A Beginner's Guide to Swing Dancing in Tampa Bay

Swing, Swing, Swing: Tampa's Dancers Haven't Missed a Beat

When one mentions the generic term "swing dancing," what's the first thing to come to mind? Possibly crowded dance floors with many people moving to the music of big bands from "back in the day," featuring huge horn sections playing songs with many beats per minute. Possibly the infamous Gap TV commercial from the late �90s, featuring all sorts of flashy dips, turns and aerial moves performed while featuring the music of The Brian Setzer Orchestra. Maybe, even, the movies "Swing Kids" or "Swingers" come to mind, supported by the music of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, that were released during that same neo-swing time frame, rekindling the dance craze all over the world. But those were all old-school moves mixed with new-school music that died as a quick fad, right? Wrong.

Swing dancing can be found in many cities throughout the United States, as well as the world. It's like an on-going underground movement. It might not be as high-profile as it once was in the late �90s, but if you know where to find it, there's a goldmine of culture just waiting to be claimed. Across the nation, many people fill dance halls, restaurants and bars dancing to the beats of DJs and local bands playing popular, danceable music every night of the week.� This is especially true in Florida.� But where�can one go to swing dance in Tampa Bay?� I will describe the dance scene�through a beginner's perspective; approaching the moves, music and culture as�a person experiences it for the�very first time.�