Hatrack River Forum: Stompin at the Savoy

This is topic Stompin at the Savoy in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Boris (Member # 6935) on :

Some of you may remember a few threads I started back several years ago about ballroom and swing dancing. I did a lot of dancing in college and kinda quit after I graduated. Since I moved to Arizona, I decided to try and get into the swing dance scene in Tucson, which seems to be pretty strong (Not as strong as BYU-Idaho, but still). Anyway, I went to the dance tonight and met an elderly fellow there who, as it turned out, was a WWII veteran and one of those lucky enough to have been around when the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem was still hopping.

For those who don't know, the Savoy was where swing more or less got it's start. Many of the great jazz bands of the 30s, 40s, and 50s got their start there as well. Ella Fitzgerald sang there well before she was a household name. For any person who is interested in swing, the Savoy is an important part of the history, to say the least. Being able to meet someone who danced at that historic place is truly an honor and I greatly enjoyed talking with him. Even better was watching a near 90 year old man cut up the dance floor like he was in his twenties. And then to have this same man complement me on my own simple but flashy dance style helped make tonight's swing dance one I'll probably remember the rest of my life.

Anyway. Just thought I'd share [Big Grin]

Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :

Very cool! I con't swing dance, but I love the music, as does my wife. I use to sing all the "new age swing" songs at Karaoke when it was fairly popular, and I did it well enough to win some small competitions locally. I would sing, and all sorts of pretty girls would jump up and start dancing.

Half the time I'd walk in and a bunch of them would ask when I would sing for them because they wanted to dance. That was a very good thing back when I was single. [Big Grin]

[ July 11, 2009, 10:08 AM: Message edited by: Kwea ]

Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :

I like watching swing dancing, but I absolutely detest participating in it. That's pretty awesome that you got to talk to somebody in possession of such a treasure trove of history.