Fran Johns Swings into the Tampa Bay Area

As a dance instructor and a member of Tampa's Swing Gang, Fran Johns has seen fads come and go, but when it comes to dancing -- no matter what type of style it is -- one thing is constant: people want to have fun on the dance floor. Johns discusses the swing dance scene in the Tampa Bay area, as well as the secret behind her success and being the only person in the entire state of Florida to bring the Swing Gang Switch from its country roots to a familiar swing setting.

Matthew Kelsey: What is your dancing background?

Johns: I've danced all my life, but I've taught dancing for 15-16 years, getting seriously back into it 18 years ago, teaching four line dance classes a week, one swing class every day of week. I'm a contract teacher as well, doing private lessons… every day of the week I'm teaching a dance class. I have many different certificates of dance instruction from Arthur Murray and Fred Astaire studios. I began teaching at the Dallas Bull, teaching country line dances. I like country dancing, but I still missed all the moves of ballroom dancing. Before I knew it, I was teaching dancing in my kitchen, my den, the family room… then I decided to start applying to many different places, just to get my foot in the door. I was very lucky, to get started teaching in Temple Terrace -- they were starving for a dance teacher in that area. I got my foot in the right door, got back into dancing, and it's gone on and on and on. I never stop. I go to teacher's seminars all the time; I do workshops, myself, all the time.

MK: How did you get into dancing in the first place?

Johns: I was born and raised in Columbia, South Carolina. When I was a young girl, whenever someone put money into the jukebox, I was out there doing my thing on dance floor. When I would stop, people kept putting money in the jukebox, saying, "Do that some more." Right then, I knew I wanted to always dance. I knew I wanted to be in the limelight.�

The Swing Gang Switch is a social dance where the females rotate among the males and around the room to one song.

Credit: Swing Gang

Copyright: Swing Gang