I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY…

BACK IN THE SUMMER OF 2015 WITH YELLOW FLOWER IN HAIR AND PRETTY DRESS TO MATCH, MY FIRST LINDY PARTNER BRandON JUMPED OVER MY SHOULDER. AT THE TIME HE WAS 16 and WELL LET’S JUST SAY I waS AT LEAST 20 years his senior. THE CROWD AT LINCOLN CENTER/MIDSUMMER NIGHT SWING WENT WILD. THEN WE STARTED DOING THE CHARLESTON, THEN SIDE PASSES, THEN HE GRABBED MY HAND AND AS SMOOTH AS CAN BE LED ME INTO A TANDEM CHARLESTON. MY MOMENTUM WAS HIGH BUT I WAS OUT OF BREATH. I KEPT GOING REGARDLESS AND THEN I HAD AN OUT OF BODY EXPERIENCE.  THIS BIG GIRL SUDDENLY FELT LIGHT ON MY FEET. I FELT I COULD JUMP AS HIGH AS THE SKY AND MOVE AS FAST AS I WANTED. I KEPT GOING AND I HUNG IN THERE. ON THIS EVENING WE WENT UP AGAINST DANCE TEACHERS AND SEASONED LINDY HOP VETERANS AND WON 3^rD Place. THAT’S BRANDON JUMPING OVER ME AT MIDSUMMER NIGHT SWING. WE ALSO COMPETED AND WON (3RD PLACE) IN 2015 AND AT ALHAMBRA BALLROOM JAZZ VESPER COMPETITION WE WON (2ND PLACE). NOT BAD FOR A BIG GIRL. ALL EYES WERE ON US AT THESE DANCE COMPETITIONS BECAUSE WE BROUGHT IT HARD AND OF COURSE WE WERE THE ODD COUPLE. LOL.

OK! I ADMIT I AM ADDICTED TO THIS HAPPY DANCE. I HAVE BECOME A PLUS SIZE LINDY HOPPING DYNAMO! I SOCIAL DANCE AND I COMPETE. I LOVE TO DANCE. AS A TEENAGER I USED TO BE A HIP HOP DANCE AND RAP FANATIC. IT WAS NOTHING FOR ME TO BUS A RHYME OR SHOW OFF MY “ELECTRIC BOOGIE/POP LOCKIN”AND “BREAK DANCE” MOVES. BUT NOW I’M HOOKED ON LINDY. PEOPLE USED TO RULE ME OUT BUT NOW WHEN THEY SEE ME MOVE THE FELLOWS STAND AND FALL DOWN ON THEIR KNEES LIKE I AM THE HIVE FOR THE HONEY BEES. BUT SERIOUSLY IT TOOK AWHILE FOR ME TO GET TO THIS POINT. I LOSS SOME WEIGHT BUT NOT ENOUGH. AT ONE TIME I COULD BARELY DO SIX OR EIGHT COUNT STEPS. NOW I’VE BUILT UP MY STAMINA. I DANCE AT LEAST THREE TIMES A WEEK, BUT IN THE SUMMER IT’S ALMOST EVERY DAY BECAUSE OF THE MANY NYC FREE VENUES. MY FAVORITE SPOTS ARE MANHATTAN’S FRIM FRAM JAM AT YOU SHOULD BE DANCING STUDIOS, AND BROOKLYN SWINGS AT A CHURCH ON AINSLIE STREET.

MY FIRST LINDY HOP CLASSES WERE A LITTLE OVER THREE YEARS AGO WITH THE HARLEM SWING DANCE SOCIETY. CURRENTLY, I TAKE CLASSES ON MONDAY’S STILL IN HARLEM FAITHFULLY WITH SAMMYSWINGS.COM DANCE INSTRUCTOR SAMUEL COLEMAN. I HAVE A SUPPORTIVE LINDY FAMILY. WE TRAVEL OUT OF STATE TO DANCE CAMPS AND TO OTHER DANCE VENUES WE DRESS UP AND EVERYONE KNOWS THE CREW IS THERE. ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT LINDY IS THAT I GET TO EXPLORE OUTFITS AND HAIRSTYLES OF THE DECADES. I LOVE TO DRESS UP.

RIGHT NOW, I TEACH BEGINNER LINDY AND ELEMNTS OF HIP HOP DANCE TO MY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS USING THE GREAT MIGRATION AND HARLEM RENAISSANCE AS THE MAIN WAY TO GALVANIZE THEIR INTEREST. THE BEST IS YET TO COME. WATCH OUT!

keep SwiNGIN’ Y’ALL!