Sorry that the updates have been infrequent here at the Herrang Dance Camp. It's been a whirlwind experience and I haven't had much time to process or write about it. And frankly I've enjoyed being completely offline for once in my life. Anyway, today I found myself teaching an introduction to breaking class as one…
Category: Dancing / Music
Herrang: Mind Officially Blown
Why do people come to Herrang? It's remote and hard to get to, over-crowded, hot, and full of mosquitos. There are many other camps, workshops, exchanges and dance events that occur all around the US, Europe and other parts of the world all year. And yet Herrang is still the gold standard of lindy hop…
Herrang Dance Camp Day One and Two: Auditioning and Fast Lindy Class
This is my second day at the Herrang Dance Camp in Sweden. It's been three years since I've been here, and the camp has grown quite a bit in that time. The main outdoor dance floor seems about twice as big as before, they have added more tents for the daytime classes, and participation has…
Off to the Herrang Lindy Hop Dance Camp!
Starting tomorrow night, I will be travelling to Sweden to participate in the Herrang International Swing Dance Camp, sort of the mecca for lindy hoppers. Every year, a thousand or so swing dancers from all over the world make the pilgrimage to Herrang for a five-week celebration of dance, featuring workshops, dance parties, shows, and…
The LXD Episodes 6 & 7: The Duet and the Dark Doctor Deal
Episode six “the Duet” and seven “The Dark Doctor Deal” of the Legion of Extraordinary Dancers came out tonight. One was very strong and different in tone from the previous episodes; the other was a bit of fluff but still entertaining. “The Duet” features a very creative use of split screen to highlight two contemporary…
New Midsummer Night Swing Promo Video!
The nice folks at Lincoln Center sent me a link to a new promo video that they produced about Midsummer Night Swing. It features some nice band footage, the lively crowd, testimonials by dancers … plus a brief appearance by me dipping the lovely Emily V at the very end of the video! By the…
The LXD Episode 4: The B-boy Office Battle Every Office Drone Dreams Of (video)
The LXD Episode 4 "The Uprising Begins" returns to b-boying,featuring Richard "Steelo" Vasquez in a one-on-one battle with a "former protegee." I like that it takes place in an office setting, using the props and the set to good effect, particularly the swirling papers and partitions. I'm sure a lot of salarymen and women out…
The LXD Episode 5: “The Lettermakers” (video)
The "Legion of Extraordinary Dancers" episode 5 is out! Entitled "The Lettermakers," it features krumpers Lil C and Deuce. Awesome dancing, but it's way too short! [Link to original video.]
More Video & Pics from Midsummer Night Swing Finale & Dance Contest
Here's some video footage of the "Ambassador's Prize" dance contest on the last night of Midsummer Night Swing last Saturday. I'm dancing with the lovely Nina Galicheva, meanwhile you can see friends Emily V and Marty in the foreground. And here's a sweet pic of Nina and I dancing by Kevin Yatarola. Thanks for sharing…
Flappers, Dandies & Lindy Hoppers Take over Governors Island for the “Jazz Age Lawn Party” (UPDATED)
This weekend was another "Jazz Age Lawn Party" on Governors Island, two days of hot jazz from the 20s and 30s, performed in an idyllic setting amidst a cool canopy of trees and stately military quarters. The featured musical entertainment were Michael Arenella and his Dreamland Orchestra, joined by Drew Nugent and the Midnight Society….