In light of the ongoing conversations in the lindy hop world on how we create safer dance spaces for all, Nicole Zuckerman, Manu Smith and I produced an online forum for events organizers on February 4, 2015. Participants included an all-star line up of prominent leaders in the swing community:
- Hilary Alexander, organizer of Camp Hollywood
- Scott Cupit, organizer of London Lindy Hop Festival and Swing Patrol
- Michael Gamble, an organizer of Lindy Focus
- Nina Gilkenson, an organizer of Mobtown Ballroom and ILHC
- and Tena Morales, organizer of International Lindy Hop Champioships and Lindy Fest
[Here's the audio only version that you can listen to.]
We hope that this helps give swing event organizers some ideas about how to get started, and show them it isn't so scary or burdensome. If you have not seen it yet, you might want to check out a more raw and wide-ranging conversation that happened in January among several dancers from around the US. Also see the notes from the forum that occurred in San Francisco last week.
Thanks to Jerry Almonte, Mikey Pedroza, Bobby White, Gina Helfrich and Rebecca Brightly for their help in putting together this panel.
And of course huge thanks to Tena, Nina, Michael, Scott and Hilary for being willing to engage in this difficult and complicated subject with us!