More About Me
2001: lots of classes over 9 months with Tom & Debra, Donna & Ray, Donna & Mike (including role reversal--lots of fun), Jane & Reyned, workshop on zen & chi of swing with Doug Silton, Balboa/Bal-Swing with David Rehm, & others. Went to some dances, but didn't have a partner to practice with so almost immediately forgot what I learned in class.
Spring 2007: Started taking classes again: beginner's class again with Tom & Debra, intermediate Lindy with Donna & Mike, intermediate Hollywood Lindy with Michael & Poppy, Level I Smooth Lindy & Balboa with David Rehm, intermediate Lindy with Donna & Mike, workshops with Rusty Frank and Dabe & Janelle, and others. WCS class was okay, but I thought rather too slow.
I really wanted to be a good swing dancer. Thought about performing, competing, even teaching. I love the way swing dancing feels and love the music, whether from the swing era, or rockabilly, or blues. I also used to perform this music and play cornet and harmonicas in bands, including one that played at swing dances in the DC area.
I have several swing dance instruction DVDs, and have read a lot about the history and different styles. Interested in distinctions between different styles of swing dancing in different decades and parts of the country and learning to dance the different styles.
The advice I have received is "just go to dances." But at dances you can't stop and analyze why a lead or a move didn't work right and correct it. I can practice music alone but it's more difficult to practice partner dancing alone. I would like to find a woman who wants to learn to swing dance better or one who is already a good dancer and would help me learn to dance better.
My living room has a hardwood floor and is reserved for dancing. I have lots of CDs with music suitable for swing dancing of various styles.
Had two t-shirts made with "Seeking Swing Dancing Practice Partner" on them; wore them to classes. Two women said they would practice, but only at dances.
Some of my other interests are taking video and photographs, meditating, studying buddhism and taoism, walking, and playing music (jazz, swing, standards, blues, rock, folk).
I've given up dancing for now (2008) because I've been unable to find a partner to practice with at home.
Due to 2500 character limitation, see July 2017 update in the section "I'm Looking For."
I'm Looking For
"More About Me" update July, 2017: In March and April 2016 I took WCS lessons from Ed and Gail at Colvin Run and Lara Deni of Deni Danzco. I really wanted to learn Smooth Lindy but missed getting into a class and thought WCS was somewhat similar. I found I didn't like the upright posture (Lara said it's like walking, and it is, but that's not dancing, to my mind), and I didn't like the music--hip hop and techno.
In June, 2016 I started taking Lindy Hop (including Charleston moves and East Coast Swing) classes with Sue and Gary of GottaSwing. I've been going to their classes twice a week for a year now, and also to Balboa and Bal-Swing classes once a week with Dabe and Janelle, also of GottaSwing.
Nearly every Friday most Saturdays I go to swing dances. In June, 2017 I performed a routine with about 100 other dancers at the "Battle of the Big Bands" (George Gee from NYC and Tom Cunningham) at Glen Echo. Besides that routine I've learned the Shim Sham and the Jitterbug Stroll, and now we're learning the California Routine in class. I also took a few classes with Mike at the Herndon Senior Center in Cha-cha and Foxtrot, but don't like those dances much.
What I'm looking for in a partner hasn't changed since 2008.
I would like to find a woman at any level of swing dancing who wants to learn to swing dance better or one who is already a good dancer and would help me learn to dance better. Ideally this would be someone who has an interest in learning about the history of swing dancing and learning to dance styles from different decades.
Uh, it looks like this is also a dating match site. It would be great to be able to "date" and be "in a relationship" with someone who loves swing dancing (being a performing musician and having similar spiritual interests would be great extras), but that's not necessary for my objective of learning to be a better swing dancer. Look at Tom & Debra, they're married to other people but still dance together.