Vintage dance, live music and fierce competition will bring hundreds of swing aficionados to Denver this weekend.
Nineteen national-champion instructors will host workshops in swing, Lindy Hop, blues and aerial swing dancing Friday through Sunday at the sixth annual “Lindy on the Rocks” event hosted by Community-Minded Dance.
Social dancers are coming from as far away as Europe to get dances from the Charleston and tango to jazz and lively folkloric movements. Special guests include Mikey Pedroza and Nikki Marvin, who have performed on “Dancing With the Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance.”
“Usually at events like this, you will only have maybe one or two couples instructing,” says Jessica Shaffer, director of the Colorado State University competitive swing team, Blam! “To have that many great dancers all in the same place at such a great price and be able to see, watch and dance with them is incredibly inspiring.”
The instructors have all been dancing for 10 years-plus, Shaffer says, and she can’t wait to have new students joining her team see the possibilities.
“When you are able to dance with them and keep up and follow them, you just get this awesome feeling,” Shaffer says. “They make it look so easy and clean.”
Worried that you can’t dance?
Try the beginner dance track and study Lindy Hop all weekend and get an access pass into all events for $99. Instructor John Dyer says if beginners start on Friday, they will have a good handle on the basics by the end of the weekend.
“Come with or without a partner because the whole point is that you can be able to dance with anybody on the floor once you take a couple of classes,” says Dyer, a DJ and co-operator of Boulder Swing Dance.
Bring comfy shoes a little bit “on the slippery side.” Women, leave the heels at home.
“Lindy Hop comes from Harlem and it’s definitely more of an into-the-ground kind of dance with jazz roots,” Dyer says. “You don’t want to wear heels or grippy shoes.”
If you prefer, you can dance in your seat to the music of the popular Boilermaker Jazz Band, which will perform live Friday and Saturday nights during social dance sessions open to the public. Each night’s dance will host world-class-level competitions and champion performances. Tickets cost $20.
Fun continues on Sunday with a massive outdoor sunset swing dance at Cheesman Park Pavilion.
All proceeds will fund CMDance school programs that introduce area youth to dance. This fall, CMDance will host a pilot program with Denver Head Start to help fight childhood obesity by introducing 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds to swing dancing and jazz music. The nonprofit needs to raise $20,000 to run the program, analyze its effectiveness and then secure federal grant money to keep it operating.
Fifteen students who have participated in the program since its inception in 1999 have gone on to international dance careers, including Laura Keat, who will be traveling from Los Angeles to teach this weekend in Denver.
Keat joined the Championship Lindy Hop performance team 23 Skidoo when she lived in Denver and quickly excelled, racking up other national titles. Keat was also recently recognized by the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame in the Nova Star category.
“It’s amazing what can happen when you have the right atmosphere for a young person and can make experiences accessible to them,” says Caryn Carbonaro, CMDance’s founder.
Sheba R. Wheeler: 303-954-1283
Lets dance!
FRIDAY
Denver Turnverein Ballroom, 1570 Clarkson St. Evening dance at 8:30 p.m. to live music of the Boilermaker Jazz Band with Naomi Uyama on vocals. Tickets: $20 at the door.
SATURDAY
Sherman Street Event Center, 1770 Sherman St. Evening Dinner and Dance, 9 p.m. to midnight. Tickets: two-for-one tickets for $25 until 5 p.m. Saturday at or pay $25 for one ticket at the door. Swing dance with live music and a buffet dinner provided by Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant. A $10 dinner buffet ticket is optional and available by pre-order only; look for the link at .
SUNDAY
Sunset Swing music and dance performances at Cheesman Park Pavilion, East 12th Avenue and Race Street, 6-10 p.m. Suggested donation: $10.
Late Night Swing and Soul Party at the Denver Turnverein Ballroom, 1570 Clarkson St., hosted by national DJs Peter Strom and Scott Angelius from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tickets: $15 at the door.
Classes
FRIDAY
Denver Turnverein, 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
• 7 to 8: Beginning Lindy Hop lesson
• 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.: Dancing with the Boilermaker Jazz Band
• 9:30: Invitational Jack and Jill Competition
SATURDAY
Sherman Events Center, 7:30 p.m. to midnight
• 7:30 to 8:45: Performances, competitions and buffet dinner
• 8:45 to midnight: Dance with the Boilermaker Jazz Band
• 11.: Open Strictly Finals Competition
SUNDAY
Cheesman Park Pavilion, 6 to 9:30 p.m.
• 6:30: Open Jack and Jill Finals Competition
• 7 to 9:30: Dancing with National DJs
• 9: Award Ceremony
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