No need to be a wallflower, daddy-o!
The Pottstown-based Swing Kat Entertainment is offering sessions to learn the essential moves and techniques of swing dancing.
Being offered in Lansdale, West Chester, Pottstown, Reading and Allentown are five-week or 10-week blocks of 55-minute “Introduction to Swing” that are open to adults and teens who have never danced before. “It’s made it easy for people to come in and try it with no background. I get ’em moving, I keep ’em moving,” said Swing Kat Entertainment founder Faryl Codispoti, who has been offering swing dance classes for more than 10 years. He is one of five regularly rotating Swing Kat instructors, and said that to make it fun he has his beginner students switch partners. Cost is $75 for the five-week option and $110 for the 10-week option.
A 10-week “Beginner/Intermediate Swing” class focusing on the Lindy hop (named for 1920s celebrity aviator Charles Lindbergh) is also being offered in all five locations. This class builds on the moves taught in the introductory class, adding variations and style specific movements to the swing basics. The cost for this session is $120.
When asked why this style of dancing fell out of favor, Codispoti said that in the 1940s, “the music changed over from the early swing and hot jazz sound to the big band sound. Right at the end of the war, it shifted to a big band sound that wasn’t as swing-y.” However, he said, the jitterbug survived into the early rock ‘n’ roll era.
Lansdale
Held at the North Penn YMCA, 608 E. Main St., the next sessions will begin the week of June 13. “Introduction to Swing” will be held Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. “Beginner/Intermediate Swing” happens Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. June 13-Aug. 22.
On May 5 at 7 p.m. Swing Kat holds a DJ dance, with a beginner lesson taught at 7:30 p.m. and dancing at 8 p.m. Admission is $12, $7 for students.
Pottstown
Held at Ballroom on High, 310 E. High St., the next sessions will begin the week of June 14. “Introduction to Swing” will be held Wednesdays at 8 p.m.
“Beginner/Intermediate Swing” happens Wednesdays at 7 p.m. June 14-Aug. 16.
A new 10-week Practice Session at 7 p.m. on Thursdays starts June 15. Offered only in Pottstown, students from all Swing Kat locations who have previously taken “’20s Charleston” are encouraged to attend. An instructor and several advanced students will be on hand to help attendees work out any specific trouble spots and practice the many steps covered in the Charleston class.
“Swing Kat is excited to offer this new Practice Session,” said Codispoti. “While social dances are a fun opportunity for students to practice their dancing, our new Practice Session will offer a focus on our most recent beginner/intermediate class and provide opportunities for students to get one-on-one help with the steps that they find most difficult.”
Twice-monthly dances are held here, featuring live bands. The next dance with a live band is April 29 with The Gin Canaries. According to Codispoti, the alcohol-free events draw about 200 people. A beginner lesson will be taught starting at 7 p.m. and the band takes the stage at 8 p.m. Admission is $15, $10 for students.
West Chester
Held at Anytime Fitness, 1502 W. Chester Pike West, the next sessions will begin the week of June 12. “Introduction to Swing” will be held Mondays at 8:30 p.m.
“Beginner/Intermediate Swing” happens Mondays at 7:30 p.m. June 12-Aug. 14.
Also in the community
The Stompin’ Swing Out at Club 212, 212 Bridge St., Phoenixville is held the third Wednesday of the month. Admission is $5 for this DJ event.
Get updates and more information at www.swingkat.com and the Swing Kat Entertainment Facebook pages for your specific local location.