The Jam Cellar || Swing Dance and Lindy Hop

Tonight, DJ Allen Kerr!

Happy New Year to all. The Jam Cellar crew was busy over the holidays, teaching and dancing at gigs in Asheville, Boston, and even Sweden. For some travel notes, see below. Otherwise, here's what we got coming up this month.

LINDY IN THE FAST LANE starts tonight!

Need to get your Lindy Hop up to speed? The focus of January's Int/Adv course is all about getting faster and doing it with ease. We'll focus on the basics and cutting away the extra work when you crank up the tempos. Add to that speed drills and some great moves that work well when the song is blazing and you've got Lindy in the Fast Lane. $60, dance admission free with class.

BLACK AND WHITE INAUGURAL BALL Jan. 20

That's right! On the night we welcome in the new president of the United States, Jam Cellar will be hosting an inaugural ball. Please wear black and/or white, with special props for classy dressin'. Though their attendance is not confirmed yet, I'm excited to say we have invited Borack Obama and family (assuming he's still on the Jam Cellar email list). $10 for dancing, or $3,000 for a dinner plate.

The Boilermaker Jazz Band performs Jan 31!

The Jam Cellar is excited to bring back our regular favorites, the amazing Boilermaker Jazz Band, to the Glen Echo Spanish Ballroom! $14 Admission; Beginner Swing Lesson @ 8PM (Free with admission). Dance From 9PM - 12AM. Presented in cooperation with the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts & Culture, Inc., the National Park Service and Montgomery County, MD. Thanks for your continued support Glen Echo!

Random Notes from Asheville

Kate and I (Bobby) recently came back from a set of New Years dance gigs, both of which were a blast in completely different ways. First was Lindy Focus, a roughly 27-day camp in the mountain city of Asheville, NC, and the second was New Year's Dancin' Eve, a Westie-Lindy combo event in Burlington, MA. Here are some random travel notes from our trip.

***

Lindy Focus was such a great event that we enjoyed it even though halfway through I threw out my back and Kate got the Consumption. The event has been a staple in the South East for several years now, and in the past was known regionally for putting a spotlight on local instructors and one or two national couples, and generally showing people an incredible time. This year, however, they added a full line-up of internationally known instructors, and kept the hospitality. (Many of the regional talents still taught taster classes). I wager that Lindy Focus will soon be many Americans' New Year's Eve event choice.

***

Me throwing out my back is an embarrassingly stupid story, but one that bears mentioning as a warning to those of you who have tricky backs and who like to wear their pants high around the waste. Kate and I were part of a performance of a recreation of the clip "A Day at The Races." The last few weeks my back had been straining me a bit, which is the equivalent of "my corn's hurtin', must be rain comin' in."

Anyway, the jam we were doing didn't have aerials so I didn't think it would be a problem. The problem, however, was this: Before we ran through it, I felt my jeans riding down around my hips. To free up some leg movement, I pulled up my pants and tightened my belt, a little too tight. During one of the Jam's back-bending movements, my back didn't have the flexibility it needed, and the muscles spasmed and I was out for the count for four days. The sad thing was that, beside that, it was the best we had ever done the Jam.

Actually, no, the sad thing is that it's the second time a tight-belt has been the cause of my back going on. From now on, suspenders. I am officially getting old. And am an idiot.

***

In the advanced strictly lindy comp at Lindy Focus, I saw the rare moment when a modern couple transcends "trying to be incredible dancers" and simply "becomes incredible dancers." Terrace (from Atlanta) and D.C.'s own Ann Mony totally destroyed their spotlight jams in the finals of the competition. They were the rare blend of skill, genuine love of the music, and being completely in the moment.

Ann had graciously asked me if I wanted to do the comp with her earlier, but I had to turn her down because teachers weren't allowed to compete. I remember watching them dance and thinking how glad I was that she got someone like Terrace to show her off; there's no way I would have been able to compare to the dancer Terrace was on that dance floor that night.

They ended up getting second, though I strongly believe their spotlights are what most of the audience will remember from that competition.

***

One of the trickiest things I've had to learn in swing, aside from remembering to loosen my belt, is judging. And, I imagine its one of the most overlooked skills an instructor should have. I, by no means, have it down yet. I started off with an intricate code of symbols involving smiley faces, musical notes, and rudimentary stick figures. I then tried to scientifically pin-point all the plusses and negatives in each couple, which I found impossible to do in a one-minute song. (Though the contestants appreciated it; Anyone who asked me for feedback got a fifteen minute in-depth conversation.)

Disliking such an analytical approach, I recently have been trying to listen more to my gut feeling on things, and figure out why I feel that way in the seconds we have between songs. Which has lead to better judging in a lot of ways, I think, but can make it awkward when people want feedback and I haven't had time to sort out my thoughts. ("Well, you were great, you just didn't do it for me. Know what I mean?")

Then there are the weird rules other judges have. Some people count off for mistakes, which in my opinion is a sure-fire way to ensure that the classic swing dances become perfectly executed and boring as hell. If people are afraid to make mistakes, they will be afraid to take risks. Many judges are also slightly biased to trends in dancing, and many judges, though perhaps on a subconscious level, obviously give favor to dancers they know.

And this diatribe isn't even touching the really difficult judging questions. Perhaps the inherent problem with judging is that we're trying to quantify an art, which is never easy. I want to write more about judging, and interview some of the great minds in swing judging for future articles for Jam Cellar and Lindybloggers, so, if this interests you, be on the lookout for those or feel free to ask me about it.

***

For some reason, the hotel at Lindy Focus only served Thanksgiving meals for lunch. Nothing gets you ready to swing-out at 230 BPM like creamy buttery cheese potatoes, roasted chicken, mac-and-cheese, and steak everyday for lunch.

***

Lindy Focus had three secret contests; one where Couples had to do Lindy without Charleston to speed music, one where couples had to do Charleston only, and a final competition, between the two winning couples of those contests, who had to do nothing but swing-outs to a blazing 300+ bpm. (This contest was a surprise to everyone involved). The first couple to stop doing them lost.

Friend and fellow Lindyblogger Carl Nelson and his partner for the comp, Karen Turman, were one of those finalists, and he should get special mention for doing twenty or so swing-outs in slick, leather-soled shoes. And she should get special mention for compensating for his leather-soled swing-outs. The winners, Brooks and Joanna, did Atlanta proud and displayed an impressive amount of spirit and cardiovascular health.

***

As for the disease that left Kate bed-ridden and myself pacing the halls in a frock coat, the swing scene's version of Dr. House soon had a diagnostic. Dr. Dorry Segev, a transplant surgeon at Johns Hopkins (You would probably recognize him more as the guy who could make anything, even a thesis on single-variable calculus, into a sex joke. ), told Kate she probably had a stomach bug that's been going around. If you've been in contact with Kate at dances, don't worry, it's not very contagious. You'd have to, like, rub her hands for a minute or something to get it. The strange thing is, the disease cleared up her chronic allergies.

Upcoming in 2009

As we greet a new year, we've decided to make a few changes around the Jam Cellar, so, below is a brief list: (Also, tonight we've got Tonight, DJ Jerry Almonte's Holiday Spectacular! Videos! Performances! And non-stop Jerry Almonte!)

2009 at the Jam Cellar:

1. Due to ongoing ankle injuries, rock steps will no longer be allowed.

2. Aerials won't simply be allowed, they will be mandatory.

3. Over the last year, we at the Jam Cellar have worked hard to keep the noise level within legal limits. However, due to continuous neighborhood noise complaints despite of this, all speakers will now be specifically pointed towards the open window on the third story of the apartment building across the drive way.

4. We will celebrate 2008 with a Swing Video Party TONIGHT

Instead of an Inter/adv class, come watch videos of great dancing, in a special presentation by our dear friend Jerry Almonte. Join us in trying to persuade him to do it while wearing a wine-colored turtleneck beside a cozy fire.

5. Lee Tucker will open each night with a stirring rendition of a different Elton John song.

6. Any teacher who says the word "connection" will be fined $2.50.

7. Naomi Uyama will no longer DJ, she will simply sing classic blues songs while Andy Reid accompanies on Kazoo.

8. Complimentary "No Valuables Left In Car" stickers will be given to Jam Cellar patrons.

9. There will be NO Jam Cellar next week (Dec. 30)

10. Tear-down volunteers will be rewarded with French maids or manslaves, depending on romantic preference and/or housekeeping needs.

11. Lindy in the Fast Lane begins Jan. 6!

Need to get your Lindy Hop up to speed? The focus of January's Int/Adv course is all about getting faster and doing it with ease. We'll focus on the basics and cutting away the extra work when you crank up the tempos. Add to that speed drills and some great moves that work well when the song is blazing and you've got Lindy in the Fast Lane. $60, dance admission free with class.

12. Jeff Booth will move on from discussing the 80s group The Smiths (which he has focused on in many conversations from 1997-2008) and from now on will merely concentrate on Morrisey's solo projects.

13. We will be hosting the JAM CELLAR BLACK AND WHITE INAUGURAL BALL Jan. 20

That's right! On the night we welcome in the new president of the United States, Jam Cellar will be hosting an inaugural ball. Please wear black and/or white clothing, with special props for classy dressin'. Though their attendance is not confirmed yet, I'm excited to say we have invited Borack Obama and family. $10 for dancing, or $3,000 for a dinner plate.

14. We will NOT be having a Big Big Event next year. However, there might be a new D.C. event supported (in spirit) by the Jam Cellar. More details will possibly follow.

15. Jam Cellar DJS will have to meet a mandatory level of scratchiness in all the recordings they use. Leniency will be given in the case of extremely obscure Dixieland bands.

16. Our beginner series will now include several classes on basic self-defense for those who park north of the building.

17. THE BOILERMAKERS will perform Jan 31st!

at Glen Echo! Bring your friends!

18. Balboa will only be allowed if the music is too slow to Lindy to.

19. Jam Cellar has finally bought a new sound system. The 1933 Victrola and 6 Chick Webb rolls should be delivered in January.

20. Those who have drunk from the Jam Cellar red water tank since August would probably not regret it if they randomly got a tetanus shot at some point soon.

We hope all of you have safe travels a happy new year!

–Jeff, Bobby, Andy, Naomi, Nina, Kate, Gretta (in order of ability to beat people up)

Tonight, Baltimore's Sac Au Lait DixieLand Band!

It's not often we can afford to bring in a band from the uptown, elegant metropolis Baltimore ("The Paris of America"). So, tonight we've decided to fly in the city's infamous Dixieland jazz band on a private jet straight from BWI airport, the finest international airport in the country that doesn't actually travel anywhere internationally (It is the only flaw to what the Italians call "The City on the Waters," Baltimore). Also, we've just come back from teaching in Toulouse France, and I've included a few travel notes below.

Tonight! The Tap Shim-Sham!

Tonight we have a very special class on the Tap Shim-sham, taught by special guest badass Heidi Shultz. Starts at 8:30.

Tonight! Beginner Lindy Hop Series Starts!

Tonight begins another 6-week Beginner Lindy Hop Series. Tell your friends that don't dance. You might have to dig their numbers out of an old Rolodex, or check your archived e-mail folder. Starts at 8:30.

Yes, we are having Jam Cellar December 23!

It's the perfect time for you to see our famous Dance Footage Night. Complete with classic clips of swing dancing, and some more-than-embarrassing videos of your Jam Cellar instructors when they were first dancing.

No, we are NOT having Jam Cellar December 30!

Take a break, you deserve it.

Next Month! Prepare yourself for LINDY IN THE FAST LANE

Also known as "F the Tortoise," this is a full-month series on dancing FAST. Your Jam Cellar instructors will give you the technique and moves to introduce you to the world of casually relaxed, LIGHTENING LINDY HOP. Sign up at the door.

Notes from Toulouse

Random Notes from The 2008 Frenchie Balboa Festival in Toulouse, France (Dec. 5-7) (Check out Kate's pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/katehedin/sets/72157610939704799/ )

Toulouse France is a small city in Southern France known as "The Pink City" because of the distinct pink bricks and stone that compose many of the older buildings. It's home to the Pink City Balboa Festival, which is now called the Frenchie Balboa Festival (we tend to say "FBF", or "Fubuf" if we've had more than one glass of wine.)

The Frenchie Balboa Festival has become one of our favorite events to teach at. Aside from being organized incredibly well, many of our European friends attend, and it gives Kate a chance to use all of the French she learned in school, most of which involves finding out where the bathroom is and names of furniture.

***

There's a mistaken belief I want to clear up. A lot of young dancers dream of being flown to exotic locations and teaching dance. I'm not going to lie to you and say it isn't fun. It's incredibly fun. But I can guarantee that it isn't as fun as you think.
Kate and I went to Toulouse for seven days. Of those days, two were spent folded up into airplane seats made for Victorians and trying not to throw overweight luggage at Delta personnel burning us with their lip-gloss. Another four were spent teaching back-to-back classes, dancing all night, and judging contests where almost everyone is at the same level, and doing all of it jetlagged and with little sleep. This left only one day for us to realize we were actually in another country.

(Last year we only had a few days off to teach at the Paris Balboa-Shag Festival. We literally went straight from cars to classes and dances and back to the airport, having never even seen one landmark that let us know we were in Paris.)

The good thing is, we love doing it.

***

The French have a peculiar way of scheduling the time at a workshop. They like to have workshops from 10a.m. to 5 p.m., just like most events. Then, it's four or even five hours for dinner break, which is an excellent idea until you realize the dance actually gets going around 10 p.m, and contests are likely to finish around 1 or 2 a.m. This means everyone is going on two or three hours of sleep. (Also, it should be noted that dinner breaks are scheduled long because it can often take upwards of four days to get your check in a French restaurant.)

***

To encourage my studying habits, I only brought GRE study materials with me for downtime. This was a big mistake, because I forgot the crucial fact that what a swing dance teacher wants to do most in their downtime is sit around in ugly shorts and watch "Arrested Development" and "30 Rock."

The only English channel they had was BBC news, which was rather depressing, So I flipped around until I found the Simpsons in French. It was watchable until Krusty the Clown started talking with a soft tenor, as if he didn't live off of booze and Marlboro reds. However, I have to say "Full House" in German is much funnier than in English.

***

There's a secret art to teaching in a foreign country. One has to mime most of the class for people who can't understand English, and w hen you do speak you have to speak slow enough that they can understand but not slow enough so that you come off as condescending. Making sound effects helps.

Despite my previous joke, Kate does pretty good French and that' extremely helpful in French classes because she understands questions, and can spot it when a class translator is adding their own interpretations to the translation. Which has happened, and is easily noticed when they talk for five times as long as you just did. I guess it's slightly better than when you talk for five minutes and the translator only says two sentences to translate.

All together, it quickly makes people better visual teachers, and makes them talk less and chose their words very carefully.

***

FBF coincides with the city's Christmas festival, the Marche De Noel. Amongst a lot of booths selling travel junk, many of the local farmers sell their best cheeses, sausages, and cheese-potatoes. Cheese potatoes are an elastic substance made of nothing but cheese, potatoes, and butter, and you can throw them at people. The y also sell a hot chocolate that is nothing more than melted milk chocolate.

Last year, balboa instructor Randy Maestretti, who secretly wants to be a French cheese-maker, bought a handful of goat cheeses (some of which smelled like death), a handful of sausages (some of which smelled like death stuffed in pig intestines), and some cheap wine (two bottles for $3). Trapped in the basement of a house in freezing weather, we had an incredible night.

***

Strangest award I've ever received: The first time I was in Toulouse, I won third place in the Jack and Jill. My prize was a jar of duck preserved in it's own fat. Turns out to be a Toulouse delicacy.

***

In Toulouse, Bernard and Anne Helen support a family of kids, cats, and a dog, all on teaching swing dance. Bernard says it's a lot easier for the French than in the states; In France, when people sign up for classes, they sign up for a series that lasts from Autumn to Spring, roughly nine months of classes, and pay for it all at once.

Anne Helen and Bernard teach four nights a week and run four or five events a year, including the Studio Hop Summer Camp, an more-intimate Herrang-like camp that takes place in a southern French Villa in the middle of nowhere. It is expanding from two to three weeks this year, a week of Balboa, a week of Lindy, and a week of jazz dance.
I only recommend going if you are open to spending a week dancing, swimming, and drinking wine in a pastoral setting populated by attractive, dark-skinned natives and sheep. I People who are used to disappointment in life simply wouldn't be able to handle it.

Brook Tegler @ Spanish Ballroom, Gift Certificates, DJ Glenn Scales, Tap Dance, Voluntter…

This week is a continuance of a week without Bobby [our regular email hero]. He was mysteriously called off to France or something to aid in some foreign policy thingys where his knowledge of complicated stuff really helps fix the thingy is is brokey. Got it? Good.

Anyhow, this week at the Jam Cellar we have DJ Glenn Scales and a continuance of our Tap For Swing Dancers Series with Heidi Schultz [drop-ins welcome]. This Saturday, we have the Brooks Tegler Big Band at Glen Echo. We also suggest you buy one million Jam Cellar gift certificates… see below.

Lastly, we need volunteers for tonight at the Jam Cellar and for Saturday night. Contact us and save money and your soul.

This Saturday, Dec 13: The Brooks Tegler Big Band at Glen Echo

We are excited to bring this incredible Big Band to Glen Echo Park's Spanish Ballroom. We've been featuring Brooks a lot recently and he seems to get better every time - if that's possible. Also, if you've never danced at the Spanish Ballroom, you really should. It's one of the most beautiful places you will ever dance. See you there. For more info…

Presented in cooperation with the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts & Culture, Inc., the National Park Service and Montgomery County, MD.

Next Tuesday, Dec 16: The Sac Au Lait Dixieland Orchestra

We heart live music, and to prove it we're bringing in Sac Au Lait from the far reaches of Baltimore for your dancing pleasure. We had a great time with these guys at Glen Echo a little while back and are happy to have them at the Jam Mansion. For more info…

Also Next Tuesday, Dec 16: New Beginner Lindy Series Starts

Learn to dance Lindy Hop from scratch (or close to scratch) or tune up your basics with our Beginner Series. No experience needed. For more info…

Give The Gift Of Jam This Holiday Season With A Gift Certificate

We're happy to unveil our new Jam Cellar gift certificates. Give your friends and family some dancing for a present and they will thank you in swing outs. You can get a gift certificate at the Jam Cellar or reply to this message and we'll mail you one. We're happy to suggest a denomination for you. Goes great with fruit cake, fruit cake.

Volunteer this Tuesday and/or Saturday!

Reminder, we need volunteers for tonight at the Jam Cellar and for Saturday night. Contact us and save money and your soul.

Bobby won't you please come home.

Oh the pressure

Now class if you take a look at the record books you'll see that the Jam Cellar almanac was in existence for years before Bobby White took the helm. As we look closely at these early primitive emails please note the rudimentary formed tools they used and the writer's lack of opposable thumbs. This genus of mailing is known as "JamCellus Habilis", an crude version of the "JamCellus Erectus" we know today. In mid-two thousand aught seven, the primordial authors approached Sir White in hopes he would free up there Tuesday mornings, and thus a new era was born. Legend states that he stood 8 feet tall and rode a big blue ox, and that when he started writing confetti fell from the sky and little children got their christmas wish. He was so funny that people the world over clamored to be added to the mailing list, it is even said that illiterate non-dancers who didn't have the internet in their Mongolian village were among the subscribers.

But making all that confetti rain could be tiresome sometimes, and the master needed to take a break during the occaisional busy week. That meant Naomi had to write something that lived up the the gold or as we say nowadays the "Bobby standard". So she valiantly tried her best, but due to her lack of an ox, or perhaps the general enmity against her in Ulaanbaatar you can see by our archival example of December 2nd, 2008 that her humor was tolerable at best.

ps- Bobby come back -N

New Blood Night Tonight!

If you've never been to the Cellar or Jam you're proooooobably not reading this right now. But hey I shouldn't doubt, you could have come all the way to the beautiful Josephine Butler Parks Center, got in the door, heard the great music pumping away in the 2nd floor ballroom and thought "tonight is the night I sign up for the world famous mailing list" and left. Anyways, climb those stairs cause tonight you get in free for our New Blood Night. And if you're like the rest of us, bring a newbie and you both get in FREE!

Also this week we have Tap for Swing dancers with the amazing Heidi Shultz. Learn the fine art of Rhythm Tap Dancing for swing dancers in this three-week series, including the Tap Shim-Sham the third week. You can drop-in anytime and check it out.

Naomi Uyama will be your apologetic email writer and your unrepentant DJ all in one day!

DECEMBER 13: The Brooks Tegler Big Band at Glen Echo

Brooks is one of DC's most talented and dedicated authentic jazz musicians. We couldn't believe how great this small group sounded when they played for us in September, so we just had to fill Glen Echo's Spanish Ballroom with The Brooks Tegler Big Band on Dec. 13!

DECEMBER 16: The Sac Au Lait Gangland Dixieland Orchestra

We heart live music, and to prove it we're bringing in Sac Au Lait from the far reaches of Baltimore for your dancing pleasure. We had a great time with these guys at Glen Echo a little while back and are happy to have them at the Jam Mansion.

What are you talking about?

I didn't forget about the email. That's like, my one big job around here, why would I forget it? You think it'd totally just slip my mind like that? Huh? Hold on a sec, just let me…dig it up…I don't know, maybe Andy messed up the email server or something… just…a…minute….Yeah, see? I told you so. It's right here.

TONIGHT! The Explosive Boilermaker Jazz Band performs!

Happy Turkey Day. Work up an appetite dancing to one of D.C.'s favorites. Only $10.

TONIGHT! Part 2 of Al and Leon's Shim Sham!

We'll practice the first part a few times and then finish it all up. If you fancy yourself a quick learner, drop in and test out your learning skills.

NEXT WEEK: New Blood Night!

If you have friends who have never been to Jam Cellar, bring them alogn for free. Also, if you bring someone who has never come, you get in free, too.

NEXT WEEK: Tap for Swing dancers with Heidi Shultz

Learn the fine art of Rhythm Tap Dancing for swing dancers in this three-week series, including the Tap Shim-Sham the third week.

DECEMBER 13: The Brooks Teglar Big Band at Glen Echo

The Brooks Teglar Big Band will perform in the Spanish Ballroom on Dec. 13!

DECEMBER 16: The Sac Au Lait Gangland Dixieland Orchestra

From exotic Baltimore, the Sac Au Lait dixieland band performs in the intimate setting of our Jam Cellar mansion.

…BEGINS TONIGHT!!!

People of Washington's great capital, come one come all! Tonight begins the two — count them, two– months of The Incredible Jam Cellar Emporium Extravaganza!! Live music, incredible feats of feet, live Elephants (that's how we pronounce them in India, sir) and the perfect way to warm the chill away!

TONIGHT: One time only, Blue Crescent Quintet with special guest Brooks Teglar!

Direct from Africa, only $10. Now get away kid, you bother me.

TONIGHT: Mr. Al and Leon's Incredible Shim Sham Machine!

Mesuirs Al Minns and Leon James have built and incredible machine that turns any shim-sham dancer into an incredibly hip 1930's black man! Enter, if you dare, tonight!

NEXT TUESDAY: The Explosive Boilermaker Jazz Bandium will perform!

Returning home from their great tour of all the great palaces of India. India, Ladies and Gentlemen. Only $10.

DECEMBER 2: New Blood Night!

If you have any friends who have somehow never been to see the incredible Jam Cellar Extravaganza, the World's Greatest Show on Earth, then have we a treat for them! One free admission to the Jam Cellar on December 2. And one free admission for you, if you bring someone new yourself. You, sir, there with the hat, don't touch it, it bites. But that's not all, friends!

DECEMBER 2: The Incredible Firey-Feet of Heidi Shultz!

She wowed the crowd all summer with her incredible act, and we just had to have her back! Learn the fine art of Rhythm Tap Dancing for swing dancers in this three-week series, including the Tap Shim-Sham the third week. The hair's real, son, don't play with it. Surely there can be no more spectacular events!?!? Wrong again!

DECEMBER 13: The Brooks Teglar Big Band at Glen Echo!

Collecting the finest musicians and fire-throwers of the Orient, the Brooks Teglar Big Band will perform in the Spanish Ballroom on Dec. 13!

DECEMBER 16: The Sac Au Lait Gangland Dixieland Orchestra.

From exotic Baltimore, the Sac Au Lait dixieland band will perform for the whole family, featuring a big finishing act, sultry Suzanna and her Snake doing Eve's Dance. Adult Gentlemen only, please.

Tonight, DJ Lee Tucker

Last night, I went to see the stage tour of So You Think You Can Dance here in Baltimore. Unless you're a die-hard fan, I'd recommend gathering up a room full of thirteen-year-old girls, filling it with smoke, and watching the season finale special, since this was what most of the evening was, anyway. (They showed a whole lot of pointless video)

However, die hard fans would have seen probably a half-hour of their favorite dances performed, only now the dancers have had months to practice the routines instead of three hours.

Most of the night was definitely for the kids…badly-acted impressions of Nigel, lots of inspirational messages, and a few "aren't-other-cultures-silly?" jokes they needed to kill time while other dancers changed. These innocent gags were were pleasantly interspersed between couples dances that had the half-naked performers in almost every stage of the Kama Sutra.

Nevertheless, seeing the talent of the dancers and choreographers reminded me why I love dance, and Mia Michaels, so much. Come celebrate dance tonight at the Jam Cellar.

Building Your Basics Lindy Hop tonight!

More turns, more Charlestons, and better swing-outs await those who come. The perfect sequel to our Basic Lindy Series! Six weeks long! Sign up tonight! More info here!

Tonight! Catch up w/ the Tranky Doo Versus Al and Leon's Shim Sham!

Considering last week's Jam Cellar was canceled unexpectedly, we will pull double duty and hold hour-and-a-quarter classes the rest of the series to try to catch up everyone up. This means we will start at the beginning of the Tranky Doo tonight, and fly through it.

November is LIVE MUSIC MADNESS MONTH at the Jam Cellar!

Insanity will only begin to creep into our deceptively unstable minds on Tuesday November 18, when The Blue Crescent Quintet with Brooks Tegler will usher us into mental instability. Live Music Madness will then take full control of our minds with a night of the hypnotic lunacy of Boilermaker Jazz Band Tueday, November 25 We accept, with open arms, that this is our fate! Each night only $10.

No JC tonight

When we got to the jam Cellar tonight, there was no water on. That means no drinking water, no toilets, and no sinks to clean your hands after you've gone to the bathroom. The people who run the house were unable to do anything about it tonight, so, the short and sweet of it is that there's No Jam Cellar tonight If you show up, take a class on us; if not, we'll see you next week. Enjoy the election!

For tonight's Grand Jam Cellar Election Celebration,

…we'll have non-partisan election coverage. Enjoy watching the future unravel with a group of friends and great music. We'll also have exciting, uptempo swing music for those whose candidate is winning, and sorrowful blues tunes with lots of wailing for those whose candidate is losing. If you have a small television with rabbit ears you can bring, or a radio, feel free to, and we'll have extra locations around the mansion, so you can have water cooler talk downstairs, or hear the poll results as you fly through the air in our practice room.

DJ Naomi Uyama will break in our new speakers, and those with "I Voted" stickers will be looked at as both courageous and sensitive by attractive members of the opposite sex.

However, we know some of you can't make it tongiht, so we will do our best to make the class series not dependant on coming to tonight's classes. This will be hard in the Tranky Doo class, since we have to cover half of it tonight to keep on schedule. Otherwsie, here's what's going on…

Building Your Basics Lindy Hop starts tonight!

More turns, more Charlestons, and better swing-outs await those who come. The perfect sequel to our Basic Lindy Series! Six weeks long! Sign up tonight! More info here!

Beginning Tonight! Tranky Doo Versus Al and Leon's Shim Sham!

For November's inter/adv class series, learn two incredible solo dances that will expand your solo jazz skills beyond compare. In this corner, weighing in at 97 pounds, we have the Tranky Doo - yet another incredible jazz choreography invented by Frankie Manning. She's traveled the world, she's named after a spunky chorus girl, and her strength is beyond compare! And in this corner, weighing in at 315 pounds, we have Al & Leon's Shim Sham - a fun and challenging twist on the classic Shim Sham, developed two infamously wacky and stylish members of Whitey's Lindy Hoppers. Scourge of the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem, he makes the basic Shim Sham quake in its booties. Now, all are welcome to the challenge, but BE WARNED: We will have to move quickly to cover it all. You can rely on your local Jam Cellar crew, however, to make it easy. Both will improve your jazz movement and solo vocabulary. Both will be taught by the Jam Cellar Crew for the month of November. But which one will conquer your heart?

November is…LIVE MUSIC MADNESS MONTH at the Jam Cellar!

Insanity will only begin to creep into our deceptively unstable minds on Tuesday November 18, when The Blue Crescent Quintet with Brooks Tegler will usher us into mental instability. Live Music Madness will then take full control of our minds with a night of the hypnotic lunacy of Boilermaker Jazz Band Tueday, November 25 We accept, with open arms, that this is our fate! Each night only $10.

Volunteering pays!

The Jam Cellar is looking for a few new people to become regular volunteers, especially close-down volunteers (who would work from 11:30 to 12 while the dance is finishing up and Andy prepares to streak). Perks include free dance entrance, special treatment, and volunteer dinners where everyone plays charades and spills wine on Naomi's mom's rug. To help out, contact us at huh@thejamcellar.com

New Jam Cellar Shirts, Hoodies & Windbreakers! Finally!

We are putting together an order for new Jam Cellar hoodies, windbreakers and shirts. Problem is, we have no idea how many to order. So, we are trying to weigh interest. If you are interested in any of this awesome gear please check out our website, where you will see our properly emaciated models, who have been locked up Nina's basement and given Emo CDs to make them more intense. Then let us know by responding to this email your size and which one you want. Don't worry, we won't hold you to it when we finally print. And, thanks for helping us not have to guess.