cool swing clips
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You will find a heap of cool clips on YouTube if you search under 'swing dance' or 'lindy hop' ...... but since that can be a bit overwhelming (and very time consuming) here are some of our favourites! Check back regularly, or join our mail list to get our latest pick of the week. (After 3 years we have so many favourites now, so if you know the one you are looking for these quick links might help. Or if you don't I recommend you just start at the top :) us! | silver shadows | ninjammerz | harlem hotshots |
cool clip of the weekEBC 2009 - Mickey & Kelly - The most extra-ordinary Balboa choreography (and song choice!) from Mickey and Kelly! Ground breaking. |
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And here are some of our previous favourites the swing station rugcuttersOur very own Swing Station Rugcutters perform to Shout 'n' Feel It at the Black & White Swing Ball 2008. This was the first ever performance of this demo - and they TOTALLY NAILED IT !!!! (and here it is from another angle) The Swing Station on TV! - Have you seen our TV AD ?? If not, then start watching PRIME TV and keep your eyes peeled because it is HOT HOT HOT. Or check out our promotional video for the longer version. The Swing Station Rugcutters - Coleslaw - I think it is appropriate to finish off the year with our very own Swing Station Rugcutters performing the Coleslaw routine. We have had a lot of fun learning and performing this awesome little routine by the amazing Silver Shadows - but I think our guys do a pretty damn fine job too! (The next clip below - Enjoy the Show - is the Silver Shadows original version which remains one of my favourite clips of all time!) Oh to be even half as good them one day :) |
the silver shadowsThe Silver Shadows - Enjoy the Show - Yeah, yeah, yeah, we are all impressed by the fast flashy moves, but here are six of the best swing dancers in the world showing that slow, sexy, and FUN can be just as effective The Silver Shadows - "Dinah" and "Sweet & Hot" - 'originality plus' and 'pure cool' from one of the hottest performance groups around Skye & Frida - ALHC 2005 - universally recognised as the two best swing dancers in the world. I LOVE these guys!!! Skye and Frida Showcase - Skye and Frida burning up the floor yet again......... Grenoble 2008 - Skye Frida performance - Skye and Frida again!! In case you haven't noticed, these two are my favourite dancers....and I never get sick of watching them (eek....and I hope you don't either:) Here they are with another fun routine to a funky song! Skye & Frida - ULHS 2007 - Freedom Prelims - Here is some inspiration for our Blues workshops in October. I am not promising that we will have you dancing like Skye & Frida in one day, but hopefully this bit of pure heaven on the dance floor will inspire you to want to start your Blues journey. Todd Yannacone and Naomi Uyama from the Silver Shadows have some fun ULHS 2008 Revolution Dance Off - Skye/Frida and Todd/Kelly fight it out for 1st and 2nd place in the mid-tempo section from the Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown just a couple of months ago. (Note: this is one of the BIG competitions on the Lindy scene that attracts the best of the best - and there are a bunch of clips posted ALL of which are worth watching. Search on 'ULHS 2008' and you will be in for a treat, unless you are on dial up) Frankie 95 - Silver Shadows performance - The Silver Shadows performing at Frankie Mannings 95 Birthday celebrations. It starts out slow with them doing some of Frankie's favourite beginners moves (done to perfection I might add) and then all hell breaks loose about 1:30 in! the ninjammerzThe French Guys - Love Me or Leave Me ***** FIVE STARS!!! This is my favourite clip of all time. It Tommy Blacharz & Max Pitruzzella doing a parody of a Kevin and Carla routine. This is dancing to the music at its best!. Max and Alice social dancing to the Reynold Brothers - okay, if this doesn't make you want to get up and dance then nothing will. This is my absolute favourite 'social dancing' clip - it is Ninjammerz heaven and brings tears to my eyes. On first viewing do not take your eyes off Max and Alice in the foreground.......but second and third time round you might want to have a peek at Dax & Annie on the left, and Tommy on the right too. Eeek, this could be us at the Bowlo (I wish) !! Max, Annie and Thomas Improv Steal Dance - Two of the best male dancers in the world - the great Max and Tommy - muckin' around in a steal dance with Annie (only in our wildest dreams ladies). Thomas Blacharz & Alice Mei at LSSF 2008 - Here is a cute little routine from Tommy and Alice of Ninjammerz fame (yes, THAT Thomas from the famous Max and Tommy clip! and the one who actually taught Max how to dance! And Alice used to be Max's partner! Ha ha, but even without that claim to fame, they are pretty darn good in their own right :) Lindy Hop NINJAMMERZ Swing dance Badass - a VERY slick little bit of choreography Slip Slop Shim Sham Ninjammerz - having a bit of fun with the Shim Sham ILHC Showcase Max & Annie - Max Pitruzzella and Annie Trudeau again, this time burning up the floor at the International Lindy Hop Championships in DC. Boy, do these guys have a few tricks up their sleeve! Max Pitruzzella and Alice Chinagora - Bei Mir Bist Du Schon - the song and the dancing get off to a slow start but pick up before too long so hang in there! Max Pitruzzella & Annie Trudeau dancing at the Montpellier Swingjammerz Festival 2008 - showing musicality at its best - talk about 'hitting the breaks'!!! Le Jazz Hot - Max Pitruzzella and Annie Trudeau This one has a bit of everything - fancy footwork and a few aerials - but most of all these two just look like they are having fun and playing around to a pretty funky song Charleston meets Lindyhop - Max Pitruzzella and Annie Trudeau Whoah! A bit of lindy, a bit of charleston.........and one heck of a performance! Freestyle Lindyhop - Dax and Partner Just some freestyle lindy.........but guess what guys, we know most of these moves (even a bit of trucking)!! Another reminder of the importance of doing as much social dancing as you can............ Cabaret Herrang 2004 - Katia, Max, Natasha, & Olivier A cute little number with Max in pre-Ninjammerz days CRC 2009 Dax & Alice - More proof that is doesn't always need to be fast and flashy - Dax and Alice demonstrate that having fun to a catchy little song can be just as cool. Ninjammerz perform at Frankie95 - As inspiration for BASE Camp I think we need something fast and flashy this week, so here are the Ninjammerz performing at Frankie95 (at over 300bpm, eeek!) the harlem hotshotsThe Harlem Hotshots - Herrang 2005 Hellzapoppin' - some of the top dancers from the best current day (swedish) dance troupe perform the Hellzapoppin' routine (see the 1941 version below!) Kevin & Frida and Zack & Carla - Barswingona 2003 Ah, the divine Frida showing that swing is all about playing with the music...and having fun! Zack & Frida - Barswingona 2003 demo The tall and the short of it.......here are two of the best swing dancers around today doing a great little charleston routine The Harlem Hot Shots from Sweden are one of the best swing troupes around today, and here is a great clip of them from Herrang 2006 (eek, I was there!). The line up is Frida & Zack, Daniel & Asa, Hanna & Mattias, Jenny & Lennart, and Naomi & Todd (ring-ins from the US) ILHC 2009 - Invitational Jack 'n Jill - Mickey Pedroza & Frida Segerdahl - Ah, Frida, how I love her! Undoubtedly the BEST follow in the world, here she is dancing with some dude (Mickey who?) - but it is pretty hard to take your eyes off HER and her FABULOUS footwork. Ladies, take note! fast and furious, slow and sultry, but always FUNLindyhop Showdown 2006 - There is a competition in the States every year called the Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown that attracts the BEST dancers from around the world.....and this clip is from the Fast Lindy Finals in 2006. Its the best of the best in other words....so even though it is long (apologies if you are on dial up) don't take your eyes off it for a second! And for those of you who watch my clips religiously, you will note that this includes some of my favourites, namely Frida (aahhh), Max (ooooh), and Todd (ohhhh). Enjoy! Fast Lindy Competition 2006 This one speaks for itself.......this is FAST, and these dancers are some of the BEST Social Swing Dancing - thanks to Lisa for this slick little example of some social dancing to a catchy little tune (is that a subtle hint that she is getting bored with me rolling out 'my favourites' week after week??) Jason Esparza and Vanessa Cobb - Stuff Like That There - this one is titled "My favourite Lindy Hop video"........and fortunately it is one of mine too!! This is the quintessential routine to that Bette Midler classic (yeah, yeah, I know - same song as last week, but different routine - and this one is FABULOUS I promise)..... Jean and Bromley perform to Shout 'n' Feel It - I have never heard of these two before but this is an example of great dancing, choreography and music coming together for one heck of a routine Vincenzo & Isabella 2007 This gorgeous couple are from Italy....... Performance Tutti Frutti - Dinah in Herräng - we have Roger to thank for this one - its a cute little number from the very slick Henric & Joanna and Vincenzo & Isabella Swing Dancing - Venice Beach 1940 Le Double Bug The solution for when there is a shortage of leads :) Ryan and Jenny at Moscow Christmas Camp - A slightly more classic clip this week - here are Ryan and Jenny Francois, some teachers from England who have been at the top of the ladder since the swing revival began back in the 1980s. Kevin and Carla NADC 2003 - although no longer dancing together as a couple, this is a Kevin and Carla classic for the archives Dancin' The Boogie - Silvan Zingg (piano), Will & Maéva - This clip isn't swing - but it is doing the email rounds at the moment so here it is for those of you that haven't seen it yet. With footwork and energy levels like this, all I can say is thank heavens we don't teach Boogie Woogie! PSF 2009 Sharon & Juan Lindy Hop Performance - A cute little clip this week - here are Sharon Davis from Perth, and Juan Villafance from Argentina with some inspired choreography :) balboaPeter, Mia and dog Balboa to hip hop??!! I am totally mesmerized by this clip of PETER LOGGINS and MIA GOLDSMITH (O.M.G. I love these guys) dancing to Urban Species. They are literally GLIDING around the floor - it brings tears to my eyes. If you haven't 'got the feel' of Balboa yet, then hopefully this will give you some inspiration to keep going because it can be literally SUBLIME! (ha ha, and check out the dog........and the ultra cool venue - is that their living room!!) Mia and Peter dancing - Similar but different to the last clip I sent out of PETER LOGGINS and MIA GOLDSMITH dancing Balboa to Hip Hop, this one is equally DIVINE. With smooth footwork like this, Peter is truly the Michael Jackson of Balboa. Who needs to moon walk when you can do Bal !! Anne-Helene & Bernard Barswingona 2009 - Well, it has to be Balboa again this week of course ! Voici les mervielleux Bernard et Anne-Helene de France. Oh la la! Balboa ConneXion at Canadian Swing Championships Thanks to Selwyn for this amazing little Balboa team routine! This will be us one day! BarSWINGona 2008/ Anne-Helene & Bernard OMG are you in love with this dance yet ?? Here are Anne-Helene & Bernard at BarSWINGona 2008 (balboa in Barcelona!! what could be better than that!!) 2PlySwing at All Balboa Weekend 2005 - Some Balboa this week of course - here are Joel and Alison Plys competing at the All Balboa Weekend in Cleveland in 2005 Steve and Heidi at ABW 2005 - More Balboa this week of course - none other Steve and Heidi competing at the at All Bal Weekend Championships in 2005 Sylvia Sykes & Nick Williams, Jumpin' At THe Woodside 2008 - Balboa again - this time, Nick Williams (thought by some to be the best Balboa lead in the world) and Sylvia Sykes (who reintroduced Balboa to the world after learning from and dancing with all the great old timers!) 2PlySwing at All Bal Camp Detroit 2005 - Wanna learn Balboa? Excellent, as we will be starting a new Beginners level class shortly - and in the meantime here is some inspiration from Joel and Alison Plys (yes, the same Joel who will be here in less than 4 months!) ABW 2008 - 1st Place ACBC - Mickey & Kelly - O.M.G. The divine Mickey and Kelly take first place in some Balboa comps. How can anyone NOT want to do this extra-ordinary dance! Come along on Tuesday and take your first steps towards Balboa heaven! Rendezvous 2010 Mickey and Kelly - Oh my gosh, Mickey and Kelly, the two best Balboa dancers in the world at the moment, doing Balboa as you have never seen it before. More tears to my eyes :) EBC 2009 - Mickey & Kelly - The most extra-ordinary Balboa choreography (and song choice!) from Mickey and Kelly! Ground breaking. bluesAnne-Helene & Bernard, Social Blues & Lindy in Old Orleans - No Balboa this week - just a little BLUES - oh and some SWING :) This is Anne-Helene and Bernard again in one of my favourite clips! This is pure heaven on the dance floor and gives me goosebumps everytime. ULHS 2007 - "Freedom" Slow Lindy Hop Finals Contest - Grab a cup of coffee for this one because it is 11 mins long! Yep, I am still on the slow and sublime theme.......for all you speed freaks that still think fast means better, take a moment to marvel at how the pros work their magic with slower music Skye & Frida - ULHS 2007 - Freedom Prelims - rather than fast and flashy, I am going for slow and sublime this week. Here are two of the greats - Skye and Frida - creating pure heaven on the dance floor, or if your broadband will take it, another clip of the ULHS 2005 Slow Division finals. ULHS 2008 Freedom Prelims - a bit more blues and slow swing inspiration from Skye and Frida. Bring on Bar de Baz! Friday Night Blues - Mirabai, Mihai, and Stryder Demo - Whoah, some more sizzling Blues inspiration for those of you that are still dithering about whether to come to BBX or not! 1920's charleston1920's Partnered Charleston - Here is a fun little clip of Dan and Jessica perform some 1920's Partnered Charleston - and, er, some of you might recognise the aerial they do about 2mins in! Zack & Frida - Barswingona 2003 demo - I have sent this out before (see Harlem Hot Shots above), but it is one of my faves. Here are Frida and Sakarias doing a very cool little 1920's solo charleston number. ILHC 2008 - Marty and the Big Apple - Solo Charleston - These guys look like they are having so much fun, its hard to believe this is actually the Solo Charleston finals at the International Lindy Hop Championships. They start off doing The Big Apple which is next on our list of strolls to learn (see if you can work out which move is called 'Spank the Baby' :)......and then they just go for broke! ULHS 2005 charleston-finals - more fast footwork solo charleston - awesome!!! music clipsChristina Aguilera - Candyman Not only can Christina Aguilera sing...but boy can that girl SWING! Check out this oh-so-cool 40's video of her CANDYMAN song Cherry Popping Daddies - Zoot Suit Riot ....the original Zoot Suit Riot For The Boys - Stuff Like That There/PS I Love You - the Divine Miss M (no not me :) singing one of my favourite swing songs Now You Has Jazz! What a cool song! In this clip from the movie High Society we have Bing Crosby and Louis Armstrong showing us the meaning of the word 'swingin' - and here is a cute little demo to the same song Démo de lindy hop à quatre Cotton Club swing at the moviesSwing Kids - The Lady in Red - this has got to be the quintessential swing movie, packed full of fabulous music and dance clips - including this one to Sing, Sing, Sing. If you haven't seen this - pop along to the video store and rent it now! A great way to spend a wintery afternoon. In fact there are a bunch of movies with great swing clips in them - and rather than list them all here, I have created a separate movie page! This lists all of my favourite period movies, and / or movies with swing dancing in them (including Youtube links where available), AND a selection of clips from some classic movies back in the day. Check it out! classic clipsLindy Hop - Hellzapoppin (1941) - ***** MUST SEE!!! What better way to start off the year than by pulling out again the most famous clip of all time - Whitey's Lindy Hoppers (the first professional (black) american lindyhop troupe) dancing swing for the first time in a movie!! Hellzapoppin' to "Jumpin' at the Woodside" - But wait! Did you know that Frankie Manning originally choreographed this to a different tune - but that Universal Studios specially commissioned new music so they didn't have to get permission to use the original? Here is a reconstruction of the routine as it was originally intended to be danced - to Count Basie's Jumpin at the Woodside!! Somehow this just seems so much better :) Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in Swing Time! - okay so its not exactly swing but these two are without a doubt the best dancers of the period, if not all time. And for something a little more modern and evidence that great dancing is timeless - here is Fred Astaire bringing Sexyback!! Shorty George & Big Bea And more proof that size doesn't matter......check out the original Shorty George and his partner Big Bea :) Al and Leon charleston style - Who said you can't dance swing to modern music! Check out Al and Leon dancing to Daft Punk! the divine frankie manning (26 may 1914 - 27 april 2009)In case you haven't heard, the great Frankie Manning passed away recently. As the pioneer of swing back in the 1930's and the inspiration for an entirely new generation of swing dancers in the new millenium, Frankie's contribution to the swing community has been unparalleled. From his unique style, his invention of the first aerial, his extra-ordinary choreography (including the quintessential Hellzapoppin' routine) through to his infectious personality and love for this dance, Frankie earned and deserved the greatest respect of every swing dancer that was privileged enough to meet him......or even just hear him reminisce about his experiences back in the day......or watch him grace the floor (well into his nineties). If you are reading this then you can be proud to know that you are one of the last generation of swing dancers that danced during Frankies time.....and even if you haven't been around long enough to have him touch your heart, then I would recommend that you take a moment to read, watch, reflect, marvel, enjoy......... Frankie Manning @ 80 Frankie Manning is the grandfather of swing! Revered by Lindyhoppers all over the world, Frankie was one of the original swing dancers who graced the famous Savoy Ballroom in Harlem way back in the 1930's, featured in the 1941 Hellzapoppin' clip, and he is credited with doing the first ever aerial. Here is Frankie at his 80th birthday party, reminiscing about the good ol' days at the Savoy Ballroom dancing to the likes of Count Basie! Frankie Manning @ 92 Frankie still going strong at age 92 at the Grand National Dance Championships, May 2006, dancing with Sylvia Sykes Some tributes to the great man again. This week we have : NY Times and NY Daily News articles chronicling his life and death Frankie Manning: Never Stop Swinging - 30 documentary honouring his life Memorial clips including interviews and some classic footage jams and stealsSteal Dance - Herrang Dance Camp 2003 - Andrew, Rabéa & Tommy. Although choreographed, this gorgeous little routine shows stealing at its best! The Steal Dance - Herrang Dance Camp 2004 - and here is how NOT to do it!!! Max, Annie and Thomas Improv Steal Dance - Two of the best male dancers in the world muckin' around in a steal dance with Annie (only in our wildest dreams ladies). GSDF friday night party Alice, Thomas and Dax - Tommy again ! Steal Dance - and another cute steal dance routine Andy Reids 30th Bday Jam - Okay, so I was pretty mean to you last week making you do a compulsory birthday jam - but it wasn't as scary as you thought, was it?? Anyway, here is one of the masters to show you how it is done swing strollsSwing Rueda Based on the popular 1950's Cuban Salsa Rueda, this incorporates many of the classic partnered swing moves together with others borrowed directly from the Cuban version. It is danced by couples forming a circle, all executing the same moves that are 'called' by the 'leader'. The moves are often called in quick succession, and some moves require partner changes - which is where the fun begins! Jitterbug Stroll Here are some students doing the Jitterbug Stroll. (But wait, it seems to me that the girls in the back are having a little TOO much fun!!) The Shim Sham The great Frankie Manning leads the Shim Sham The Madison with Manu & Joel - this is the version we teach, and I love the way they are having fun with the styling, but for some reason they're not waiting for the Hit it!! a bit of funFrida the Gladiator - Herrang Cabaret 2006 Light hearted yes, but some fancy charleston footwork nevertheless from some top dancers (Frida, Peter, Elliot, Todd). Enjoy! Doug & Dax - Underwater SCUBA Lindy Some underwater swing ....starting off with a bit of the Shim Sham....... Backwoods Butter Boys - a (humerous) burlesque routine on Herrang cabaret night Earl 'Snake Hips' Tucker - Okay, so this is NOT swing, but it is a famous clip, and Earl 'Snake Hips' Tucker was well known at the Savoy Ballroom back in the 1920's, and you just have to marvel at what he gets his body to do! No guessing how he got his nickname :) |
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