Lindy Hoppers Sweep the Jive Joint
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Lindy Hoppers Sweep the Jive Joint couples on the floor at one time, Capital Gold "Open" then eight couples went through Jive .Championship to the final. The music for the Winners competition was '50s rock 'n roll, and the cramped conditions First just enhanced the atmosphere, Warren Heyes & Maxine Green with many different styles Second visibJ, from flying Lindy Hop to i Ron Lesley & Sing Lim Rock 'n Roll to Ballroom Jive. , Third If prizes were a warded on i Michael Grimshaw & enthusiasm, the judges could , Margaret Kirkaldy never have made a decision. ' Greatest Sense of Fun What judges were asked to look Brigid Kirst & Tim Flach for was timing and rhythm, body The Judges coordination, styling, variety and originality, musical Freddie Haugan, Dance Institute The winners, Maxine Green and Warren Heyes, and their Jiving Lindy Hop. Photo sent in by Simon Selmon. interpretation, lead and follow, Director, Norway teamwork, showmanship, and Amelia Hill, '88 Rock 'n Roll costume. Champ,UK "It was heaving", said Hoppers week, on Monday night hosting fi A special prize was given to Randall Lee Rose, Capital Gold DJ, who were at the rst Capital Srompin' run by the London USA the couple who showed the most Gold "Open" Jive Competition, Swing Dance Society. This Stuart Colerhan, Capital Gold DJ, enthusiasm and greatest sense I on 15 November ar rhe 100 Club pat1icular Monday, streamers UK of fun. This couple could be in London. More to the point, and balloons hung in their chosen by the judges from any Lindy ffoppers dominated the hundreds from the ceiling and of the heats, so couples who dance floor and took the top two rose from the streamer-covered Louise Thwaite didn't make the final also had a Inside prizes! of the tables. Running wild on stage chance to win. This prize went London Swing Dance Society and was one of the best bands in the Frankie's Having a to Brigid Kirst and Tim Flach, its pe1forming group, the land, King Pleasure and the Birthday! along with £100, for their lively, Sugarfoot Stampers, reports. Biscuit Boys. When the club entertaining performance. And New York plans to celebrate opened at 7:30 pm the queue to (page 2) Third prize and £150 went to The 100 Club never looked so get in was half way down the Margaret Kilkardy and Michael Interview with glamorous. Opened originally in Street; by 9 pm as the competition Grimshaw, a professional Norma Miller the 1930s as a dance hall, it has was about to start the already hot couple from Scotland who did a been the shrine of British jazz and excited, 400-strong crowd Bob( Crease on a true original very polished, ballroom-style page 4) since 1942 when it became home gave room for no more and the Jive, full of fast spins and of the Feldman Swing Club. La doors were closed. Spt>tlight on acrobatics. Second place and ter it became the London Jazz The competition was an Open, The Rhythm Hot Shots £250 went to Sing Lim and Ron Club, then the Humphrey meaning that any dancer could 0 Lesley, two of London's finest Sweden's high energy Lindy ) Lyttelton Club, and finally in enter, professional or amateur. troupe and their history (page 8 non-professional Lindy 1965, drawing on its extremely With £ LOOO prize money to be Hoppers, who wowed the crowd Lindy Bits congenial address ( l 00 Oxford won there was plenty of incen with their great show-manship Street) the 100 Club. Its well tive. The contest was jointly Lifetime achi!:vement award and acrobatic style. presented to Frankie Manning jn trodden dance floor and dark red sponsored by the LSDS arid Finally, the judges unanimous Hungary and other Jtews from walls, smothered in photographs Capital Gold, a London-based around Europe (page 13) ly awarded first place and £500 of the jazz greats of fifty years, radio station, and couples came to Maxine Green and Warren Lindy Hop - Defined? are much loved by dancers in from as far afield as Scotland to Heyes, a professional couple London and beyond. take part. Fifteen couples Thoughts on the Lindy Hop (page 6) and more... The Club is open 7 days a competed in five heats of three ... continued, page 9 ©1993 Dancing Star Productions except where held by author (noted). All rights reserved. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced 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' Winter '94 It's Hoppin' '• Welcome to the second issue of Hoppin'. thank all those who helped distribute the first So many of you out there have sent positive issue - the endlessly energetic Lennart feedback and contributions, I feel comfortable Westerlund in Sweden; Hoppin's roving saying the first issue has been a success! ambassadors, Rob van Haaren, Simon Bell, and However, I would like to address an issue Chris Batchelor; Erin Stevens, Leslie Coombs, that concerns us all, like it or not - money. Maria Barry, Craig Hutchinson in the US; Publisher and Editor: Perhaps because of the professional look of Freddie Haugan and Anita Helen Johannessen Hoppin' some people may think this a money in Norway; and Caroline Cole and Tim of Deborah Huisken making operation. Letme say here it is not, Hellzapoppin' in London. Two new US and is unlikely to be for a year or two, if ever. distributors, Patricia Brennan and Steve International We fortunately had some capital to start us Cullinan have just signed on, and Nancy Correspondent: off, but many people have contributed many Sandburg in Santa Barbara has agreed to Rob van Haaren unpaid hours to make this newsletter possible. handle US circulation. As the first issue had such a warm response, Thanks to Sing Lim, Fred Hunt, and Beckie Writers: we'll now mount a concerted drive for sub Menckhoff for letting me gather names at the Bob Crease, Virginia Lawrence, Terry scriptions, the Swedish pilot for which was Jam, and to Sing again for letting me sell the Monaghan, Eva-Maria Schmid, Porl Smith, most successful. This issue's printing costs newsletter at Jitterbugs in London. Many Viola Spencer, Nancy Sandburg, Louise were covered through the cover price, sub thanks to the very talented writers and other Thwaite scriptions, and advertising Not covered are professionals on the masthead (I hope I costs like international (groan!) telephone remembered everyone!) who contributed their Additional Contributions: bills to gather information, postage, production skills to make this the calibre it is. Franck Balbin, Margaret Batiuchok, Ivan materials, and the hours of time spent to write, And a very special thanks to Floyd Striegel in Berggren, Kurt Bieller, John Brooks, create and produce this. Writers are unpaid. CA for all his great ideas, long phone conver Jeanefer Jean-Charles, Monica Coe, It really is up to you, the Lindy Hop com sations (oh, our aching phone bills!) and sup Melinda Comeau, Leslie Coombs, Steve munity. If you like this newsletter (many port in getting Hoppin' off the ground. There Cullinan, Mal Dunne, Eileen Feeney, thanks to those who've said you do), please, are a lot of wonderful people in this dance Freddie Haugan, Craig Hutchinson, Anita subscribe, contribute, and it will continue! community of ours - long may we all keep Kankimaki, Frankie Manning, Jann Olsen, The people who distribute Hoppin' at your dancing! Odella Schattin, Simon Selmon, Cyrilla local clubs and collect the money forus are Smith, Porl Smith, Rob van Haaren, Martin also unpaid. I'd like to take this opportunity to Wedby, Lennart Westerlund. Editorial Assistance: Simon Bell, Becky Crane Frankie's Having A Birthday! Virginia Lawrence, newly a swing dance by Cynthia Millman on the history and evolu Consultant: enthusiastic, is helping with the Can't Top the tion of the Lindy, and Bob Crease will lead a Christian Batchelor Lindy Hop! weekend, lives in New York, and panel discussion (supplemented by Ernie sends the following preliminary information: Smith's rare vintage film footage), featuring Distribution Managers: On May 26, 1994, Frankie Manning, one of reminiscences by musicians and hostesses who Lennart Westerlund, Sweden Lindy's living legends will celebrate his 80th were at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem during Nancy Sandburg, USA birthday. The New York Swing Dance the 1930s. Society invites the international Hoppin' com Your CAN'T TOP THE LINDY HOP! Submissions: munity to our city to a 4-day extravaganza in "Lindy Passport" admits you to all workshops, honour of Frankie's 80th swinging year. parties, and activities, except the Monday night Submissions for future issues should be sent CAN'T TOP THE LINDY HOP!, 27 to 30 trip to Harlem. The NYSDS are working hard to Hoppin', c/o Dancing Star Productions, May, is an opportunity to connect with living to line up inexpensive hotels and group rates, Ground Floor Flat, 135 Sutherland Avenue, Lindy history. and members have already volunteered luxury London W9 2QJ, UK. phone +44 71 402 Daily workshops, from novice to advanced, sofa and floor space in their homes. 3565 or +44 71 289 9450. Deadline for will be taught by the best Lindy Hoppers in the At his birthday party, we will be presenting a Spring issue April l, 1994. world today, including Margaret Batiuchok commemorative journal to Frankie, with (US), Ryan Francois, Jiving Lindy Hoppers, personalized greetings from the Lindy Hop Advertising: Simon Selmon & Louise Thwaite (UK), Steve community. You or your group can place a Accepted for worldwide Lindy-related pro Mitchell (Germany), Rhythm Hot Shots greeting in this journal for a reasonable ducts, events, venues, organisations.