CULTURE
“ Swing dancing can be as simple or as complicated as you like, but it’s alwaysfun.”
NG! a follow-up one for ‘improvers’, which is open to anyone with any dance experience as well as to the Saturday workshop ‘graduates’, on Sunday. When Scott and I talked, Ireally wanted to know all about Strictly (he was assistant choreographer on the Australian version before working on the UK programme) but he was far too discreet, just saying how much fun it was to be involved in such an iconic show. What hereally wanted to talk about was Swing Patrol and how it’s spreading the swing dance message all around the UK and now the Isle of Man: “Everywhere we go, from our base in Brighton to the north of Scotland, and now to you, there are beginners and experienced dancers of all ages who just want to enjoy
the magic which is swing dancing,” he said. “Yes, it’s good exercise, yes, the music is infectious, but most of all people want to get out and enjoy themselves: they soon become hooked!” If you want to know more, search for ‘Swing Dancing’ on YouTube: there’s lots there, much of which features Scott and Swing Patrol, but the one thing that stood out for me is the number of men taking part. “That’s very true,” Scott continued, “unlike ballroom classes, where the male:female ratio is around 4:10, for swing it’s more like 8:10. Swing is cool, it’s sporty, it’s relaxed, and,” he laughed, “there are no sequins!” The This is Swingweekend ends with a Swing Prom from 7-10pm on 12 August in the Promenade Suite at the Villa Marina, with live music from poplar local blues/ soul/funk/rock & roll band Borderline who, as anyone who’s seen them play can testify, positively encourage dancing. Entrance to this is free to those who take part in the workshops but costs £10 for anyone else – and even if you’re not going to set the dance floor alight yourself there will be the chance to see demonstration dances from Scott and Arrianne, who specialises in those aerial lifts which get audiences oo-ing and ahh-ing, and burst into huge rounds of applause. It’d be worth the money just to see Scott and Arrianne dance, but for the rest of us, I don’t thinkGordon was joking when he told me that ‘swing celebrates mistakes’: everyone’s welcome to attend the workshops to learn the basics or brush up their swing dance skills, or you can just show up for the Sunday night ‘prom’ and get into that Swing.
For more information about the workshops, how to book or to buy tickets for the Swing Prom go to www.facebook. com/swingintheisleor www.swingintheisle.net. More about Scott and Swing Patrol, www.swingpatrol.co.uk
BECAUSE QUALITY MATTERS
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