Boston Swing Central

Sinti Rhythm Debuts at the BSC!

julie — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 06:59:34 +0000

We hope March comes in like a lamb weatherwise, but we’re bringing the heat with Sinti Rhythm, a Django Reinhardt tribute band who is going to light the dance floor on fire with their hot gypsy jazz. A few weeks ago we celebrated Django’s Centennial, and now we’re celebrating his genius again with a live band that we’re certain is going to be a new favorite. Check them out here: http://www.myspace.com/sintirhythm.

Not sure where to PARK? Try the Whole Foods overflow parking lot, that it is a block or two down from Whole Foods on Prospect and Bishop Allen. You can park there for free after 6:00pm…Extreme is a couple of blocks up Prospect (North). Please note that this is NOT the lot in front of the store.

Lesson (included in price of admission) 8pm-9pm

Dancing 9pm-12am

$15 / $12 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Extreme Dancesport

288 Norfolk Street, # 3 (upstairs)

Cambridge, MA 02139

Sweet Molasses Blues - Event Weekend at Springstep!

julie — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 06:59:53 +0000

*PLEASE NOTE WE ARE AT SPRINGSTEP IN MEDFORD TONIGHT!* ADDRESS BELOW.

Sweet Molasses Blues invades Boston Swing Central…they’ll be supplying the teachers, the DJs and many of the dancers. Come and check out all of the fantastic out-of-town dancers who will be gracing us with their presence, and get your winter groove on. If you don’t have any experience or clue as to what blues dancing is, this is the place to start! And tonight we will be running LATE! LATE! LATE! until 4 AM. So that’s 8 hours of dancing for the bargain price of $17!!!

The line up for the night includes asome amazing DJs including Mike Marcotte (DC), Steven “Dr. Feelgood” Watkins (San Francisco), Devona Cartier, Gui Cavakcanti, Julie Brown, and BSC’s own Tim Lewandowski!

And we’re very excited to have our introductory blues lesson with Tina Davis & Don West of Dallas Texas! So come and try it out and see what all this “groove on” stuff is that people are talking about…

There will be a teacher’s performance and a blues performance in the early half of the evening.

Space is limited so be sure to get there early to reserve your spot on the dance floor!

Due to the volume of guests we will be having tonight, we will not be able to accept discounts or passes. We will not have an active guest list.

Lesson (included in price of admission) 8pm-9pm

Dancing 9PM-4AM
$17 / $15 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

**SPECIAL LOCATION TONIGHT ONLY**

Springstep

98 George P. Hassett Drive

Medford, MA

Fats Waller

julie — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 06:59:35 +0000

Fats Waller was a larger than life character. Definitely the “Snoop Dogg” of his time…and we just love playing his music at our dance. So tonight we’ll pay tribute to him once again as our artist of the week.

Lesson (included in price of admission) 8pm-9pm

Dancing 9pm-12am

$10 / $8 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Extreme Dancesport

288 Norfolk Street, # 3 (upstairs)

Cambridge, MA 02139

I

julie — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 06:59:10 +0000

A Valentine’s Day Extravaganza. For those of you who missed this dance last year, this is one dance you don’t want to miss. We have custom Swing Valentines and Cupids to deliver them to your friends, that secret crush, your favorite DJs, they don’t mind. Just fill out one of the Valentines we’ll give you upon your entrance and put it in a mailbox and Cupid will do the rest. Tonight we also welcome back J-Street featuring Josh Fialkoff from NYC (also know as the piano player in the Fried Bananas).

Please note, tonight is a special event and we will not be accepting passes or have a guest list.

Shawn Hershey and Amanda Gruhl from It’s All Swing will be teaching our lesson.

Lesson (included in price of admission) 8pm-9pm

Dancing 9pm-12am
$17 / $13 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Extreme Dancesport

288 Norfolk Street, # 3 (upstairs)

Cambridge, MA 02139

New Orleans…Where It All Began

julie — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 06:59:55 +0000

We are very excited to welcome, for the first time, Daryl Begin from Providence as our guest DJ, he picked the theme for tonight’s musical party…where he plans to take us back to old New Orleans and the birthplace of jazz, the red-light district known as Storyville, Basin St where it all began…think Louis Armstrong, Buddy Bolden and Jelly Roll Morton.

Lesson (included in price of admission) 8-9pm

Dancing 9pm-12am
$10 / $8 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Extreme Dancesport

288 Norfolk Street, # 3 (upstairs)

Cambridge, MA 02139

Djangology

julie — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 06:59:18 +0000

Django Reinhardt would’ve been 100 years old this past Saturday, Jan 23rd, 2010. So this Friday we celebrate his centennial by featuring him as our artist of the week. Django Reinhardt singularly pioneered the genre of Gypsy Jazz. His phenomenal guitar work is world reknowned and the music of his Quintette du Hot Club de France is guaranteed to inspire you to dance. This is hot jazz at it’s finest! We also welcome back one of our favorite guest DJs, Isaac Marx who will be spinning for you.

Lesson (included in price of admission) 8-9pm

Dancing 9pm-12am
$10 / $8 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Extreme Dancesport

288 Norfolk Street, # 3 (upstairs)

Cambridge, MA 02139

Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade

julie — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 06:59:06 +0000

We are happy to welcome back Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade. Some of you might have seen her last June, and we’re excited to have her back! She’ll soon be moving to Brooklyn very soon, and it’s a real challenge to get on her packed calendar. The Bon Parade is her backing band, which promises to keep things lively and swinging with their reimagined 21st century Golden-age jazz. You will leave with a smile on your face. And if you feel so inclined, dress in your best quirky-retro-modern-vintage-wear to blend in with the band.

Lesson (included in the price of admission): 8:00pm - 9:00pm

Dancing: 9:00pm - 12:00am

General Admission: $15

Students and Seniors (with Valid ID): $12

Fletcher Henderson Experience

julie — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 06:59:23 +0000

Our DJs dig through their collections to pay tribute to Fletcher Henderson. Many of you might not know who Fletcher Henderson was, but his 1925 band gave Louis Armstong a job when he relocated to New York. The band also featured Coleman Hawkins. Henderson went on to arrange for Benny Goodman and is an essential artist in Swing History.

Lesson (included in price of admission) 8-9pm

Dancing 9pm-12am
$10 / $8 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Extreme Dancesport

288 Norfolk Street, # 3 (upstairs)

Cambridge, MA 02139

Wicked New Year!

julie — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 06:59:46 +0000

Let’s celebrate the end of the decade, the beginning of the New Year and all that jazz! 2010 is here and we’re not quite ready to move into our new space (yet)…a couple more weeks. Hang in there - we’re just as anxious as you! The floor is finished and it is magical. The bathrooms are tiled, but they still need to finish a few details. Anyhow, we will be back at Extreme Dancesport to kick off the year with some awesome swing music. Come celebrate with us and stay tuned for more details on our space.

Lesson (included in price of admission) 8-9pm

Dancing 9pm-12am
$10 / $8 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Extreme Dancesport

288 Norfolk Street, # 3 (upstairs)

Cambridge, MA 02139

Happy New Year - We’re Closed

julie — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 06:59:17 +0000

We’re closed for New Years, but we’ll be back in full force in 2010!

Merry Christmas - We’re Closed

julie — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 06:59:39 +0000

All I want for Christmas is a new home for the BSC….You can fit that on your sleigh, right Santa? I’ll know it’s you if you leave your cane there. P.S., if that really can’t fit, I might settle for a Wii.

DJ Night

julie — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 06:59:12 +0000

Tonight we’ll have a DJ Party with Jason Provost and other DJs (TBA). Jason and others will be pulling out all the stops to get you in the holiday mood and send you off into the New Year with our final dance of the year. Beat the holiday bulge and get your dancing feet movin’! And keep your fingers crossed for a new year in a new space!

Lesson (included in price of admission) 8-9pm

Dancing 9pm-12am
$10 / $8 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Extreme Dancesport

288 Norfolk Street, # 3 (upstairs)

Cambridge, MA 02139

Holiday Party with Shawn Hershey Quartet

julie — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 06:59:15 +0000

Happy Holidays! Tonight at BOSTON SWING CENTRAL we are featuring the Shawn Hershey Quartet, a combo Shawn has put together to play for us on several occasions (including last years’ holiday party which ended up getting snowed out). We’re hoping for better weather this year. And of course, we’re hoping everyone will show up for this special event as we say goodbye to 2009 and share good holiday cheer together.

Not sure where to PARK? Try the Whole Foods parking lot, which is located on Prospect and Bishop Allen. You can park there for free after 6:00pm…Extreme is a couple of blocks up Prospect (North).

Lesson (included in price of admission) 8-9pm

Dancing 9pm-12am
$15 / $13 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Extreme Dancesport

288 Norfolk Street, # 3 (upstairs)

Cambridge, MA 02139

December 4th - Closed

julie — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 06:59:00 +0000

Closed due to construction.

Closed for Thanksgiving Holiday

julie — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 06:59:25 +0000

We’re closed. Enjoy the Turkey!

Back Bay Rhythm Makers

julie — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 06:59:08 +0000

The Back Bay Rhythm makers return to Boston Swing Central to tear it up with their smaller combo (you might recognize them as members of White Heat Swing Orchestra). This smaller, more nimble, group has played for us many times. And we love them! Fueled by the high energy clarinet of leader Craig Ball, these cats know how to bring it. Be prepared to cut loose!

This also kicks off a big swing dancing weekend where we welcome some of our favorite teachers Skye Humphries and Naomi Uyama, and we’re hoping that they get a chance to stop by. See hoptothebeat.com for more details.

Boston Swing Central at Extreme Dancesport

288 Norfolk Street, 3rd floor

Cambridge, MA 02139

Lesson (included in the price of Admission): 8PM-9PM

Dancing: 9PM-12 Midnight

Admission: $13 General, $10 Students and Seniors (with Valid ID)

You Are What You Eat

julie — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 06:59:09 +0000

Hey good lookin’, what ya got cookin’? Yes, it’s that time of year, when thoughts of turkey appear in our heads. We’ve challenged our DJs to come up with their best swing songs about food. Yes, there are many swings about food, like “Hey Sweet Potato” by Fats Waller (with a name like Fats, you gotta expect that he’d sing the praises of food, or at least use at as an analogy for a his sweet heart). We’ll try not to overdo the theme tonight….there’s nothing worse then a slightly burned dance. And it might make you more hungry than wanting to swing, but we’ll season the evenings proceedings by peppering the mix with some songs about food. Okay, enough with the food references, we’ll save the rest for Friday night.

Boston Swing Central at Extreme Dancesport

288 Norfolk Street, 3rd floor

Cambridge, MA 02139

Lesson (included in the price of Admission): 8PM-9PM

Dancing: 9PM-12 Midnight

Admission: $10 General, $8 Students and Seniors (with Valid ID)

Benny Goodman Tribute

julie — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:59:08 +0000

Tonight we’ll pay homage to the King of Swing, Benny Goodman. Before rising to Royalty starting his own band, Goodman played the clarinet with other Jazz legends like Red Nichols and Glenn Miller in the 1920s and early 1930s. In the mid-1930s, Goodman’s big band swing sound ignited the swing scene with the foot stompin’ rhythms of the “King Porter Stomp”. Dancers loved it then, and they love it now. There’s nothing like those big brass trumpets to get you hoppin’ and jumpin’. Not only was Goodman at the forefront of Jazz, but he was also forging the way for societal changes, leading one of the first racially-integrated bands during an era of segregation in the 1930’s. Jazz was a music that brought many different people together, just as we hope it will bring all of you together tonight! So come on out and swing to the King of Swing!

Boston Swing Central at Extreme Dancesport

288 Norfolk Street, 3rd floor

Cambridge, MA 02139

Lesson (included in the price of Admission): 8PM-9PM

Dancing: 9PM-12 Midnight

Admission: $10 General Admission, $8 Students and Seniors (With Valid ID)

Calling all Zombies 2

julie — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 06:59:15 +0000

Calling All Zombies! Rise up! It’s time heed the bell toll for another ghastly and ghoulish Halloween party at Boston Swing Central. So rise from your crypt and pay tribute to the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson and dance to the creepy sounds of the Fried Bananas. The lesson will feature Michael Jackson’s Thriller line dance as taught by the undead duo, Jason Provost and Diana Byrne. The lesson begins promptly at 8pm - 9pm and then performed later on in the evening. So, start studying YouTube now… Don’t miss this party as it will be one of the best of the Fall!

Lesson (included in the price of admission): 8:00pm - 9:00pm
Dancing: 9:00pm - 12:00am
General Admission: $15
Students and Seniors (with Valid ID): $12

Boston Swing Central
at Extreme Dancesport
288 Norfolk St # 3 (Upstairs)
Cambridge, MA 02139

Kickin’ it Old Skool

julie — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 06:59:28 +0000

Last week, we went back to the 90s for Neo Swing, this week, Boston Swing Central will go way back, back to the days of Fats Waller, Bunk & Lu, and Cab Calloway. So we won’t be kickin’ it old school with Young MC, Tupac or Flavor Flav, we’ll be kickin’ it really Old School…30s and 40s style. In recent weeks, you might have noticed our distinctive shift this direction, and we hope to continue to mine our mp3 collections to bring you the best music we can find to keep your imaginations stimulated and your feet moving…this week we also welcome guest DJ Isaac Marx back.

And as always, we’ll have our beginning lesson at 8pm before social dancing. So come on out and dance with us!

Lesson (included in the price of admission): 8:00pm - 9:00pm

Dancing: 9:00pm - 12:00am
General Admission: $10
Students and Seniors (with Valid ID): $8

Boston Swing Central
at Extreme Dancesport
288 Norfolk St # 3 (Upstairs)
Cambridge, MA 02139

Neo Swing

julie — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 06:59:39 +0000

The Gap commercial inspired a millions to try swing dancing. But where did they all go? We think they are now at home watching Dancing with the Stars and playing Rock Band. That’s okay because we still love swing dancing! This week, we’ll board our time machine and tell Mr Peabody to set it go back 10 years to when the dance floors were crowded and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Indigo Swing and Royal Crown Revue ruled the dance floor, yes, it’s our 2nd Neo Swing night. The last one was such a blast, so come and join us!

Lesson (included in the price of admission): 8:00pm - 9:00pm
Dancing: 9:00pm - 12:00am
General Admission: $10
Students and Seniors (with Valid ID): $8

Boston Swing Central
at Extreme Dancesport
288 Norfolk St # 3 (Upstairs)
Cambridge, MA 02139

College Night - $5 Admission

julie — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 06:59:17 +0000

We’re rolling prices back to when we were in college, and as a way of saying thanks to the many college students who come to our dances on a regular basis. Tonight, admission will be only $5 for those with a college ID who sport any of their school colors (it doesn’t have to be a jersey, a scarf or bandana is fine).

And for the rest of us who either graduated a while ago or didn’t graduate, it will be a mere $8 if you wear your school college. If you didn’t go to college, use your favorite sports team, or pretend you went to Harvard, we don’t care, we’re just hoping a lot of folks come out, dance and have a lot of fun…

Lesson (included in the price of admission): 8:00pm - 9:00pm
Dancing: 9:00pm - 12:00am
General Admission: $8 with school gear, $10 regular
Students: $5 with school gear, $8 regular

Boston Swing Central
at Extreme Dancesport
288 Norfolk St # 3 (Upstairs)
Cambridge, MA 02139

Stompin’ at the Savoy

julie — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 06:59:24 +0000

This week the BSC steps back in time, to the 1930s and the Savoy Ballroom. Dress-vintage…our DJs will bring their best Savoy Ballroom-inspired music to keep your feet jumpin’ to the Lindy Hop. This was THE era. Known as the “Home of the “Happy Feet”. The Savoy Ballroom was the epicenter for swing dancing. It’s where Frankie Manning got started and where he later joined the amazing performance troupe, Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers. It was also famous for a supreme battle of the bands facing off Bennie Goodman, Count Basie and Chick Webb. And the general concesus was that Chick Webb’s band won handily. We’ll try our best to recreate that feeling.

Kellian and Brian will be teaching our lesson this evening.

Lesson (included in the price of admission): 8-9pm

Dancing: 9pm-12am

General Admission: $10, Students and Seniors (with valid ID): $8

Boston Swing Central at Extreme Dancesport

288 Norfolk Street

Cambridge, MA 02139

General Admission: $10/ Students and Seniors (with Valid ID): $8

Beantown Swing - T-Step Workshop Weekend at Springstep

julie — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 06:59:48 +0000

This Friday, Boston Swing Central will be kicking off the T-Step Workshop weekend featuring Steven Mitchell & Virginie Jensen. We’ll be welcoming the Beantown Swing Orchestra back to the BSC…they haven’t played for us since this past spring when they brought guest star Erin McKeown. And for those of you that were there that night, you know what a treat you’re in for! If you like big band swing, this is your band! They have it all - from the big brass trumpets to the swing song of the saxophone. What’s not to love?Their band leader, Frank Hsieh has really got a good feel for the material dancers rave about!

There are also bound to be many dancers from out of town for the weekend workshop, which means more great dancers to dance with. So come on out for a great night!

NOTE THE LOCATION CHANGE: WE WILL BE AT SPRINGSTEP FOR TONIGHT’S DANCE! ADDRESS BELOW!

Boston Swing Central at Springstep

98 George P Hassett Dr

Medford, MA 02155-3202

www.springstep.org

Lesson: 8-9pm (included in price of admission)

Dancing: 9-12am

General Admission: $17, Students and Seniors (with valid ID): $15

About T Step:

We are so happy to support the upcoming T-Step Workshop weekend featuring Steven Mitchell & Virginie Jensen. These two teachers are amongst the best in the world, and have not been to Boston in many many years! Come out and show them what the Boston scene is all about! They’re fantastic and really inspirational and when they teach at camps like Swing Out New Hampshire, the classes are packed.

Fortunately for us, Albert Law, the coordinator for the T-Step event, has been to enough of these packed classes and has decided to limit the class sizes for a more intimate learning experience. He’s also tracked the classes and his strict placement of everyone should guarantee a great learning experience for all. Steven and Virginie are great at all levels, their beginner classes work heavily on the stuff that we all need, from the beginner to the intermediate. Steven has many pearls of wisdom and insight into the dance that he shares with you. His exercises can be non-intuitive at first, but after you reflect back upon them some time later, you’ll come to new realizations. And this is what our scene really needs. We need gurus such as Steven & Virginie to come in and shake up the status quo.

So come and join us the weekend of September 25 - 27th for a workshop weekend like no other. Sign-ups are still available! Check it out on their website at http://www.tstep.org/!

Beantown Swing - T-Step Workshop Weekend!

julie — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 06:59:45 +0000

This Friday, Boston Swing Central will be kicking off the T-Step Workshop weekend featuring Steven Mitchell & Virginie Jensn. We’ll be welcoming the Beantown Swing Orchestra back to the BSC…they haven’t played for us since this past spring when they brought guest star Erin McKeown. And for those of you that were there that night, you know what a treat you’re in for. If you like big band swing, this is your band! They have it all - from the big brass trumpets to the tootin’ tubas. What’s not to love? Their band leader, Frank Hsieh has really got a good feel for the material dancers rave about!

There are also bound to be many dancers from out of town for the weekend workshop, which means more great dancers to dance with. So come on out for a great night!

Boston Swing Central at Springstep

98 George P Hassett Dr
Medford, MA 02155-3202

www.springstep.org

Lesson: 8-9PM (included in price of admission)

Dancing: 9PM-12AM

About T Step:

We are so happy to support the upcoming T-Step Workshop weekend featuring Steven Mitchell & Virginie Jensen. These two teachers are amonst the best in the world, and have not been to Boston in many many years! Come out and show them what the Boston scene is al about! They’re fantastic and really inspirational and when they teach at camps like Swing Out New Hampshire, the classes are packed.

So come and join us the weekend of September 25 - 27th for a workshop weekend like no other. Sign-ups are still available! Check it out on their website at http://www.tstep.org/!

A Tribute to Swing Royalty

julie — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 06:59:44 +0000

We’re rolling out the red carpet at Boston Swing Central because tonight as our DJs will be saluting the royalty of swing music! This includes the various Kings and Queens soul, jazz, swing, and R&B. And let’s not forget the Count, the Duke and many others who comprise the very elite and noble in the swing world. Leave your white gloves and red cape behind to come and hob nob amongst the best the swing world has to offer. You don’t need to dress like royalty to feel like royalty from your ears to your feet…moving to the the hoppin’ heralds of America’s musical Kings and Queens.

Lesson (included in the price of admission): 8:00pm - 9:00pm
Dancing: 9:00pm - 12:00am
General Admission: $10
Students and Seniors (with valid ID): $8

Boston Swing Central @ Extreme Dancesport

288 Norfolk Street

Cambridge, MA 02139

(617) 492-2122

CANCELED: Outdoor Summer Dance - Copley Square

julie — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 06:59:32 +0000

We regret to inform you that due to the Jimmy Fund’s occupation of Copley Square the Copley Square Dance has been canceled for today.

We’re very sorry for the late notice, but when we went to set-up before 2 PM today, we found that the Jimmy Fund had taken over the Copley Square area. The City of Boston who issued our permit several months ago, unfortunately did not alert us of the change. While we did try, we couldn’t get into where we would normally set-up by Trinity Church…and they had set-up a big white tent there. Sorry for any inconvenience, but of course, we had no idea! At least we sacrificed our dancing today for a good cause! More dancing outside next summer, and inside dancing this Friday at the BSC!

Back to School Swing

julie — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 06:59:10 +0000

Fall is in the air and Boston is buzzing with all of the students new and old coming back to the city. To welcome them back, we’ll be spinning some Back to School tunes with our house DJ, Jason Provost and special guest DJ Joe Perrone.

We’ll challenge them to evoke the good times of back to school….hugging your parents goodbye at the station wagon, the crush you had on Sally who sat in the front of your history class, walking the campus on a beautiful fall day, jumping and singing with the music at a Friday night party (before you could swing dance). So put down those pencils and come sharpen your dance skills. The BSC will be alive with the energy the new school year brings, playing some of your favorite tunes to get you swingin’ back in time.

We also have some exciting news on the horizon about our new venue. We plan to announce our new space in two weeks at our dance. So if you want to be among the first to hear the exciting news, be sure to be there on Friday nights!

Brian and Kellian will be teaching our lesson this evening. More fun than any gym teacher!

Lesson (included in the price of admission): 8:00pm - 9:00pm

Dancing: 9:00pm - 12:00am

General Admission: $10

Students and Seniors (with valid ID): $8

Boston Swing Central @ Extreme DanceSport

288 Norfolk Street

Cambridge, MA 02139

(617) 492-2122

Closed for Labor Day

julie — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:59:07 +0000

We’re closed for labor day, but will be back September 11th!

Gordon Webster Trio

julie — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 06:59:31 +0000

Once again, BOSTON SWING CENTRAL is proud to welcome back Gordon Webster, this time he plays as a trio. Which will give him a chance to really stretch out his chops and play some soulful piano and some groovy stuff….so this will be quite different than when he is with his full quartet. Gordon’s sincerity, his honesty to the music really shines through in whatever form he takes, so we’re really lucky and excited to have him back. He’s truely a dynamic artist, whether he’s challenging himself by playing with the Cangelosi Cards, or with his own quartet, or with his expanded quintet. We’re lucky he lives close by and really loves visiting Boston, and he’s inventive enough as to keep us guessing as to what he’s bringing. He just got back from some time in Europe and this Fall he’ll head out to the West Coast, so the World is definitely becoming enlightened to the talent that lies within, so let’s enjoy him while we can!

This wildly popular group draws a big crowd, so come early to guarantee your spot on the floor!

Lesson 8-9pm

Dancing 9:pm-12 midnight
Admission: $15 / $12 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

A Tribute to the Dog Days of Summer

julie — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 06:59:56 +0000

The dog days of summer are here at last. If we knew starting back up our dance would bring on the heat, we’d have done it a lot sooner. We’re happy to inform you that Boston Swing Central is continuing our dance at our new temporary venue in Inman Square, Extreme Dancesport. It is our intention that we’ll be here only a month or two while we work on the details of a more permanent venue. But to keep us running in the interim, we need you all to show up and dance! We had a great turn out last week and we hope you’ll keep coming out for more!

This Friday we will challenge our DJs to keep things fun and cool in the hot summer night, spinning tunes to celebrate summer or chill you with a tease of cooler weather just around the corner. We will also issue a challenge to the many air conditioners in the windows of Extreme Dancesport to keep it the temperatures down. So come and dance into the summer night with us..

Boston Swing Central
at Extreme Dancesport
288 Norfolk St # 3
Cambridge, MA 02139

Lesson: 8:00pm - 9:00pm
Dancing: 9:00pm - 12:00am
General Admission: $10
Students and Seniors (with valid ID): $8

Summer Outdoor Dance Series Continues at Piers Park!

julie — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 06:59:36 +0000

Boston Swing Central ready to be back at Piers Park! It’s been such a strange summer with all the rain and unseasonably chilly temperatures, but we’re still glad it’s summer. In July, we had a wonderful day in Copley Square and we’re hoping that our return to Piers Park in East Boston is just as lovely. So keep your fingers crossed for a warm, dry day with gentle breezes. Piers Park Swing is Sunday, August 16th.

On September 13th, we’ll be back in Copley to wrap our outdoor dance series.

Details

Address: Piers Park, 95 Marginal St, East Boston, MA 02128

Lesson: 2pm - 3pm

Dancing: 3pm-5pm

Cost: FREE!!!

Here’s a link to the park for further info. Check out that view!

http://www.bostonharborwalk.com/placestogo/location.php?nid=4&sid=24

We’re back Starting August 14th!

julie — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 06:59:30 +0000

Hopefully you’re enjoying all of the outdoor dances that Boston Swing Central has been presenting, we’re getting closer to finding our new venue, but for now, we will be at Extreme Dancesport in Inman Square, Cambridge. This is an urban loft space dance studio, not far from our previous locations in Central Square, just a few blocks walk up, Prospect St. Extreme Dancesport is located at 288 Norfolk St, 3rd Floor Cambridge. And there’s AIR CONDITIONING!

We are excited to start our dance up again for you and we hope you’ll turn up. Tonight will feature the fine music of our house DJ Jay Provost with special guest DJs Ogden Sawyer and “Blues Brian” Mullin

Boston Swing Central
at Extreme Dancesport
288 Norfolk St # 3
Cambridge, MA 02139

Lesson: 8:00pm - 9:00pm
Dancing: 9:00pm - 12:00am
General Admission: $10
Students and Seniors: $8

Swingin’ on the Charles

julie — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 06:59:22 +0000

Boston Swing Central is very excited to tell you that this year, we’ve been asked to host Swingin’ on the Charles. Swingin’ on the Charles has been an annual tradition and is one of the highlights of the Summer season. This dance is outside underneath the twilight sky along the Charles River on the docks of the Community Boathouse on August 1st. If it rains (and lord knows this is a possibilty), we’ll move it inside the Boathouse. Previous years we’ve been lucky with the weather and we’ve always had a large crowd of both experienced and new dancers.

The dance features one of Kellian & Brian teaching our beginners dance lesson which gets started at 7:30pm. The dance starts early at 8:30pm and ends at 11:00pm. We will be featuring some of Boston’s best swing DJs. We hope you mark this on your calendar, as this is definitely not the weekend to go to the Cape or up to Maine…

Please note: All proceeds from this dance go to benefit the Community Boating’s Junior Program which allows children to sail for $1. More info: http://www.community-boating.org/acc_geninfo.php

Parking: Parking is available at Mass Eye & Ear for $5 (validated voucher by CBI). In the past some folks have been frustrated to realize they need to bring the voucher into CBI and have it validated, please don’t forget it, or you’ll have to make a trek back to your car. More info describing those restrictions: http://www.community-boating.org/benefits.php

Community Boathouse
Storrow Drive
near Charles MGH T-Stop
Lesson 7:30pm - 8:30pm
Dance 8:00pm - 11:00pm
General Admisson: $10
Students and Seniors: $8

BSC Incorporation and New Venue Fund Raiser!

julie — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 06:59:08 +0000

If you missed us this last couple Fridays, well, we missed you too. But as promised, we’ll be back soon! And to help speed our return, we are doing this dance as a special event fund raiser to get some much needed cash for our incorporation, which requires us to carry some insurance and kickin’ new venue we’re moving to in late August/early September (which we hope to tell you about soon!).

We will be dancing tonight at the awesome facilities at Springstep in Medford. And to give you your bang for your buck, we’ll be running late until 2 AM. And we’ve also convinced The Cangelosi Cards to come up from New York to make it extra special. This band is amazing, they will delight you with their unique mix of Hot Club Jazz, Gypsy swing, and Blues. Most people leave their shows swinging on a cloud with the bouncing chugga-chugga rhythms and the haunting trill of Tamar Korn’s mellifluous voice reverberating in their heads.

As this is a special event to raise money for the BSC, we will not have an active door list, accept passes, or discount cards on this night. We will also have a limited number of volunteer spots, and will not be able to offer reduced admission to angels. However, if you would like to angel for us anyway, please email Khrysti Smyth. We’ll also be holding a silent auction to raise some additional funds!

We hope with how hard we have worked to give back to the dance community, as many of you as possible will come out on this special night. We need you if we are going to continue to bring great dances to the Boston Community. So grab a friend…or two…or three… and we’ll see you on the dance floor!

Lesson: 8-9pm

Dancing: 9pm-2am

Price: $20 General Admission, $15 Students and Seniors (with valid ID)

Address:

Springstep
98 George P. Hassett Drive
Medford, MA 02155

www.springstep.org

Copley Square FREE Outdoor Dance

julie — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 06:59:54 +0000

Boston Swing Central is really excited that Summer has finally arrived! (well sort of, you wouldn’t know it by the chilly temps and rain we’ve had lately, but technically it’s summer). And with our fingers crossed for a warm and dry day, we are letting you know about Copley Square Swing on Sunday July 12th.

This is a free dance, it’s open to the public and we’ll be teaching a lesson for those that are interested from 1pm - 2pm…and of course there will be open dancing throughout the afternoon.

In August, we’ll be back at Piers Park in East Boston one more time, hopefully this time it won’t be so windy!

Below is a complete calendar of the remaining BSC Summer Outdoor Dancing events:

July 12th Copley Square 1pm - 4:00pm FREE

Saturday August 1st - Swingin’ on the Charles at Community Boathouse 7:30pm - 11pm. Admission $10/$8 students and seniors

Aug 16th Piers Park, East Boston 2pm - 5pm FREE
Sept 13th Copley Square 1pm - 4:00pm FREE

Closed

julie — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 06:59:07 +0000

We will be closed July 10th.

No Dance - July 4th Weekend

julie — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 06:29:20 +0000

We’ll be closed this Friday for the July 4th weekend. Enjoy the fireworks!

Julie Irish

julie — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:54:09 +0000

Julie has been dancing most of her life (including many years of folk dancing), but started dancing Lindy Hop in 2008 as her New Year’s resolution. If only all of her resolutions were so successful! Once she got started, there was no turning back. She is an active member of the Boston Lindy Hop scene, loves to attend events around the US, and teaching and DJing locally. When she’s not at the dance floor or at work, she volunteers giving architecture tours. Ask her about quoining sometime if you want to get her excited. Her forte is managing projects day and night…for the BSC this focus has recently been getting our new venue ready to call home…and what patience she must have for that project! (coming any day now!) When that that’s over she can go back to marketing fun. If you’ve bought your BSC water bottle, bought a chair, are on our mailing list you’re more likely to get a dance (she knows who you are).

Email her at julie.irish@bostonswingcentral.org

Boston Swing Central Goes to Beantown!

julie — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 06:59:02 +0000

We’ll be co-hosting the Saturday night dance at Beantown Camp tonight! Come check us out for a rockin’ good time with The Boilermaker Jazz Band!!!! Need a ride? Check the forum for friends that are going too!

Check in: 8:45 PM

End Time: Very Late

Callahan Center, Endicott College

376 Hale Street

Beverley, MA 01915

Summer Swing

james — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 06:59:51 +0000

It’s been a wet week and half, and with the wet weather, we’re a little sad to tell you that this is our final week at St. Mary’s Church. So come on out and dance one last time at this great little venue. This week we have Retro Mike and Jay Provost spinning and hopefully summoning some Summer Sun…

We are taking a couple of weeks off from our regular Friday night dance in July to do some special Summer dances (again assuming it gets here) and to look for a new venue. So even though we won’t be at St. Mary’s, don’t forget we’ll still be out there bringing you some great dances over the next couple weeks! Including these you’ll want to put on your calendar:
- Co-hosting the Beantown Saturday night dance with the Boilermakers this Saturday, June 27th at Endicott College
- Our first Copley dance on Sunday July 12th (the June date was rained out)
- A special one off Dance on Friday, July 17th (details and location TBD)
- The Boathouse dance on Saturday, August 1st

So watch your inbox, check out or website, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more information, we have some exciting things coming!

Your friends at Boston Swing Central.

Swingology

julie — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 06:59:16 +0000

It’s the 4th Friday of the month and you know what that means… BOSTON SWING CENTRAL is hosting Swingology! Swingology is where we feature some of Boston’s finest DJs spinning their best for you. There are so many talented and knowledgeable swing DJs in this town. It’s fun to shake things up and see what’s out there. Our theme nights force them to rethink their oeuvre, but on Swingology, we let them spin what they want! It’s as simple as 5, 6, 7 and 8!

And don’t forget tomorrow, June 27th, Boston Swing Central goes to Beantown, where we’ll be hosting the Boilermakers from Pittsburgh. This will surely be a great night of dancing as well, as the Boilermakers don’t make it up this way too often, you don’t want to miss them! BSC will also be running the late night party and djing between the Boilermakers sets…so come up to Endicott College if you haven’t already signed up for Beantown and see what all the hub bub is about!

Kellian & Brian are our teachers for the evening. Always guaranteed to put a smile on your face…

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-1am
$10 / $8 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

julie — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:31:44 +0000

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Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade

julie — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 06:59:18 +0000

Continuing our relentless schedule of bands and new bands to Boston Swing Central, we are happy to welcome Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade. Some of you might have seen her at the Boston Independence Exchange as one half of the duo, the Sweet and Low Down. The Bon Parade is her backing band, which promises to keep things lively and swinging with their reimagined 21st century Golden-age jazz. You will leave with a smile on your face. And if you feel so inclined, dress in your best quirky-retro-modern-vintage-wear to blend in with the band.

Todd Schmenk and Beth Donahue from Zazu Swing in Providence are our guest teachers. Come learn how to dance really smoothly from this talented twosome.

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12am
$13 / $10 for students (with valid ID) and seniors
Boston Swing Central
St Mary’s Orthodox Church
8 Inman St, Central Square, Cambridge, MA

Boston Swing Central Summer Outdoor Dance Series

james — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 06:59:14 +0000

June 14th dance CANCELED due to rain.

Boston Swing Central is really excited that Summer has finally arrived! (well sort of, you wouldn’t know it by the chilly temps we’ve had lately, but technically it’s still Spring until June 21st). And to usher in the warmer weather and the sunny skies, we will start with Copley Square Swing on Sunday June 14th. This is a free dance, it’s open to the public and we’ll be teaching a lesson for those that are interested from 1pm - 2pm…and of course there will be open dancing throughout the afternoon.

Later on this summer we’ll be back at Piers Park in East Boston one more time, hopefully this time it won’t be so windy!

Copley Square 1pm - 4:00pm FREE

The Blue Vipers of Brooklyn (Special Event)

julie — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 06:59:09 +0000

Ladies and Gentlemen, fresh off their gig at Frankie 95 in NYC, the Blue Vipers of Brooklyn play their Boston Swing Central debut. They’ve been tearing up New York with their unique brand of hot jazz which features some virtuosic washboard playing and their ready to tear up Boston. You may need to bring a towel and an extra shirt…because it’s going to be an evening on the up tempo side of things. So for those of you who crave speed…this might be your night. The rest of us will wait for their singer to croon a blue moon betwixt all the crazy jitterbuggin’ numbers…

Kellian and Brian will be teaching a fun-filled version of our weekly lesson. Come dance like a chicken with them…

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12am
$15 / $13 for students (with valid ID) and seniors
Boston Swing Central
St Mary’s Orthodox Church
8 Inman St, Central Square, Cambridge, MA

J Street Band

julie — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 06:59:52 +0000

BOSTON SWING CENTRAL is happy to have the return of J Street, a fantastic band from Albany headed by piano player and smokey-voiced singer Josh Fialkoff, whom we all know and love from the Fried Bananas! We hear that Shawn Hershey may join them on trumpet for a bit, as well. Expect a lively jazz sound with a bluesy grooviness inspired by the likes of Ray Charles, Bill Withers, and Lou Rawls.

Shawn and Amanda will be teaching our weekly lesson with BSC. Check out what they have for you this week!

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12am
$13 / $10 for students (with valid ID) and seniors
Boston Swing Central
St Mary’s Orthodox Church
8 Inman St, Central Square, Cambridge, MA

Rusty Scott Trio

julie — Sat, 30 May 2009 06:59:25 +0000

BOSTON SWING CENTRAL is proud to introduce the Rusty Scott Trio. It’s been a while since we’ve had some new bands at Boston Swing Central, but we’ve finally found a few and we’ll be kicking off this little run of new bands (see June’s schedule for more BSC debuts) with the Rusty Scott Trio. Rusty Scott is a pianist who has been a fixture on the Boston jazz scene for some time. He plays a groovy soulful jazz style in the vein of Gordon Webster. We’re hoping he catches fire like Gordon has and we’ll have a new star on the Boston swing circuit.

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12am
$13 / $10 for students (with valid ID) and seniors
Boston Swing Central
St Mary’s Orthodox Church
8 Inman St, Central Square, Cambridge, MA

Springology

julie — Sat, 23 May 2009 06:59:02 +0000

Springology! Spring has finally sprung! And boy are we happy! We’re so happy to have some great DJs in store for you, our own Tim Lewandowski and Jason Provost are joined by guest, Joe Perrone. And as you can tell from the temporary renaming of this night, we’ve decided to start anew with a fresh outlook on our Swingology night…

Yes, you might not have thought about it but the secret of Swingology is diversity. There are a great many DJs in Boston and no two of them are the same and that’s a great thing (think of them like snowflakes), that means exposure to all different interpretations of what swings and represents the wide spectrum of tastes in our community. And I guess that about says it all. Can we appreciate the diversity within our community and different approaches to DJing? Does that mean Swingology is avant garde and experimental? Heck no. It just means that we’re trying to allow the many different voices in a community a forum with which to share their, ahem, spin on what swings.

Lesson 8:00-9:00pm / Dancing 9:00pm-12am
$10 / $8 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Boston Swing Central

St. Mary’s Orthodox Church

8 Inman Street, Central Square, Cambridge

What’s Buzzin’ Cousin?

julie — Sat, 16 May 2009 06:59:28 +0000

Don’t forget! We’ll be returning to St Mary’s Orthodox church starting today — right around the corner at 8 Inman St (click to view a map).

What’s Buzzin’ Cousin? A veritable catchphrase in swingology from the hepest of hepcats, Cab Calloway. He coined the phrases that are now common place and with his Bugs Bunny grin lit up the screen in the Blues Brothers with his classic Minnie the Moocher…Cab is a true icon in American culture. Tonight, Boston Swing Central is buzzin with his songs and his crazy hep to the jive vibe. Cmon out and get in the groove tonight!

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12 midnight
$10 / $8 for students (with valid ID) and seniors
Boston Swing Central
St Mary’s Orthodox Church
8 Inman St, Central Square, Cambridge, MA

Boston Swing Central and BIX @ Piers Park in East Boston!

julie — Mon, 11 May 2009 01:00:31 +0000

The view from the park is spectacular, it’s one of the best views of downtown Boston and overlooks the Harbor. We’re very excited to be throwing a dance here for the first time, so come on out, it’s FREE to the public! DJs Retro Mike and Downtown Julie Brown will be spinning some of their finest feel good Springtime music, keep your fingers crossed for good weather (the forecast shows that it’s going to partly cloudy with intermittent sun and about 64, so let’s hope that it doesn’t rain). In any event bring a light jacket, it’s by the water, so it can get a little chilly and breezy…Details below

Details

Address: Piers Park, 95 Marginal St, East Boston, MA 02128

Date: Sunday May 10th, 2009

Time: 2pm - 5pm

Cost: FREE!!!

Here’s a link to the park for further info. Check out that view!

http://www.bostonharborwalk.com/placestogo/location.php?nid=4&sid=24

George Gee and the Jump Jive and Wailers/Boston Independence Exchange

julie — Sat, 09 May 2009 06:59:24 +0000

We at Boston Swing Central are extremely excited for the Boston Independence Exchange (BIX). And we’re even more ecstatic that we get to host George Gee and the Jump Jive and Wailers! The last time we can remember George Gee playing with his fantastic big band for Frankie Manning’s 87th birthday. Well, it’s been too long. George Gee brings one of the premier big bands in the country to Boston. This is also the first night of BIX and for those of you who have not experienced an Exchange…these are some of the most fun events in swing dancing. A whole weekend dedicated to dancing where Boston hosts out-of-town dancers, who to come and mix, mingle and energize our scene.

This is also our last night at the YMCA, so if you’re thinking you’ll miss that Homecoming dance vibe, please come on out and soak it up.

Lessons 8:00-9:00pm / Dancing 9:00pm-12am
$15 / $12 for students (with valid ID) and seniors
Boston Swing Central at YMCA
820 Massachusetts Ave, Central Square, Cambridge, MA

Frankie’s Favorites

julie — Sat, 02 May 2009 06:59:13 +0000

We are very sad to have lost our friend Frankie Manning, the world’s leading ambassador of Lindy Hop, this week. But we’re sure that he’d want us to all keep swinging. In his honor, we will be doing a special Shim Sham led by Tony and Aurelie during our dance this Friday. We hope that you can all come out and join us and celebrate Frankie Manning’s life with us.

Our DJs, Ogden Sawyer, Phil Shapiro and James McClurkin will spin some of Frankie’s Favorites. Expect to hear some of his favorite music, which includes tracks by Fletcher Henderson, Count Basie, Jimmie Lunceford, George Gee and many more! We had originiallly scheduled our Frankie’s Favorites night for May 22nd, which was the weekend of his 95th birthday celebration.

Tony and Aurelie Tye will teach our beginning lesson.

Dan Pederson and Nina Current will teach their final installment of the intermediate lesson pilot program. See our website for more details.

Lessons 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12 midnight
$10 / $8 for students and seniors (with valid ID)
Boston Swing Central at the YMCA
820 Massachusetts Avenue, Central Square, Cambridge, MA

Swing & Soul

john — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 06:59:58 +0000

Boston Swing Central is excited for a night of house rockin’ Soul! We’ve invited Soul DJ extraordinaire, Mark Francis, who DJs Lost & Found on WMBR, MIT’s college radio station, as well as many soul nights at various nightclubs around the Boston area. So for those of you who like to groove while you move, this is going to be your night!

Special Note: BSC is going green for Earth Day again this week. Bring your own or buy a brand new BSC Water Bottle! If you forget, dig deep for those quarters! Cups will be available for $.50 a piece. Cup proceeds and $1 from each water bottle sale will go to the Green Streets Initiative.

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12 midnight
$10 / $8 for students (with valid ID) and seniors
Boston Swing Central at YMCA
820 Massachusetts Avenue, Central Square, Cambridge, MA

Swing Legacy

john — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 06:59:13 +0000

Once again, BOSTON SWING CENTRAL is happy to welcome back, The Swing Legacy! This six-piece little big band has been a fixture of the Boston swing scene since 1991, playing with the polish and powerful beat of the great big bands from the swing era. Their repertoire concentrates on classic big band swing music including many Duke Ellington and Count Basie numbers ideal for Lindy Hopping. Their exciting original arrangements produce a room-filling sound that will keep you on your feet all night long!

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12 midnight
$13 / $10 for students (with valid ID) and seniors
Boston Swing Central at the YMCA
820 Massachusetts Avenue, Central Square, Cambridge, MA

Take Me Out to the Ballgame- Our Tribute to Baseball

john — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 06:59:57 +0000

One of the ways we know it’s really finally Springtime in New England is the opening day at Fenway! The Red Sox kicked off their season this past Monday. And because we at Boston Swing Central consist of more than a few baseball fans, we’re bringing you our tribute to baseball tonight. Songs about Joltin’ Joe Dimaggio and the Say Hey Kid, Willie Mays will assuredly be played tonight! So come out swingin’ in your favorite team’s gear (and leave your bat at home).

Shawn Hershey and Nicole Zuckerman of It’s All Swing are our teachers for the evening!

Lesson 8:00-9:00pm / Dancing 9:00pm-12:00am
$10 / $8 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Boston Swing Central at the YMCA
820 Massachusetts Avenue, Central Square, Cambridge, MA

Special Note! Dan Pederson and Nina Current will teach our intermediate lesson starting this week!

Back Bay Rhythm Makers help us celebrate First Anniversary of Boston Swing Central

john — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 06:59:58 +0000

We at Boston Swing Central are happy to celebrate our first Anniversary with you. The year has gone by so fast and we couldn’t have done it without you! It’s been such a great experience and I think we’ve had some very memorable nights of dancing! From Calling All Zombies to the I >heart< Swing! We’ve just had a blast. And it all began just a year ago. Anyhow we’re kicking off our 2nd year with the glorious Back Bay Rhythm Makers, who definitely tear it up old school, just the way we like it! Let’s dress up for this party!

So tell all your friends and come early, as we’re expecting a very fun filled and packed evening.

Lesson 8:00-9:00pm / Dancing 9:00pm-12:00am
$15 / $12 for students (with valid ID) and seniors
Boston Swing Central at YMCA
820 Mass Ave, Central Square, Cambridge, MA

Swingology

julie — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 06:59:06 +0000

It’s time for the fair winds of March to bid us adieu. We will end the month with another Swingology, our most eclectic night of music! It’s a concept we have developed to explore the question, “What swings?”, a topic of considerable debate among DJs.

Depending on who’s spinning, you may get a blend of classic swing (Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong) with favorite soul artists (Betty LaVette, Stevie Wonder), or maybe the best of Neo-swing (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Lavay Smith) and great swing-era divas (Ruth Brown, Peggy Lee). There’s sure to be some fantastic jump blues and hot jazz in the mix too! The idea of Swingology is to explore some of these boundaries while keeping the mix strongly rooted in familiar artists and songs we love to hear. You can expect a night full of good, solid, swing dance music from every corner of the kingdom of Swing and one thing’s for sure, the music will be like the weather in New England: if you don’t like it, just wait 5 minutes and it will change.

Kellian Adams and Brian Pletcher are our teachers for the evening!

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12 midnight
$10 / $8 for students (with valid ID) and seniors
Boston Swing Central at the YMCA
820 Massachusetts Avenue, Central Square, Cambridge, MA

Shawn Hershey Quartet

julie — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 06:59:00 +0000

Tonight at BOSTON SWING CENTRAL we will feature the Shawn Hershey Quartet, a small combo Shawn Hershy of the Fried Bananas has put together to play for us. After a similar group of his played a delightful, spirited set at the Union Square Farmer’s Market this summer, we asked Shawn to recreate the vibe for us. We then had Shawn play a short set with this combo in January. Tonight, he’s back for a full night of jazz that is guaranteed to keep you dancing!

Lesson 8:00-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12 midnight
$13 / $10 for students (with valid ID) and seniors
Boston Swing Central at the YMCA

820 Massachusetts Avenue, Central Square, Cambridge, MA

Rocco & the Stompers, Beantown Swing Orchestra - Vintage Dress-up

james — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 06:59:54 +0000

Don’t forget! We’ll be at our temporary venue - right around the corner at The YMCA (click to view a map).

BOSTON SWING CENTRAL is really excited to have Rocco and the Stompers, along with their parental unit, the Beantown Swing Orchestra, play for us tonight. So, essentially we have a little big band and a big band. And as an extra special treat, nationally renowned singer/ songwriter Erin McKeown will join the Beantown Swing Orchestra on vocals. You won’t want to miss this! This is going to sell out, so get there early!

We’re also going to do a Shim Sham for Frankie’s 95th Birthday Party! “A What Wham?” you ask? “And who’s this Frankie guy?” Well, Frankie Manning is one of few surviving Lindy Hoppers from the Savoy Ballroom days in the 1930s, (and also one of our guiding lights!) and he turns 95 this May. And he’s having a gigantic birthday celebration in New York. And for his birthday, dance scenes from all around the world are performing the Shim Sham (Frankie’s favorite line dance) for him which will be edited into a video. So Boston represent! We are also encouraging everyone to dress vintage on this night!!

We’ll have a basic swing lesson from 8-8:30pm and a lesson on the Shim Sham from 8:30 -9:15pm, both taught by Tony and Aurelie Tye of Hop to the Beat dance studio!

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm to 12 midnight
$15 / $12 for students (with valid ID) and seniors
Boston Swing Central at YMCA
820 Massachusetts Avenue, Central Square, Cambridge, MA

Gordon Webster Quintet with Brianna Thomas

julie — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 06:59:35 +0000

Don’t forget! We’ll be at our temporary venue — right around the corner at The YMCA (click to view a map)..

Once again, BOSTON SWING CENTRAL is proud to welcome back Gordon Webster and his full quartet, including his super talented vocalist Brianna Thomas. But since Gordon is making his second appearance at BSC this year, we asked him to change it up and throw us one of his curveballs…and this time he also brings Jesse Selengut, on trumpet and additional vocals. Jesse might be familiar to you if were at the packed Brookline Tai Chi show last Fall. Anyhow, Jesse brings an added dimension to the Quartet and makes them now a Quintet! Brianna, Jesse, Gordon, they are going to ROCK THE HOUSE! This band creates an electric vibe like how we imagine it was back in the day, when people were packed into the Plug Nickel, the audience sitting on the edge of their seats with excitement.

This wildly popular group draws a big crowd, so come early to guarantee your spot on the floor! If we’re at capacity when you arrive, check back in 30 minutes and we’ll likely be able to let more people in. There are a lot of great bars, clubs, and a fantastic coffee shop right around the corner to keep you entertained in the meantime!

Ogden & Nicole of It’s All Swing Dance Studios will be teaching the lesson tonight. If you haven’t seen them dance, you’re in for a treat! Ogden is known around these parts as “The Velvet Slinky”. The cat is smooth. And Nicole has been consistently winning every swing dance competition she seems to enter. So we’re very excited to present them in all their dancing glory.

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12 midnight

$15 / $12 for students (with valid ID) and seniors
Boston Swing Central at the YMCA
820 Massachusetts Avenue, Central Square, Cambridge, MA

Red Hot and Blues Night

james — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 06:59:16 +0000

To warm you up in the dead of winter and to kick off the Sweet Molasses Blues workshop weekend, we’ve brought back our Red Hot and Blues night! A hit from this past summer, we’ll feature red hot jazz early in the evening, kickin’ it old school before turning ever more bluesy as the night goes on. We have some special guest DJs from out-of-town who are visiting for the workshops to lend their energy to our scene! So come on out and see what this talk about blues is all about.

Plus, Shawn and Amanda of It’s All Swing will be teaching the lesson tonight!

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-1am
$10 / $8 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Swingology

james — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 06:59:43 +0000

Boston Swing Central is back with another night of Swingology, where our DJs experiment and explore all sorts of different things that swing… So come on out and enjoy a variety of your favorite swing songs mixed with some new ones that you might not have considered to be swing. This is where our DJs get to have a little fun and be creative, so we know you will too!

Kellian Adams & Brian Pletcher will be teaching the lesson tonight.

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12am
$10 / $8 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Where can I learn more?

john — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:18:40 +0000

In addition to local studios such as It’s All Swing and Hop to the Beat, there are many dance camps (that’s right, this one time, at dance camp….) and workshops available. There are listings for them on various websites including ours and in the forum as well as places like www.lindyexchange.com. Going to a camp or a workshop is a fun and intensified way to learn a lot of material in a very concentrated amount of time.

What is an Exchange?

john — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:18:15 +0000

An Exchange is a dance weekend, that gives the host city a chance to show off as many of their best venues, bands, dj’s, and fun parts of what there is to do. The host city opens it’s doors for the Exchange weekend and invites dancers to come visit. Normally the visiting dancers are housed with other local dancers, so you have a friendly face to welcome you & ease your stay.

Where can I learn?

john — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:16:28 +0000

Besides the free lessons before most (if not all) of the local dances. There are three main studios which teach Lindy Hop in the Boston area. They are: www.ItsAllSwing.com (Watertown on Wednesdays), www.fiveguysnamedmike.com (Cambridge, Mondays), www.hoptothebeat.com (Newton, Sundays), www.dancewithliz.com (Somerville on Thurs). We highly recommend you take some of these classes in order to learn more beyond East Coast swing. There are also numerous workshops, dance camps and competition weekends to attend where classes are offered.

Where can I dance?

Monday - Monday Night Practice in Harvard Square. See www.fiveguysnamedmike.com

Wed - MIT Lindy Society. See www.mit.edu/swing

Friday - Boston Swing Central and www.swingcityboston.com

Saturday - A wide spectrum of monthly dances

Watertown - www.bostonswingdance.com

Uptown Swing - www.hoptothebeat.com

Blues Cafe - www.dancewithliz.com

See www.havetodance.com for a complete and up-to-date calendar of all activities.

What is a leader? What is a follower?

john — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:15:49 +0000

In any partner dance, as in life, there are those who lead and those who follow. Traditionally, these roles have been divided along gender lines, with guys being the leaders and the gals being followers. This is Cambridge, Mass, however and we’re quite open-minded to either gender assuming either role.

What is Floor Craft?

john — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:14:37 +0000

It’s an awareness of others on the dance floor. It’s dance floor courtesy. Floor craft is an art that should be practiced while on the dance floor. Knowing how the dance works and how the other couples on the floor will move is important. This is especially important for leaders. Leaders need to avoid sending their followers crashing into others on the dance floor. If you happen to kick somebody accidentally, stop and see if they’re okay and tell them you’re sorry. And try to be mindful of your steps if you are dancing backwards. If you do happen to kick somebody really badly, check on them after the song is over just as an extra courtesy.

Safety…?

john — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:13:24 +0000

Oh yes, this is important so listen up! Please DON’T do aerials or air steps at a social dance! You could potentially land on someone’s head or accidentally kick them. Kicking, tripping, bumping can sometimes happen on the dance floor. It is easier to avoid when practicing good floor craft.

Do I need to back-flip over my partner to do this dance?

john — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:12:47 +0000

Absolutely not! In fact, aerials or air steps as they are called should only be done in the context of a performance or competition. There are NO air steps allowed at most social dances including Boston Swing Central. People can be subject to injury when doing air steps, not just because they can land wrong, but during a dance, they could potentially land on somebody else.

Personal Hygiene…?

john — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:09:50 +0000

Since you’ll be in close proximity to another person when you’re dancing, it is very important to have fresh breath and deodorant. We would also recommend avoiding dishes with lots of garlic before a dance…sadly, many of us avoid Italian food before a dance, but that has the added benefit of not weighing us down while we dance with a belly full of heavy pasta. Let’s face it, we all sweat, but packing a small towel or an extra shirt goes a really long way to make those who dance with you happy.

Do I have to dress vintage?

john — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:08:15 +0000

Nope! Only if you want to. Style of dress varies a lot. We would discourage you from wearing sweats, if only because that projects a bit of slovenly image. Generally, though, going retro isn’t the approach most people take to their dance apparel. You often see guys in nice t-shirts or dress shirts and either jeans or dress pants; women often wear a dressy blouse and pants, or even go for a nice dress! It’s fairly low key, though, unless it happens to be advertised as a more formal event. Pointy toed shoes or high heels are discouraged.

What is West Coast Swing?

john — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:04:51 +0000

West Coast swing is a modern evolution of East Coast swing that is danced to more contemporary music. The footwork is based on a 6-count basic, but it has evolved in a stylized way to fit more modern music. As it evolved, it became its own dance. However, it is still a distant cousin, or perhaps a different dialect of the same language. It’s similar to the differences between British English and American English. The conversation can still be had between dancers from the various communities, but each side might think the other “talks funny”.

What is Lindy Hop then?

john — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:04:03 +0000

Lindy Hop is a dance based around an 8-count basic, and incorporates all of the elements of East Coast Swing, as well as some Charleston, Fox Trot and other ballroom dances. It is a wholly American dance; its vernacular is dictated by the dances of the 1920s and 1930s which were in turn derived from the music of the time. And just as jazz music was a fusion of Western symphonic music and African rhythms, so too is the dance. The Lindy Hop is mixture of ballroom, Charleston and African dance.

East Coast or Lindy Hop? I’m confused- what’s the difference?

john — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:02:50 +0000

East Coast swing, or 6-count swing, is a subset of the Lindy Hop codified and proliferated by Arthur Murray dance studios. Think of Arthur Murray as the McDonald’s of dancing…and East Coast swing was its hamburger. Lindy Hop, the predominant form of swing dancing back in the ballrooms of Harlem in the 1930s was too complicated to learn in a simple lesson. Arthur Murray recognized that the 6-count steps were an easier subset that could be taught in easily in a hour or two, so he separated those steps out of Lindy Hop and tadaa! East Coast Swing was born.

How long does it take to learn to swing dance?

john — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 01:00:17 +0000

East Coast Swing, or 6-count swing basics can be learned in a couple of hours. But, like playing an instrument such as piano, the sky’s the limit! Few people have sit down at piano for the first time and start playing Mozart. Same holds true for swing dancing. Learning the Lindy Hop can take time and patience. Don’t be discouraged; take as many lessons as you can from a wide variety of teachers. Be patient with yourself, enjoy the journey, social dance alot and voila!

Do I need a partner?

john — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 00:57:49 +0000

Nope, just show up. New dancers get a warm welcome by the dance community! There will be plenty of helpful folks who are ready and willing to dance with new people. And most dances have a lesson at the beginning too- a great way to meet newer dancers.

I >heart< Swing

james — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 06:59:06 +0000

A Valentine’s Day Party with the Beantown Swing Orchestra! (featuring a little help from Cupid)

We at Boston Swing Central are really excited for this night. Why? Because we have a special Valentine’s Day party planned! Not only will the Beantown Swing Orchestra provide the soundtrack, including debuting a new singer (!), we are supplying you with custom-designed Boston Swing Central Valentines so you can share the love with your swing buddies, your favorite lead/follow, or even that secret crush. Pick up some valentines when you enter, fill them out, and drop them in one of the mailboxes scattered around the dance. Our very own “Cupids” will deliver them throughout the night. (If you don’t know their full name, it’s OK! Just address them as “To: Dave from Maine” or “To: Danielle with the short brown hair” - the more descriptive, the better. Cupid will figure it out and deliver your message!)

So tell all your friends and come early, as we’re expecting a very fun filled and packed evening. Beantown Swing Orchestra will debut a new singer and provide a soundtrack for a very memorable night! (Shoot that poison arrow…)

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12am
$13 / $10 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

The Standard Bearers

james — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 06:59:19 +0000

The Standard Bearers: Our DJs play the Standards

You’ve heard these songs before: you know the tune, the words, and maybe even where the breaks are. You may not know who wrote them, or who sings your favorite version, but these iconic tunes are the classics- the standards!

Take “Honeysuckle Rose” written by Fats Waller, with lyrics by the legendary Andy Razaf. Or how about “Summertime”: written by George and Ira Gershwin, it debuted in 1935 in the opera Porgy & Bess and has been covered by artists as varied as Sam Cooke, Gordon Webster, Nina Simone, Gene Harris, Louis Armstrong, and dozens more. These standards and more like them are what’s on tap this week, and our DJs will spice them up with some unfamiliar versions that will delight you in a familiar way.

Camille Fontanella from Northampton, MA and Boston’s own Alex Abdoulaev will DJ for us and carry the banner of Standard Bearers for the evening.

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-1am
$10 / $8 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Swingology

khrysti — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 03:04:24 +0000

It’s the 4th Friday of the month and you know what that means… BOSTON SWING CENTRAL is hosting Swingology! Swingology is a concept we at Boston Swing Central have been developing to explore some details of the music we all love to dance to! The question, “What swings?” has been the source of considerable debate and discussion, so we want Swingology to be the place where DJs can showcase their own diverse interpretations of “What swings?”.

Depending on the DJ, you may get a blend of classic swing (Bix Beiderbeck, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey) with favorite soul artists (Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone), or maybe the best of Neo-swing (Indigo Swing, Lavay Smith) and great swing-era divas (Ella, Carmen McRae, Ernestine Anderson), and there’s sure to be some fantastic jump blues and hot jazz in the mix too! The idea of Swingology is to explore some of these boundaries while keeping the mix strongly rooted in familiar artists and songs we love to hear.

We know that a lot of our DJs like to play some pretty funky stuff on occasion, but since the idea of Swingology is specifically to keep things swingin’, you can expect a night full of good, solid, swing dance music from every corner of the kingdom of Swing! It is quite a challenge for the DJs, but one thing’s for sure, the music will be like the weather in New England: if you don’t like it, just wait 5 minutes. Come see where Swingology will take you!

Kellian Adams and Brian Pletcher are back for their monthly lesson with BSC, and we’re sure they will have some great stuff for you this week!

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12am
$10 / $8 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Rocco and the Stompers

khrysti — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 03:00:57 +0000

Come to BOSTON SWING CENTRAL this week for Rocco and the Stompers! They’re a little big band with a big heart in the spirit of Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges. We asked Frank from Beantown Swing Orchestra if he could make a smaller version of his great band to showcase the different character that smaller swing bands offer. He told us he already had one and they were called Rocco & the Stompers! We talked to leader Danny Fratina and he was very receptive to doing some of our favorite songs, he even worked out new charts for songs we gave him by Duke Ellington and Roy Eldridge! Wow, what more could we ask for? This will be their 3rd time playing Boston Swing Central and we’re excited to be able to bring them back for you again!

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12am
$13 / $10 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Neo-Swing Night!

khrysti — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:00:10 +0000

Newsflash!

We are excited to update you with news that the Boston Phoenix is going to check out Boston Swing Central this Friday for Neo-Swing night. They’re sending someone over to take the lesson and experience the dance, and we hope you will come out to help us show them that swing dancing is alive and swingin’ in Boston!

This week, we want to take you back in time; but instead of the usual jump to the 40s and 50s, we’ll revisit the years that were our own swingin’ beginnings: the 90s! So put on your best “Zoot Suit Riot” and come “Jump, Jive, and Wail” all night long as our DJs spice up their rockin’ sets with an extra serving of your favorite contemporary swing bands, including Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Indigo Swing, Squirrel Nut Zippers, and all the rest. Our DJs for the night will be Khrysti Smyth, James “TopCAT” McClurkin, and Jason Provost.

Not sure what we’re talking about? Watch the 1998 Gap Khakis commercial that helped set off the Neo-Swing explosion and let this little slice of contemporary history spark your memory!

And, as if that wasn’t enough to get you excited about this week at BSC, Amanda and Shawn of It’s All Swing are back again to teach for us this week! Can you imagine two weeks in a row of this awesome pair? Maybe they’ll pull out some retro “Neo-Swing” moves to teach us!

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12am
$10 / $8 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Swingin’ with King Louie!

khrysti — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 00:00:51 +0000

This week, BOSTON SWING CENTRAL is Swinging with King Louie! Not Louis XIV, but rather Louis Armstrong, Louis Jordan and Louis Prima! We’ll have the superlative Louis Armstrong catalog, the jump blues of Louis Jordan, and that Vegas kitsch of Louis Prima to delight your ears all night long. Sounds like a winning combination to us!

Our instructors tonight will be the phenomenal Amanda Gruhl and Shawn Hershey of It’s All Swing studios! This is a dynamic duo that we absolutely adore for many reasons, not the least of which is the amount of thought and care they put into the development of their revolutionary teaching style. Come see what they have to offer you this week!

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12am
$10 / $8 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Did you know…?

Louis Armstrong was nicknamed Satchmo.
Louis Jordan hailed from Arkansas and he is often credited with penning the first rock and roll song, called “Saturday Night Fish Fry”.
Louis Prima is the voice of everybody’s favorite swingin’ orangutan and inspiration for this night: King Louie from Disney’s animated classic, “The Jungle Book”!

Swingology

khrysti — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 00:00:59 +0000

It’s the 4th Friday of the month and you know what that means… BOSTON SWING CENTRAL is hosting Swingology! For those of you who didn’t hear about it last month, Swingology is a concept we at Boston Swing Central have been developing to explore some details of the music we all love to dance to! The question, “What swings?” has been the source of considerable debate and discussion, so we want Swingology to be the place where DJs can showcase their own diverse interpretations of “What swings?”.

We know that a lot of our DJs like to play some pretty funky stuff on occasion, but since the idea of Swingology! is specifically to keep things swingin’, you can expect a night full of good, solid, swing dance music from every corner of the kingdom of Swing! It is quite a challenge for the DJs, but one thing’s for sure, the music will be like the weather in New England, if you don’t like it, wait 5 minutes and it will change. We are able to go until 1am tonight, so come see where Swingology will take you!

Camille Fontanella will be our guest DJ this week and she will also be teaching a lindy hop lesson before the dance! Camille hails from Western Mass and has taught and DJed all over the Northeast so come early to get the full experience!

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-1am
$10 / $8 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Gordon Webster Quartet

khrysti — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 00:00:31 +0000

Come to BOSTON SWING CENTRAL this week for another AMAZING band, the Gordon Webster Quartet! Gordon Webster played for us a month or two ago and it was one of the most fantastic nights of dancing we’ve had yet! This time we’ve asked him to come back with his singer, Brianna Thomas to change things up a bit. We’re sure this night is going to be fantastic so get your dancing shoes on and come on down to Central Square to dance the night away!

And we have another special treat for you tonight: our instructors are going to be Aurelie and Tony Tye of Hop to the Beat dance studio! Aurelie and Tony have been swing dancing in Boston for nearly 20 years and sharing their love of swing dance through teaching since 1994. They have done so much to help grow the swing scene in Boston, including creating and running the week-long Beantown lindy hop dance camp every year since 1997. If you’ve heard of them and wondered what they’re about, here’s your chance, so come out early!

Keep in mind that we do have a capacity and we will be holding to it for safety reasons, so another reason to come early is to ensure you get a spot on the floor! If you come later and we have the door held, try again in about 30 minutes and we’ll likely be able to let a few more in. There are a lot of great bars, clubs, and a fantastic coffee shop right around the corner that can keep you entertained in the meantime!

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12am
SPECIAL EVENT! $15 / $12 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Hello world!

admin — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 03:43:27 +0000

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

Beantown Swing Orchestra

khrysti — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 00:00:21 +0000

This week, BOSTON SWING CENTRAL is proud to present the Beantown Swing Orchestra! This is certainly a not-to-be-missed event: first of all, Beantown has been working on a whole new set of music specifically resulting from dancers’ requests, secondly they have a fabulous new vocalist that we can’t wait to hear, and finally, Beantown is featured in a movie that’s coming out on the 19th called My Best Friend’s Girl (starring Kate Hudson, Dane Cook, and Jason Biggs)! All of these things add up to AWESOMENESS!

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12am
$13 / $10 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Back Bay Rhythm Makers

khrysti — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:00:56 +0000

Come to BOSTON SWING CENTRAL this week for the Back Bay Rhythm Makers, the 6-8 piece band that stems from the White Heat Swing Orchestra! They played for us back in May and rocked the house, so we’re bringing them back again! Help us welcome back all of our students and kick off the Fall with a big BBRM bang!

Lesson 8-9pm / Dancing 9pm-12am
$13 / $10 for students (with valid ID) and seniors

Jason Provost

khrysti — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:46:37 +0000

A Massachusetts native, Jason has been DJing music for swing dancers since 2003. He’s worked to bring faster and more exciting music from the original swing era into the modern dance scene. His taste runs from the hot charts of the 1930s to soul to dixie. Aside from his weekly gig, Jason has appeared as a guest DJ at the Boston Tea Party, the Wicked Lindy Weekend, Providence Swings, the Connecticut Lindy Exchange, Swingin’ New England, Yehoodi Radio, and other local and national events and dances. He has also hosted radio shows for local stations spinning both swing and non-swing music. He is the house MC for Boston Swing Central. Also, he works for JP Licks and brings us ice cream from time to time.

Email him at jason.provost@bostonswingcentral.org

Mike Hibarger (President)

khrysti — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:07:12 +0000

DJ RetroMike has been dancing in Boston since 1998. He is responsible for the sound and books all the bands and DJs for Boston Swing Central’s awesome Friday night dances. He is also known as one of the 5 Guys Named Mike, Mike #3 to be exact. Over the years, he has also coordinated the Copley Square Swing Dance. And he has DJed at exchanges and camps outside of Boston in Connecticut, New York and Montreal. DJ RetroMike hopes you enjoy dancing to the music he plays and he really loves it when people come up and ask, “what’s that song?” because they have to get the track for themselves….

Email him at michael.hibarger@bostonswingcentral.org

Swingology

admin — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:14:02 +0000

Featuring the Best Swing, Soul, and Blues with some of our Favorite DJs until 1 am!
Lesson: 8:00-9:00pm
General Dancing: 9:00pm-midnight
$10, $8 (Students/Seniors with valid ID)

Closed!

admin — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 03:59:01 +0000

We are closed due to a private function at the church

Closed!

admin — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:02:38 +0000

We are closed tonight in support of Wicked Lindy

Tim Lewandowski (Treasurer)

khrysti — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 23:54:17 +0000

Tim is our Treasurer. He’s good with numbers. He teaches kids about them at Emmanuel College when he’s not dancing. He’s also good with music and plays trombone (jazz, not classical) a few places around town. You should ask him to dance.

Email him at tim.lewandowski@bostonswingcentral.org

What is BSC?

admin — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:55:25 +0000

Boston Swing Central is a dancer-formed, volunteer-run organization dedicated to promoting positive and fun swing dancing experiences in Boston.

We have two primary objectives. First, to provide a weekly Friday night dance that caters to the desires of dancers of all levels. This means a dance that is centrally located, on public transportation, and reasonably priced.

Second, to champion the diverse voices within the community by remaining open and neutral with regards to information and promotion of other swing dance events in the greater Boston area and by striving to feature a wide variety of teachers, bands, and DJs.

Khrysti Smyth (Secretary)

admin — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:32:21 +0000

Khrysti likes chewing. So much so that she often bites off more than she can chew out of excitement for all of the chewing she might be able to get into a single mouthful. She also likes dancing. A LOT. She’s been dancing most nights of her life since 1997 when she discovered bellydancing and, shortly thereafter, lindy hop. Lately she’s been into organizing big things and finishing her master’s thesis. Finally. She’s knows you’re going to ask so she’ll tell you: it’s on the relationship between insect diversity and vegetative diversity in urban, residential habitats and involved her walking around the neighborhoods of St. Louis with a bug net knocking on doors and asking people if she could have their bugs. They nearly always said yes.

Email her at khrysti.smyth@bostonswingcentral.org

Mailing List

admin — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 22:30:54 +0000

Sign up for our email list.

Volunteer

admin — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 22:20:53 +0000

We offer reduced rates to volunteers. See the Volunteers page for info.

Best Of

james — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 22:10:18 +0000

Facebook

admin — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 22:00:35 +0000

Join us on

Boston Swing Central

Sinti Rhythm Debuts at the BSC!

Sweet Molasses Blues - Event Weekend at Springstep!

Fats Waller

I

New Orleans…Where It All Began

Djangology

Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade

Fletcher Henderson Experience

Wicked New Year!

Happy New Year - We’re Closed

Merry Christmas - We’re Closed

DJ Night

Holiday Party with Shawn Hershey Quartet

December 4th - Closed

Closed for Thanksgiving Holiday

Back Bay Rhythm Makers

You Are What You Eat

Benny Goodman Tribute

Calling all Zombies 2

Kickin’ it Old Skool

Neo Swing

College Night - $5 Admission

Stompin’ at the Savoy

Beantown Swing - T-Step Workshop Weekend at Springstep

Beantown Swing - T-Step Workshop Weekend!

A Tribute to Swing Royalty

CANCELED: Outdoor Summer Dance - Copley Square

Back to School Swing

Closed for Labor Day

Gordon Webster Trio

A Tribute to the Dog Days of Summer

Summer Outdoor Dance Series Continues at Piers Park!

We’re back Starting August 14th!

Swingin’ on the Charles

BSC Incorporation and New Venue Fund Raiser!

Copley Square FREE Outdoor Dance

Closed

No Dance - July 4th Weekend

Julie Irish

Boston Swing Central Goes to Beantown!

Summer Swing

Swingology

Twitter Updates

Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade

Boston Swing Central Summer Outdoor Dance Series

June 14th dance CANCELED due to rain.

The Blue Vipers of Brooklyn (Special Event)

J Street Band

Rusty Scott Trio

Springology

What’s Buzzin’ Cousin?

Boston Swing Central and BIX @ Piers Park in East Boston!

George Gee and the Jump Jive and Wailers/Boston Independence Exchange

Frankie’s Favorites

Swing & Soul

Swing Legacy

Take Me Out to the Ballgame- Our Tribute to Baseball

Back Bay Rhythm Makers help us celebrate First Anniversary of Boston Swing Central

Swingology

Shawn Hershey Quartet

Rocco & the Stompers, Beantown Swing Orchestra - Vintage Dress-up

Don’t forget! We’ll be at our temporary venue - right around the corner at The YMCA (click to view a map).

Gordon Webster Quintet with Brianna Thomas

Red Hot and Blues Night

Swingology

Where can I learn more?

What is an Exchange?

Where can I learn?

What is a leader? What is a follower?

What is Floor Craft?

Safety…?

Do I need to back-flip over my partner to do this dance?

Personal Hygiene…?

Do I have to dress vintage?

What is West Coast Swing?

What is Lindy Hop then?

East Coast or Lindy Hop? I’m confused- what’s the difference?

How long does it take to learn to swing dance?

Do I need a partner?