Lindy Hops Another Ocean - Singapore Swings!
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Lindy Hops Another Ocean - Singapore Swings! The Lindy Hop world's newest dance troupe - Singapore's Babybugs. Can you spot the teacher? (Photo courtesy of Sing Lim) S ing Lim.formerly of Chas" and "Rock and Roll WHAT IS LE Roe? Jiuerbugs in London, we111 Flying Rhyrhm Medley" and "Wonderful INSIDE Christine Keeble fills in some Home to Singapore after many Waltzes". There are dance stu of the details (page 7) years of happy hopping. Four dios and teachers, but none of AN Axe TO GRIND months after she leji, she writes to Tayo Ajibade shares her them have heard of Lindy Hop. EVERYBODY'S DOING IT Hoppin'. Not satisfied with the lack of thoughts on the changing rela tionship between music and Louise Thwaite on women's Swing, I decided to find my own clothes in the '20s (pages 8 & 9) Yes, Lindy does it again. Not crowd and work on them first! dance (page 3) content with conquering the LADY HOP DAY, STOCKHOLM SWEDISH SONG LIST Atlantic, Lindy has now made the JR.LADYBUGS(BABYBUGS?) Some women get together to You asked for it! A list of very Hop to Singapore. Inspired by Zoots and danceable slow-tempo songs, per Spangles' work with the Kent develop their dancing (page 4) SINGAPORE DOESN'T SWING (YET) fect for beginners (page 10) Youth Group, I approached my EVENT REVIEWS There is a fairly dedicated alma mata, the Singapore Girls Dance World '95 in London. ESTONIA SWINGS! dance scene in Singapore, but it is School (SGS). The teacher in Workshops in Moers, Germany We did say everybody'sdoing predominantly ballroom/social charge of dance, Mrs. Jean Chan, and Lyon, France - they're hap it! (page 13) dance. Down at Club 5 you has always been a keen (Ballet) pening all over! (pages 4, 5, & 6) might hear "Your Favourite Cha (continued on page 7) 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 permission in writing from the publisher. Editorial Hoppin' Volume 2 Issue 3 Letter From the Editor Dear Reader: the rest of the Lindy Hop community who they Many thanks for all your support and contri are and what they're doing, and a picture butions again this issue. It's great fun to open paints a thousand words - particularly given the mail and find letters from Estonia, the size type we use! Australia, Singapore, and other far-flung cor Which brings me to another topic in which Publisher and Editor ners of the world letting us know that there are you might be interested. It has been suggested Deborah Huisken people out there all over the place doing the that we change the format of this newsletter. Lindy Hop, keeping the spirit alive! It's also We'll likely be coming out with our new look Writers immensely gratifying to see my simple idea of in the next issue, so if you have any thoughts a communication vehicle for the Lindy Hop on the matter, now is the time to get your ideas Tayo Ajibade, Fia Kranberg, Sing Lim, Erin community taking off and being seized upon in to us. Stevens, Frank Theede, Louise Thwaite, Isabel by so many people. And last but not least, special thanks to Wolff. There are lots of photos and drawings in this Claire Colbert for her editorial assistance this Additional Contributions issue. In part this is likely due to the contest issue. we've run - this was the last issue to enter to Evelin Adamberg, Dance Diary, James win the first prize of a free week in Herrling, Hamilton, Piret Tonn-Kriis, Lorenz Ilg/SSDS, generously donated by the Rhythm Hot Shots. Michel Lau, Deirdre Ryan, Porl Smith, Erin But more, I think people simply want to show Stevens, Louise Thwaite, Lennart Westerlund. Editorial Staff Tayo Ajibade, Angela Andrew, Chris Batchelor, Simon Bell, Judy Martin, Porl Letters To the Editor Smith, Bees Thomas, Valerie Wilson. Dear Hoppin' trary and a matter of taste or preference,and l love this newsletter! Keep it up! nobody has to adopt anybody else's standards. Photo Editor Sue Brown It's just that having a common standard helps Chris Batchelor Minnesota, USA to reduce the risk of misunderstanding. I hope all this doesn't sound terribly pedantic! If so, Distribution Dear Hoppin· just put on that Benny Goodman tape and Country Managers: Eva-Maria Schmid, We really enjoy the magazine - keep it hop SWING! Germany; Lennart Westerlund, Sweden; pin' ! Keep up the good work! Lorenz Ilg, Switzerland; Nancy Sandburg, Tina & Jan Bevan Jack Gordon USA. Master: Craig Hutchinson, USA; Julie California, USA Middlesex, UK Oram, Porl Smith, UK. Commercial: Dance Books Ltd., Books Etc., UK. Subscription: Dear Hoppin' Jack - As I happen to agree with you, I don't Freddie Haugan, Norway; Joe Namesnik, You're doing great - keep on going. think your let/er pedantic at all - in fact, I think Switzerland; Tim the DJ, J.lK;Leslie Coombs, Barbara Pavanello it's brilliant. Ed. Melinda Comeau, Kristen Eberlein, Sandra RUmlang, Switzerland Cameron Dance Studio, Rob van Haaren, Dear Hoppin' USA. Dear Hoppin' We have a small, but enthusiastic group of I've just read my first issue of Hoppin', Lindy Hoppers here in Southeastern Submissions Volume 2 Issue 2, and I definitely like it! Connecticut and neighboring Rhode Island. Submissions for Hoppin' may be sent c/o think you are doing a fine job. To anyone We are all pretty much beginners, but there Dancing Star Productions, Post Office. Box wanting to know what's on in the Lindy Hop are a few that are starting to look good. The 6008, London W2 5ZY, UK. Telephone and world throughout the world, Hoppin' is the masses still have no idea what the hell we are fax (call first): +44 171 289 0278 (new num equivalent of your Michelin Guide. Your front doing, but they think it looks good. Hopefully ber). E-mail: [email protected]. Deadline page piece on Lindy Hop and Joie de Vivre in we can get them hooked. for editorial submissions to Volume 2 Issue 4 California was a joy to read. And I'm stuck Todd G. Williams is 8 August 1995. If you want your submis here in London! But one day I'm determined Connecticut, USA sion returned, please include a stamped self to get over there and sample the Joie de Vivre. addressed envelope. We reserve the right to Now, a few comments in response to your Dear Hoppin' edit a11icles for length, clarity, and readability. invitation on your discussion about the proper We are dancing with the Rock 'n' Roll Club designation of dates. In my line of work I fre Moers (also known as "Moers Hummeln"), and Advertising quently have to make references to dates. The are still the only couple in the club dancing Manager, UK: Rebecca Thomas, +44 171 403 standard fom1at we all adhere to is that decades Lindy Hop, although the interest in this dance 3982, West Coast, USA: Steve Carlan, +l 805 are written as '30s or 30s (shmt for 1930s). is growing. We used to compete in Boogie 964 9201. Rates available on request - dead Thus, you could write, "In the '30s (or 30s) the Woogie, but stopped completely to concentrate line for space reservations for Volume 2 Issue Jitterbug form of dance really zoomed." On on dancing Lindy Hop. 4 is 25 August 1995. the other hand, 30's would not normally be Frank Theede & Isabel Wolff used except when used in the special sense of Essen, Germany ©1995 Dancing Star Productions except where indi implying possession or association, e.g. "The cated as held by author. All rights reserved. Responsibility for veracily of informa1ion and opin 30's use of large brass sections to produce a ions expressed within the articles is the author's alone particular sound, etc.) - Hoppin' and Dancing Star Produciions accepts no liability. Of course, I realise that usage is often arbi- Page 2 Opinion Hoppin' Volume 2 Issue 3 An Axe to Grind The Changing Relationship Between Music and Dance In 1994 at the end of the Can't become a solitary activity carried ogy in both the audio and visual sion. It was not an activity you Top the Lindy Hop weekend in out in the middle of a crowd. fields, good marketing and image could learnin school. Partner New York, there was a panel dis Nowadays when you go to see can create stardom. dancing when I was a teenager cussion on the future of Lindy a band you are attending a concert For many people today, a dance meant getting your arms around a Hop. in a huge auditorium where you venue is usually a club or a disco member of the opposite sex and Nonna Miller made a very are coralled into seats and have where there is no live music. shuffling or swaying to the latest important point, that the music no room to dance. If a venue Usually records or CDs are pop ballad. Lindy Hop was first danced to in does not have seating, people tend played or, if you are really lucky, The conclusion of New York the '30s was the popular or "pop" to push themselves forward there will be a group - who quite panellists Carolene Hinds (Jiving music of the day. Norma and co towards the stage to see the band often are not musicians - making Lindy Hoppers), Ryan Francois panellist Frankie Manning also but no real provision is made for a PA (personal appearance) to a (Zoots and Spangles) and Steve made the point that the live bands dancing to live music.