Z is for Zoot-Suit
Waaaaay before I was born there used to be this slight, little noticed dance craze called Swing.
It wasn't much... just a few kids here and there who discovered this crazy way to dance that made the heart beat as if it was flying out of ones body.
Fast-forward to my generation.... and the swing revival of the late 1990's.... and what you would find was a teenage girl discovering the absolute best thing there is to dancing, SWING.
That girl would be me.
I am in love with swing dancing.
Let me give you a little background: Swing music is predominantly a 1930's and 1940's style of music that surprisingly (or maybe not so) created quite a stir. The Zoot-Suit, which is typically connected with swing dance was actually outlawed after the Zoot-Suit Riots broke out in Los Angeles in 1943.
Swing dancing also caused quite a ruckus in Germany and during Hitler's reign was outlawed because of the majority of African and Jewish big band musicians. Yet, since dance is anything but resistible groups of kids aged 14-18 started dancing in secret. The Nazi's didn't like that to much and started trying to round them up. They called them the Swingjugend or Swing Kids.
But none of this happened in my generation.
My generation saw the emergence of bands such as the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, the Squirrel Nut Zippers, and the Cherry Poppin' Daddies.
These are the bands that first introduced me to swing.
It wasn't much... just a few kids here and there who discovered this crazy way to dance that made the heart beat as if it was flying out of ones body.
Fast-forward to my generation.... and the swing revival of the late 1990's.... and what you would find was a teenage girl discovering the absolute best thing there is to dancing, SWING.
That girl would be me.
I am in love with swing dancing.
Let me give you a little background: Swing music is predominantly a 1930's and 1940's style of music that surprisingly (or maybe not so) created quite a stir. The Zoot-Suit, which is typically connected with swing dance was actually outlawed after the Zoot-Suit Riots broke out in Los Angeles in 1943.
Swing dancing also caused quite a ruckus in Germany and during Hitler's reign was outlawed because of the majority of African and Jewish big band musicians. Yet, since dance is anything but resistible groups of kids aged 14-18 started dancing in secret. The Nazi's didn't like that to much and started trying to round them up. They called them the Swingjugend or Swing Kids.
Old School
But none of this happened in my generation.
My generation saw the emergence of bands such as the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, the Squirrel Nut Zippers, and the Cherry Poppin' Daddies.
These are the bands that first introduced me to swing.
New School
All of this, however, would have been an interesting side note in the 'Life and Times of Cannwin' were it not for one man. The first man I ever met who could swing.
We've been married for 9 years now.
We love to dance together.... although we never find the time. In fact the last time we danced was at Ralexwin's brother's wedding (above pic). We got rave reviews, several family members came up to us with comments like "I didn't know you guys could do that!"
When we were young and spry we used to go to this dance place in Washington, Utah. It was always sweltering hot in there but we would go and practice lifts or to just dance.
At nine months pregnant with my first child, Ralexwin and I danced in our tiny little living room hoping it would induce labor.
It's been years now... and we are so out of shape I don't think we'd last five minutes, but they're such a wonderful memories to have with him.
Those times we practiced moves at the hotel I worked grave-yards for.
The times people gave us dirty looks because we monopolized the dance floor.
The night I discovered he knew how to swing.
Those times we practiced moves at the hotel I worked grave-yards for.
The times people gave us dirty looks because we monopolized the dance floor.
The night I discovered he knew how to swing.
Ralexwin would say that we never were really good, that we didn't go as often as I remember. We weren't and we probably didn't, but I connect our courtship with swing dancing and I honestly have to say:
I ♥ Swing and I ♥ Ralexwin.
Comments
Have a lovely weekend,
LOLA:)
PS Mine this week is HERE. Hope you can join me!
All this makes me want to go dancing!
I love to put on Brian Setzer and have my two year old dance with me.
Great Z post.
=)
PS. My husband bought a zoot-y-ish suit yesterday. I think they're coming back!
Thanks for sharing that clip...gosh, I wish I could dance like that!
I think it is wonderful that you and your love share a bond of dancing ...
hope you can visit my z when you have time :)
http://adivashammer.com/?p=1662
We had an 80th Birthday party for my Dad in January and had a 50's band play. I brought in some dance instructors to teach everyone to do swing dancing and I loved it!
Now to talk my husband into going to lessons might be a challenge.
But I would do it in a heartbeat.
I'm glad your fella is more cooperative.
Thank you for this great link!
A+