I had the pleasure of being at the final night of the 2010 Midsummer Night Swing festival at Lincoln Center last night. I and several hundred happy dancers were treated to one the finest swing orchestras in the land, the Harlem Renaissance Orchestra under the helm of Ron Allen. I've seen and enjoyed HRO for…
Category: Dancing / Music
Final Night of Midsummer Night Swing This Saturday: Harlem Renaissance Orchestra and Dance Contest!
Friends Eden and David on the banner of the Midsummer Nights Swing website! I can hardly believe it, but this Saturday is already the final night of Midsummer Nights Swing for 2010! This year, Lincoln Center organized an amazing line-up of bands and dances for their annual Midsummer Nights Swing festival. Lots of standout…
The LXD Episode 3: Robot Love Story (mini-review)
While episode 1 focused on b-boying, and episode 2 featured kung-fu / parcour, episode 3 of the web dance series "The League of Extraordinary Dancers" turned to the precise and less flashy danceform known as "popping." The main character in this episode is "Sp3cimin," played by robotic dancer "Madd" Chadd Smith. The popping that Chadd…
Musical Funeral Today for Benny Powell at Saint Peters Jazz Church
Today at Saint Peters Church on the Upper Eastside there will be a jazz-filled funeral for renowned trombonist Benny Powell starting at 7pm. Jazz and swing fans are invited to come by and pay your respects, and hear some incredible music while you are there. Benny was born March 1, 1930 in New Orleans, learned…
Talk on history of of b-boying by Ken Swift and Joe Schloss now online (video)
HHTF Humanities Series: Ken Swift (Pt 1) from Clyde Valentin on Vimeo. The nice folks at the Hip-hop Theater Festival have released online a video of the really interesting conversation between b-boy pioneer Ken Swift and hip-hop historian Joe Schloss that took place a few months ago at NYU. I learned a lot from attending…
Review of Episodes 1 & 2 of the Legion of Extraordinary Dancers
So I got to see the two first episodes of the Legion of Extraordinary Dancers today on Hulu. Announced in December of last year, the "LXD" has been billed by director John Chu as the world's "first online dance adventure." Finally today we got to see what the heck Chu has been talking about, and…
The LXD Episodes 1 & 2 are Out: the Tale of Trevor Drift (video)
Apparently I've been sleeping on the job, because I didn't notice that Episode 1 and 2 of the Legion of Extraordinary Dancers web-series is now out. I'm at work now, so can't really enjoy it till later. But watch it yourself if you so inclined: Episode 1: The Tale of Trevor Drift Episode 2: Antigravity…
Swinging to the Moonshiners of New Orleans at Lincoln Center (video)
Tonight the incredible Moonshiners of New Orleans tore it up for an appreciative, if sweaty, crowd of dancers at Midsummer Nights Swing at Lincoln Center. Such an amazing band! And their first time playing outside of New Orleans! Other Moonshiners videos: a slower, latin-inflected number Moonshiners with vocalist singing French song Lindy hoppers on Damrosch…
Monday Swing Awesomeness: Ninjammers at the Montreal Jazz Fest (video)
Here's a ridiculously cool video of world-renowned lindy hop team the "Ninjammers" performing before a crowd of 50,000 people at the Festival de Jazz de Montreal. I love how they integrate the lindy hop movement into the funky, electro-swing sound of the group Caravan Palace. Not an easy feat! Featured dancers: Max Pitruzzelli, Annie Trudeau,…
Birthday Festivities Continued: Smoked Montreal Meat & The Big Apple for Dessert
The festivities continued on my actual birthday, Saturday, July 3. It began with an incredible lunch at the Mile End Delicatessan in Boerum Hil, Brooklyn. I've been wanting to go to this place since it opened a few months ago. Passing it by on my way home from Quaker Meeting, there were always long lines…