World Lindy Hop Federation Forming
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FREE LINDY HOP STICKER INSIDE! World Lindy Hop Federation Forming Some of the people present at the organising meetings of the World Lindy Hop Federation. Front row: I to r Deborah Huisken, UK/USA; Timo Arstila, Finland; Brian McGill, USA; Christine Nelson, USA. Second row: Barbi Kaufer, Germany; Marcus Koch, Germany; Lindy Farr, Germany; Catrine Ljunggren, Sweden; Helena Norbelie, Sweden; Frank Theede, Germany. Back row: Ryan Francois, UK; Julie Oram, UK; Freddie Haugan, Norway; Frankie Manning, USA; Steve Mascioli, USA; Kenneth Norbelie, Sweden; Jonnie Verwoert, Holland; Isabel Wolff, Germany. Others present were Bill Borgida, USA; Sue Brown, USA; Tammy Finocchiaro, USA; Keith Hughes, USA; Steve Mitchell, Germany/USA; Jim Painter, USA; Asa Palm, Sweden; Peter Pirillo, USA; Michael Schuuring, Holland; Memduh Sualp, Norway;Jennifer Toll, USA; Lennart Westerlund, Sweden. What is the World Lindy Hop tion in New York in I 994. non-professionals or newcomers) Federation? Over the four days Freddie wanted a universal struc communicating with each other INSIDE of £he World Lindy Hop ture to competitions and Steve, and working together to set up WORLD LINDY HOP FEDERATION Championship in Oslo. Norway, recognising Lindy Hop was once competitions and teaching prac A first report (page 2) the formation of a World Lindy again spreading around the world, tices which are true to the original Hop Federa1ion was discussed. wanted to join together the world's spirit of Lindy Hop. LINDY HISTORY Porl Smith summarizes: Lindy Hop communities. - As there was only a small per Mildred Cruse, a New York These two contacted Lennart centage of the world's Lindy original (page 5) To paraphrase Frankie Manning, Westerlund, Marcus Koch and Hoppers present, to draft potential getting involved with setting up a Deborah Huisken to talk about federation aims and objectives and Crrv REVIEWS World Lindy Hop Federation forminga federation. At the first to elect organizing committees to Amsterdam, Swansea, Seattle, (WLHF) is your opportunity to World Lindy Hop Championship spread the word in advance of the & Sydney. (pages 6, 10, & 15) help make history happen, just as in Oslo in early August, I 995, first Worldwide General Meeting COMPETiTIONS the dancers in the twenties and thirty people attended one or more (WGM) which will be held simul thirties did. The First World Lindy Hop of the four initial meetings. taneously with the second World Championship results.(page 7) From a preliminary agenda, the Lindy Hop Championship in mid Steve Mitchell and Freddie following aims were discussed: i 996. HOPPIN'$ FIRST ANNUAL PHOTO AND ILLUSTRATION CONTEST Haugan first suggested a federa - To get people involved with Existing dance competition The winners! (pages 8 & 9) tion forLindy Hop at the CAN'T Lindy Hop (be they organizers, sponsors, such as the International TOP THE LINDY HOP celebra- teachers, dancers, professionals, (continued on page 2) and more... ©1995 Dancing Star Productions except where held by author (noted). All rights reserved. No part of this newsletter may be repro duced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without p�rmissi�n in wr�in9 from the publisher. Editorial Hoppin' Summer '94 World Lindy Hop Federation Forming (cont.frompagel) Dance Organisation (!DO) and the World Rock More Decisions 'n Roll Confederation (WRRC), were dis - There will be a second World Lindy Hop OPINION by Deborah Huisken cussed and it was concluded that workshops Championship in 1996, and proposals for the So there's a move afoot to start a World should be run in conjunction with Lindy Hop venue will be accepted from all Lindy Hop Lindy Hop Federation. And none too soon, in competitions. organisations. See page 7 for details. my opinion. After all, there are Boogie - The first Worldwide General Meeting Decisions, decisions Woogie, Rock 'n Roll, Ceroc, etc. organisa (WGM) will be held in tandem with the tions around, but what about something for us General guidelines and topics were resolved Championship. Deborah Huisken agreed to be Lindy Hoppers, doing the dance that started from a preliminary agenda, including: Acting Chair. All known Lindy Hop organisa them all? How come "no one" (general pub - Decisions would be based on a two-thirds tions will be briefed and encouraged to attend. lic) knows what Lindy Hop is? And how do majority vote. Likely topics for discussion include: we honour the people who created it? - Hoppin' was asked to be the official - Ratification of a WLHF charter. To be honest, when I first heard the idea of newsletter of the WLHF. - Purpose, objectives and timetable (see a Federation fromFreddie Haugan, I was - Organising committees were established below for a preliminary draft of purpose skeptical. I thought, "Who's going to be in it with volunteer and nominated leaders agreed and objectives) and what is it supposed to do? Is this going to as follows: - Criteria for membership be more of the politics and ego that threaten - Competition guidelines to ruin my enjoyment of dancing (which I just want to be social and fun)? Setting up world WLHF ORGANISING wide organisations is a lot of work - who's DRAFT WLHF going to do it all?" I remember talking to COMMITTEE Freddie about it in the winter thinking, basi LEADERS GENERAL cally, "show me" (sorry Freddie!) In Sweden in August the week before Oslo, Spiritual Leader: Frankie Manning GUIDELINES Marcus Koch and I had a chat with Fraqkie Competitions: Freddie Haugan, BArdar Manning. We were all wondering what this Danseinstitutt, Kr. Augustsgt. 15, 0164 Oslo I, PURPOSE: Federation thing was all about, what shape Norway; phone +47 2 209 OIO; fax +47 2 11 To encourage recognition of Lindy Hop as a these "meetings" were going to take. Being a 22 21 OR Marcus Koch, Florastrasse 62, D- world-class, internationalperformance and writer, I jotted down what we talked about 81827 Munich, Germany; phone +49 89 430 social dance, to honour its roots in improvisa that night, because in my experience having 41 30; fax +49 89 430 41 40; e-mail: tional Jazz and African-American dance tradi something in writing to work from, tho it will !00272.166 [email protected]. tions, and to foster cooperation among all par get radically changed during the process, Central Communications/Public ticipants in its growth and evolution. helps groups focus and achieve something. Relations: Deborah Huisken, Post Office Box The first meeting in Oslo was small, but 6008, London W2 5ZY, UK; phone +44 171 OBJECTIVES: bigger than I'd been lead to expect. The next 289 0278 OR Timo Arstila, Rock'n'Roll - Foster communication among all Lindy meeting was much larger, as people started Dance Club Comets, Porvoonkatu 55A7, Hop dancers, teachers and organisers for the hearing about what was going on, informal 00520 Helsinki; phone +358 148 4408; e-mail: benefit of the dance, encouraging harmonious tho it was. Both were general discussions [email protected] coexistence among those dancers, teachers and which included talking about existing organi Archives: Keith Hughes, HiDeHo, 305 NE organisers. sations which sponsor dance championships 50th Street, Seattle, WA 98105, USA; phone & - Encourage the formation of Lindy Hop such as the International Dance Organisation fax +I 206 382 5676; e-mail: lindyhop@halcy organisations around the world which share the (IDO) and the World Rock 'n Roll Confeder on.com. above purpose. ation (WRRC). The concernswere that these Social Dance, Events, and Newcomers - The World Lindy Hop Federation will organisations seem to do only competitions Resource: Christine Nelson, Savoy Swing establish the annual World Lindy Hop and that their rules are quite rigid - not in the Club, I103 N.E. 55th Street, Seattle, WA Championship and will also establish local, spirit of our beloved Lindy Hop! Plus we felt 98105, USA; phone +I 206 525-8850; e-mail: regional, and internationalguidelines. it important to have workshops along with [email protected]. - Have FUN, and foster the growth of mutu competitions. Teaching: Lindy Farr, Kettelerstr. 68, D- al understanding, honouring self and other, I was surprised things grew and took shape 55126 Mainz, Germany; phone & fax +49 among people from countries all over the as quickly as they did. But I was impressed 6131 473923 (h); +49 69 6682 4882 (wk). world. with the people who came to those meetings, WLHF Organisation and Structure: - Encourage and assist in the development of and the type of discussions we were having. Steve Mascioli, 4204 Alden Drive, Edina, MN Lindy Hop teachers and teaching materials These were dancers, "grass roots" types if you 55416-50!0, USA; phone +I 612 920-7648 Ideas, comments and offers of help are invit will - very down to earth, no hidden agendas OR Sue Brown, Land o' Loons Lindy ed and needed by the leaders of committees, that I could detect. One of those dancers was Hoppers, 5615 Newton Ave S., Minneapolis, whose statements of purpose will be published Frankie Manning (he was at the last three of MN 55419-1530, USA; phone +I 612 920- in the next issue of Hoppin" and available the four meetings), and for anyone who has 9403. from the leaders. The organising committee not had the pleasure, Frankie in my opinion is Finance: Brian McGill, 1353 Taylor Street need )'.ill!!help in forming this Federation. one of the most down-to-earth, non-hidden NW, Washington, DC 2001 l, USA; phone +I There will be a questionnaire in the next issue agenda-type person I know, certainly on the 202 882 4487. of Hoppin' to solicit your views. dance scene. Basically, if Frankie's involved The committees ask everyone to join them in and thinks it's important, that's good enough fonning a true World Lindy Hop Federation.