in the park, eating at retro restaurants before a dance, etc.).
2. Doing good deeds: Events where we bring swing dancing to hospitals, senior homes, and community events for the purpose of good deeds, entertainment, and education in the Los Angeles area.
The SSRC is a volunteer club open to the public and the events are organized by its members. There are no dues. Members can attend as many or as few events as they wish.
"How do I join?"...
Right now, fill in your email address
and click the Yahoo log (that's it!):
