SCHWING!

So the Stake performance is coming up soon in June called 2REAL. In it each ward is assigned a dance era (we got the 60's) and on the night as well as the ward performances, there will be a competition between the wards with a dance couple representing each ward in 4 dances. The cha cha, disco, swing and the waltz. 

Today at our ward practice some of us who were interested in being involved in the couple's dancing (which was only a few of us) played the songs that would be danced to for each style and discussed which we would like to do. My friend Courtney and I were hanging out together and tuning in and out of my mom's and Martine's (our Relief Society President) conversation and cd playing when I heard the Andrew Sisters being played. I had mentioned to mom that I would like to do the swing but wouldn't be able to because I didn't have a partner so somebody else would probably get the chance to but when I heard Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy I stepped forward straight away and said to Martine "sign me up, I'm doing the swing!" 

And then somehow it ended up that Courtney and I will be doing it together because we can't think of any guy to be partners with. I'm not complaining at all. It'll be fun! Courtney and I both agree we don't want to be with a partner who is there becuase they have to be or they were forced to do it or anything like that so we're glad we're doing it together. 

Courtney's only concern that we might not be approved as the couple for the swing by Bishop is because we are both girls but I don't see why Bishop would object. The swing was not danced just by male-female couples and sometimes was not danced by couples but soloists. As well, it's not like it's the waltz where it would look rather awkward with one of us having to play the male role.

I got home after we quickly went looking at a costume shop for costumes to hire (70 bucks?! I don't think so!) and started to look up what the swing exactly was. I discovered that it was started in the early 1910's, 1920's and had progressed and changed over the decades. There are also different forms of the swing (which would explain all the weird names when I looked swing up on youtube) and looked deeper into some of these. The Charleston really caught my eye as it sounded familiar and I was happy to discover it suited Courtney's and my needs perfectly. It was created in the 1920's and was specifically designed for minimum or no partner contact and the moves are alot simpler than the other swing styles. An extra bonus, we get to dress up as flappers and not in poodle skirts from the 50's.

Here are the two clips that I have had on repeat all day to try and drill some of it into my head. The first is the song we are dancing to and the second is an original clip dubbed over with some modern music of charleston dancing.

 Sisters - Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

Charleston Style