Swing Dance Jacksonville: October 2016

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Love that Swing Style!

It’s that time of year again. Time to change the wardrobe from summer fashions and get spinning into fall (See what I did there?). Warm colors, more layers, closed-toed shoes; you name it. As an avid consumer of all things vintage reproduction, I would love to share my input on where to shop for those new or new to you styles. Especially for those of us who dance.
As a swing dancer, I find myself asking a few questions before I make any purchase. Will I have any wardrobe malfunctions? Is it spinny? (Yes, that’s a very frequent word in my vocabulary) Will these shoes stay on my feet? All pretty standard questions. I tend to find that these questions not only answer to my dancing side, but also my attempt to remain as vintage styled as possible.

Just around the corner (Saturday, October 22nd), Grease Rags Clothing Company is hosting a ‘Fall Vintage Clothing Swap and Sell’ in their parking lot. This is done often during the change of seasons. It’s an event where people bring their old clothing (in this case, vintage style) and set up a table, where all in attendance can swap or sell. It’s like getting an entirely new vintage wardrobe for super cheap, or no money spent at all. You can find the link for information about the event here:

Vintage Swap and Sell

Some brands you might see during this event: Hell Bunny, Retrospec’d, Pinup Girl Clothing, Steady Clothing, Trashy Diva, just to name a few brands. These are all amazing vintage reproduction clothing companies that cater to the classy gal in all of us. You’ll find colorful patterns on full circle skirts (which look amazing on the dance floor), a variety of amazing necklines and sleeve lengths, and Mary Jane shoes to die for. Don’t forget to throw in a cardigan for those layers we talked about.

Grease Rags is the premier destination in Jacksonville for all of your vintage style clothing needs.Owned by Cindy Platt, this is 3 years in a row winner of Best Clothing Store in Jacksonville through Folio Magazine. And the reason is because of her personal touches, the earrings, the vintage hats strewn about, and that fabulous makeup. She gives time and care to all her customers; allowing each to try on different clothing styles in her dressing rooms and finding their vintage dreams.

That Poor Girl Vintage is another great spot with honest-to-goodness real vintage clothing and accessories. There’s also Subculture Corsets in the Avenues Mall which has a selection of vintage style dresses. If you aren’t ready to check out these stores in person, I have a few websites to recommend which will be listed below.
I can’t wait to see you out on the dance floor in your new dancin’ garb.

-Victoria!

Dance Store.com - Modcloth - Unique Vintage

Blamebetty - LadyvLondon - Pinup Girl Clothing

The Dancing!

So once you've got those fab new clothes come
swing dance with us at the Volstead Sunday Nights!

Swing Dance Sundays!

Or check out any of these great dance opportunities on the

First Coast Blues and Lindy Society on our Meetup Site! Click Below!

First Coast Blues and Lindy Meetup

And if you don't get enough check out these two great classes where you can:

Learn Lindy-hop and How to Balboa!

See you on the Dance Floor Sunday Night!!

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Rockabilly & Vintage Car Culture

You’ve seen them at your local dance events. Girls that wear high waisted dresses with big curls in their hair, bright beautiful makeup and winged eyeliner that flies off their faces. Boys wearing slicked back Elvis-hair, rolled up arms on their white t-shirts and jeans with boots. The girls are pinups, the boys are greasers, and they all fall into the Rockabilly family.

Some Rockabilly and hard core devotees of the Lindy-hop scene “drive vintage cars, carry long-chained pocket watches, and listen to “real” swing music (original big band music from the golden era).” These two great sub-cultures span the vintage eras of the 1920s -1950s. Few places other than a dance floor that you can find where these genres bare their colors in such glory is that of a Classic Car Show. Today this article is going to be about the Hot Rods that grace the roads of North Florida and where to find them.

These last two weeks in October we’ve been blessed with the opportunity to see two amazing carshows! If you missed it the Amelia Cruizers Car Club just had their 20th Annual 8-Flags Car Show on Saturday October 15. Here is a short video of the event!

If you want to follow their Facebook page so you don’t miss another amazing show you can find them here:

Amelia Cruizers Car Club

But don’t be bummed out! There is another Classic Car Cruise just around the Corner!! Come out and Support Jacksonville Beach at their Jax Beach Art Walk on October 18 and get a little treat as they share it with a Classic Car Cruise. The Classic Cars will be parked in Latham Plaza while artists are set up along First St. The event details are listed here:

Jax Beach Art Walk/Classic Car Cruise

Come enjoy the vintage cars, and let it take you back, or imagine a different time and place when swing was the thing, or Elvis and Rockabilly was king!

And lastly if you just can't get enough here is a great link for all of Florida's car shows!

FlaCarShows.com

Feel free to comment on the Facebook post of this blog for any other great Florida car show groups, cruizers, or car organizations that you think others may be interested in!

-Jen

The Dancing!

Find us out on the Dance floor at the Volstead every Sunday Night! No Cover, 21 and up! Free Lessons 7pm -8pm and DJed by the First Coast Blues and Lindy Society 8pm-11pm! Be Sure to tip your Bartender!!

Join Our Meetup to Find Great Music, Swing Dance Lessons and Dance Events Throughout the Week!

Click the Link Below!

First Coast Blues and Lindy Meetup

The Lessons!

Click Here for More About Learning Lindy-Hop!

Click Here for More About Learn to Dance Balboa!

Sources:
I See America Dancing: Selected Readings, 1685-2000
Rockabilly Verses Greaser

Sunday, October 9, 2016

Hurricane Blues

Hurricane Matthew was a devastating hurricane. For many it will live in their hearts as a day they would soon wish to forget. For others, it was a near miss and a reason to spend time hugging their loved ones and celebrating that it was not worse.

Swing dancers within and without the First Coast Blues and Lindy Society are a community, when we are happy we dance for joy, when we are sad we blues dance, and when we need to help each other we rebuild and then we dance to celebrate our triumphs. You are never alone when you are a swing dancer.

As for me and my family we will head out again today to our neighbors homes to offer to help clean up and listen to the crooning Blues musicians creating melodies that sooth our troubles away. Below are a few songs we think you may enjoy. We hope that these songs will help bring you comfort, peace and solace in your Hurricane recovery efforts. If you need to find a place to dance away those Hurricane jitters look below for a place to congregate, share stories and just dance.

-Jen