Lindy hoppers Akemi and Patrick performing tonight at a benefit for Coney Island.
Had a really awesome time tonight at the Spring Gala Fundraiser
party for Coney Island USA, which took place tonight in the Lower Eastside of Manhattan. I was there with a group of a dozen of so lindy hoppers to liven up the party and dance to the swing band Lady Luck and the Suicide Kings.
Everyone from our group looked swell in their vintage dresses and suits, although we were far from the most fabulous people there. Women and men in full mermaid regalia strutted around the party space in glittery, sequiny glory. The partygoers sported all sorts of vintage, sideshow, and burlesque wear. Surveying the offbeat and funky crowd, my friend Cindy says to me, “These are our people!”
We were only a small part of the entertainment that evening, which included The Pontani Sisters doing a cute hula number, Miss Stardust Saturn doing her amazing hula-hoop act, the always lovely Miss Dirty Martini, the inimitable Reverend Billy preaching against the “devil developers” threatening “the Coney Island inside us”, and a lively mini-Mermaid Parade that meandered through the crowd.
Toward the end of the night the lindy hoppers did a fun jam circle,
which the crowd seemed to love. I got in some lindy hop as well as some breakdancing. Then the DJ put on some soul music, and we boogied some more with the revelers.
Such a fun night! Go Coney Island!
Edit: Miss Stardust => Miss Saturn
In addition, other performers included:
– the cast of the 2008 Coney Island Circus Sideshow
– Miss Coney Island Serpentina
– Diamond Donny
– Heather Holiday
– Angelica
– Scott Baker
– Nick Knack
– Burlesque at the Beach’s Bambi the Mermaid and The Great Fredini
– The Pontani Sisters
– Dirty Martini
– Brian Fisherman
– Chris McDaniels, as well as Swing Dancing Sirens
– Shelly Watson
– DJ Jeff Jackson
– New York School of Burlesque
– Tigger!
– Peach Tartes
– Harvest Moon
– World Famous *BOB*
– Little Brooklyn
Thanks for the correction. Yeah, what Pookie said.