THE HERRANG SCHOLARSHIPS – 2012

* On behalf of the Herrang scholarships committee , JUYL is proud to present you the information on the application and submission of the scholarship.

Following the kickball changing, twist-twisting, swinging success of the inaugural 2011 scholarships, the 2012 Herrang Scholarships are now open for application! The scholarships committee is gratified that the 2011 winners were true to their word and gave back to the Lindy community in so many ways, including free lessons, sharing sessions, and a continued commitment to growing the scene in Singapore.

Sharing Session 1 October 2011

We are looking for more individuals who are similarly passionate about the dance, motivated to do their part for the community, and have the initiative to come forward and apply for the scholarships.

Objectives:

1. To recognise and reward individuals who have contributed to the Singapore Lindy Hop scene in exceptional ways.

2. To raise the artistic standards and spirit of Lindy Hop through exposure of outstanding Singapore-based Lindy Hoppers at Lindy Hop mecca Herrang.

Note: Singapore-based Lindy Hopper does not need to be a Singaporean by nationality but residing in and contributing to the Lindy scene in Singapore.

Amount:

S$2,000 per award, and one to three individuals awarded per year. If none of the applicants is found to be deserving by the judging committee, no award will be made that year.

Each award is valid for the year of award only. The scholarship is not transferrable and cannot be used for other purposes or other dance camps. Disbursement of funds will be upon proof of registration at Herrang.

Judging criteria:

1. Artistic standard (eg dance well and teach others).

2. Spirit of Lindy Hop (eg organise events / write blog posts / rally people for Lindy events / active participation / evangelise Lindy to others / encourage newbies to dance / advocate community values).

3. Contribution after Herrang (eg conduct workshops to share lessons learnt, initiate projects that boost the Lindy scene).

Timeline for 2012 scholarship:

30 November 2011: Application / nomination deadline

End December 2011: Announcement of winner

Application procedure:

To apply, please email herrangscholarshipsg@gmail.com with your answers to the three questions below.

1. Name of Applicant / Nominee

2. How have you (or your nominee) promoted the Lindy scene in Singapore either through personal artistic standards or by embodying the spirit of Lindy Hop?

3. How do you (or your nominee) intend to contribute to the Lindy scene upon your return from Herrang?

Winners have to forward proof of registration (email from Herrang) to herrangscholarshipsg@gmail.com and cash will be handed over to them.

Anonymity: The sponsors and judging committee remain anonymous.

Hong Wee continues being PR and will answer your questions.

Disclaimer: The judging committee’s decision is final. Questions on the scholarship results will not be entertained.

related JUYL info page :

Herrang Scholarship 2011

2011 Winners

Sing Lim

Stephanie Jade

Sinclair Ang

Brian Ang

History and the birth of Jazz Dancing

When hitting the low period in lindy hopping , what inspires you back to dancing ?

Take a break from dancing? Watch more fancy moves in youtube ? Copy or get private help from top instructors ? Pick up new dances ? Soak in the swing music for days ? Study and read about the legends ? Get motivated with new materials from HDC , ILHC alikes ? or attend more dance camps ?

Agent A hit the deepest pit of his lindy journey and stayed under for months . Dancing was difficult, unispired, unmotivated, unskillful even with the  best follow, music, great weather and all planetary positions perfectly aligned.

Nothing could pull Agent A out of the pit and back to his happy feet.

Just when he had given up hope and was about to bid farewell to dancing, he stumbled upon a book, at the least expected section, of a least expected neighbourhood library, on a fateful day.

The 48 pages thin booklet was life transforming for him. Altough all the information is commonly known in dance community and found  in many good websites and wikipedia , this book brought about magical moment, re-ignited the passion and breathed life back into Agent A lindy journey.

So, if tracing the root of swing dancing and lindy hop helps to catapult you back into lively swing dancing, JUYL presents you the history of Jazz dancing – simple text only format, in chronological order, and possibly european perspective.

All credits to Author: Nikki Gamble Publisher: Raintree Hardback

*********

History of Key moments in the development of Jazz Dance

1844  Rivals William Henry Lane and John Diamond engage in a series of challenge dances.

1900s-1910s – Ragtime and Early Jazz

1900 The Turkey Trot is danced to Scott Joplin’s ‘Maple Leaf Rag’

1907 The Ziegfeld Follies opens. The revue-style show nurtures future dance stars such as Barbara Stanwyck and Paulette Goddard .

1913 Vernon and Irene Castle perform the Turkey Trot in the Broadway show, The Sunshine Girl.

1914  Harry Fox performs the foxtrot  on the roof of the New York Theater.

1920s – The birth of Swing

In the early swing era, jazz dance is both a social dance and a performance dance.Dances that develop in the ballrooms are incorporated into Broadway musicals

1923 The Charleston is performed in Runnin’ Wild and becomes a dance sensation.
(video: Charleston – Al & Leon . 1920′s Charleston . Charleston today )

1924 The black bottom is performed in  the show Dinah, and soon replaces the Charleston as the  popular dance of the day.
(video : black bottom 1 . black bottom 2 )

1925 Josephine Baker  dances the Charleston in her show La Revue Nègre at Théâtre des Champs  Élysées in Paris . This is the height of the jazz age in Paris.

1927 The lindy hop develops in New York. Lindy hop is both a solo and a partnered dance, which blends European partner dancing with the  movements and improvisations of African dance.

Trivia : How lindy hop got its name when there is technically no ‘hop’ in it .

Dance Marathons were popular at the Savoy Ballroom NY, and it is during one of these that the lindy hop apparently got its name. In 1927, Charles Lindbergh was daring the first ever  solo flight from New York to Paris, and people were absorbed with his “Hop” across the Atlantic. George “Shorty” Snowden was  at the dance marathon when a reporter leaned in to ask what this crazy dance was called.

Shorty replied : “ The Lindy Hop, we’re flying just like Lindy  did!”

1930s  – Glamour in the Depression

Film becomes increasingly important in the development of jazz dance.

1933 Fred Astaire choreographs and dances in Flying Down to Rio. Astaire insists that dance sequences are filmed with no cutaway to the feet, face, or audience. (video: Flying down to Rio)

1933 Busby  Berkeley’s groundbreaking 42^nd Street uses a chorus line, unusual angles and kaleidoscopic images and other new  techniques.
(video : 42nd Street )

1935 Shirley Temple and Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson co-star in The Little Colonel. Bill Robinson dances his famous tap sequence on the stairs.

1935 Meanwhile in the ballrooms social dance is also developing. Benny Goodman’s new jazz music performed at the Palomar Ballroom leads to  the development of new improvised dance style – the Jitterbug.

1940s  – Flash acts and casual charm

Jazz and tap dance continue to feature in Hollywood films. Dance styles vary from the flash dance acts of the Nicholas Brothers and Jeni LeGon, to the graceful balletic style of Gene Kelly.

1940  Fayard and Harold Nicholas perform in Down Argentine Way . Their flash act routine is full of spectacular and dangerous acrobatic sequences .

1944 Gene Kelly stars in Cover Girl  opposite Rita Hayworth . He introduces special effects that create  the illusion that he is dancing with his reflection.

1950s  – Theatrical jazz

In the 1950s, a new dance style , theatrical jazz ,combines elements of ballet and modern dance. Jack Cole choreographer at Columbia Pictures. His innovations influence a whole generation.

1957 Jerome Robbins choreographs West Side Story . The musical score fuses big band jazz with Latin mambo. Robbins’ energetic choreography is used to contrast the ethnic backgrounds of the rival gangs, the Sharks and Jets.

1960s-70s  – Surviving Rock and Roll.

By the end of the 1950s jazz dance is under threat from rock and roll, followed by disco in the 1960s and 70s . Jazz survives in the theater and finds a new outlet in Cholly Atkins’ vocal choreography.

1964 Berry Gordy employs Cholly Atkins to add polish and class to the artists performing under the Motown music label. He works with Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and The Supremes among others.

1973 Kenneth  Macmillan uses Scott Joplin’s music ‘The Entertainer’ for his ballet Elite Syncopations.

1975 Bob Fosse choreographes the Broadway musical Chicago, introducing new jazz movements, the idea of Subtext, and the dramatic use of spotlighting .

1980s – Jazz dance revivals

Dancers and choreographers look back to the jazz dance styles of the early 20^th century .

1984 Gregory Hines stars in The Cotton Club, in which he reproduces Bill Robinson’s stiarcase dance with footage from Robinson’s original dance blended with his own.

1985 Dance group Rhythm Hot Shots are formed, specialising in the revival lindy hop and other jazz and swing dances.

Books

Frankie Manning : Ambassador of Lindy Hop
Jazz Dance
Steppin’on the Blues
Tap Dancing : Rhythm in their Feet
Tap roots : The Early History of Tap Dancing

Films/Videos
Hellzapoppin’ (1941)
Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
West Side Story (1961)
Cabaret (1972)
The Cotton Club (1984)
Tap (1989)
Malcom X (1992)
Tap Dogs at Olympic Games, Sydney 2000
The spirit moves short clip
Swing in movies : extensive list

Contents referenced from the  Book Tap and Jazz  ISBN: 978-0431933092 .

Found in Singapore Library 792.78 GAM

Happy Swinging, Lindy hopping and Tapping !

The Herrang Scholarship (Singapore) Winner – Interview with Sinclair Ang

Introduction

Sinclair Ang is the founder of JAZZ INC (www.jazzinc.wordpress.com), a collective of dancers who promote traditional jazz dancing from vernacular Jazz, to Charleston, to Lindy Hop through classes and performances.

Sinclair is a leading figure in the Lindy Hop and Swing Dance community in Singapore and Asia. In addition to having taught both
adult and children’s classes regularly since 2001, he has also worked
with special groups, including youths at risk, and the hearing impaired.
He is known internationally, having taught at several workshops and
camps across Europe, Australia, and Asia, including helping fledgling
Asian scenes grow through starter workshops and return visits to help
the dancers and teachers develop.

JUYL :  How did you get started in the dance ?

It started with the music. I listened to Ella, Duke, Basie, and knew somehow that
it was meant for dancing. This was long ago, in my teens. When I was doing my
masters, I saw Sing and Andrew dance to Greg Chako’s band in 1998 and then I
knew I found the dance. I started taking classes and my friends could not believe
it as I was never a dancer. I did theatre and music, but have once mentioned – I
just don’t get dance.

But look at me now. That’s why I believe that everyone can dance.

JUYL : What was your most memorable or happy Lindy moment ?

When I went to Camp Catalina in 1999, after having only danced for five months.
That was when I first met Frankie, and got to talk to him about all the great jazz
artists back then, and I was like wow, he knew all these people. Then I realized,
wait a minute, he didn’t just know all these jazz giants, he was a jazz giant
himself. The camp also opened my eyes to the larger world of Lindy hop, and
gave me goals to aspire to by watching all those great dancers and performers. It
gave me understanding and perspective of what swing dancing was.

JUYL : Who had the greatest influence on your Lindy development ?

Frankie will forever be my inspiration. It wasn’t just that he was an amazing
dancer, which he was, but he embodied everything that Lindy represents – the
joy, the acceptance of everybody, and believing that dancing will bring everyone
together in peace. I would take his beginners’ class just to watch him introduce
the dance to the next generation of dancers. He was an amazing teacher that
got to the heart and spirit of the dance. In his final years, he would be shuffling
along when he danced, but he would have more groove doing the simple moves
in every fibre of his body than the most impressive dancer. I hope I will always
teach and dance in his spirit.

I have to add that Bill Borgida was a huge inspiration to the technical aspect of
my dance. When I took a private with him some seven or eight years ago just to
work on my swing out, he approached his dance technique in such a systematic
and comprehensive way that it opened my eyes to my own technique and
development. It was definitely a milestone in my development as a dancer and
teacher.

JUYL : To whom would you like to dedicate this award, and why ?

To my late parents who always supported me in anything I did. If not for their
constant encouragement of my artistic endeavors growing up, I would not have
had the courage to do what I do now.

JUYL : What are your views on the present Lindy scene in Singapore ?

I think that it is great that dancers are now taking initiatives in organizing dance
related events and strengthening the ties of the community without any teacher
or school driving them, and that there are secret benefactors who would give
to the scene through this scholarship. Thanks again for recognizing my work of
wanting to spread the joy of this partner dance.

JUYL : What is your vision for Lindy Hop in Singapore ?

That the scene will be self-sustaining with a steady growth in the number of
dancers as the years go by. I hope that more youths would take to this dance
form as well, for that would ensure the next generation of dancers.

JUYL : What message do you wish to send out to all readers ?

First and foremost, thank you for supporting the classes, social venues and
events that JAZZ INC has been organizing, and thank you for this opportunity to
go to Herrang. It is my hope that more people will take ownership of the scene,
as that is the only way for the community to grow. I hope that more dancers will
realize that they would need to give and contribute to the scene in one way or
another – something as simple as buying drinks at social venues that support the
dance – and not take anything that exists now for granted.

JUYL : Thank you Sinclair .

The Herrang Scholarship (Singapore) Winner – Interview with Brian Ang

Introduction

Brian Ang started lindy hop in July 2001, just before entering university. During the 4 years at university he balanced his dancing and his studies, deciding to become a dancer just before he graduated. As his interest in Lindy Hop deepened, Brian found himself exploring the various areas of authentic jazz dance, vintage tap dance and jazz music, eventually becoming familiar with the history of the dance and it’s personalities.

Brian specializes in connection, rhythm and movement that is as simple, natural and efficient, taking thse principles and applying them to jazz dance. In these 10 years, he has performed on many occasions in both formal and informal settings and has been teaching dance full time since 2006.

He currently teaches Lindy Hop at NTU, and Jitterbugs Swingapore.

 

JUYL : How did you get started in the dance ?

I first tried Lindy Hop in mid-2001 when I was in NTU (Nanyang
Technological University) for my undergraduate studies.

A friend asked me to join Lindy Hop lessons with him. He wanted to meet
girls and get to know people. I had no idea what the dance looked like and
went into it with no expectations at all. I had never tried dancing in my life
(other than the occasional line dance) and, though I enjoyed line dancing,
was told I danced badly!

I don’t really remember my first learning experiences of the Lindy Hop,
but by the end of two years, I knew I liked the dance. It wasn’t that I was a
good dancer. I could tell how the dance was engaging me because when I
was dancing, time passed quickly…a sure sign of having fun.

Round about the third-year mark, I had a defining experience in solo jazz.
Manu Smith and Janice Wilson from the USA stopped over in Singapore
for weekend workshops. Janice gave a class on musicality which I
attended. She was positively scary, not only making the class express
ourselves through body movement and improvisation but making us do
that to music we were hearing for the first time. We were made to use
different parts of our body and different rhythms in expression to the music.

It turned out to be a very good class and I took home the essence of
discovering several layers in a song and choosing the layer I wanted to
express myself to. Each song provides an enormous canvas. From this
point on, I began to take authentic jazz seriously in my own time.

And at about the same time, it was suggested to me that tap dancing might
improve my sense of rhythm. I took up tap lessons first with Jitterbugs and
eventually did self-learning through videos. I listened to lots of jazz music,
and spent a lot of time learning about the placement of sound to music.
This stage of my learning solidified my sense of rhythm for both tap and
Lindy. I grew a lot more confident in my rhythms.

It is not the case that I have a favourite from out of tap, solo jazz and
Lindy Hop. Rather, they satisfy different senses and make my experience
complete. But the spirit of joy, freedom and playfulness is the same behind
all three dances, which draws me to them.

JUYL : What was your most memorable or happy Lindy moment ?

There have been many such moments at various stages of my
development as a dancer.

For one, getting to meet and become friends with Matthias Lundmark
and Hanna Zetterman, both of whom have been inspirational and very
encouraging.

For another, reaching a place of improvisation of the dance on a personal
level, that is, expressing my personality through the dance. It isn’t
just being able to improvise per se, but connecting the dance with my
personality. Teachers will teach you what they know, but certain steps
and styling are just not “you”. It requires personal introspection…self-
reflection…to discover your own response to styles, steps and rhythms,
why you like some and not others and to make them a part of you. When
you reach personal expression that is celebratory of your uniqueness, it is
simply great.

JUYL : Who had the greatest influence on your Lindy development ?

No one person. Instead, the spirit of Lindy Hop has constantly inspired me.
I am always seeking to apply it in our modern lifestyle and culture. Lindy
Hop is so playful, fun, joyful and carefree. I try to convey these elements in
my dancing and also in other aspects of my life.

JUYL : To whom would you like to dedicate the award, and why ?

To all the people who have been touched by Lindy Hop.

JUYL : What are your views on the present Lindy scene in Singapore ?

We could do with a lot more diversity. Give everyone a place to pursue
their own vision of Lindy Hop. I believe there is enough room for everyone
to be happy and to choose the style of dancing and music that best suits
their character and personal aspiration.

And I even suspect that the dance can be a vehicle for inner connection

and reaching a place of deep satisfaction within yourself.

JUYL : What message do you wish to send out to our readers ?

People say genius is an inherent talent but I would like to redefine it as a
place of finding how to fit ourselves with the dance.

And on a practical level, it does take time. Don’t get discouraged if you
don’t see the results immediately. We cannot force or overwork our way
into things. Neither can we shortcut progress and expect to “get there”
without working. Yet when inspiration comes, it flows.

JUYL : Very inspirational Brian ! Thank you .

The Herrang Scholarship (Singapore) Winner – Interview with Stephanie Jade

Introduction 

Stephanie is a serial cubicle propagandist by day and a swing dancer by night. This cancerian arrived on Singapore’s shores a decade ago to learn how to engineer potions in the lab but soon found out such things only look cool on TV shows. Being indonesian, her favorite food includes anything dead and spicy. When not doing swingouts, in her free time she enjoys admiring old shophouses, dancing like a madman in clubs, and visiting obscure corners of the internet. She also likes playing with the cats at her block. Her favorite move is a well executed swingout, and her pet peeve is body odor on the dancefloor.

JUYL : How did you get started in the dance ?

I’ve  always  wanted  to  dance  Lindy  Hop!  When  I  was  a  weely  weetle  girl,  I  watched  old  cartoons  and  movies,  and  when  I  saw  them  dancing  I  told  myself,  “I’m  gonna  do  that  one  day!”  Of  course,  I  didn’t  know  that  the  dance  Donald  Duck  did  was  swing,  or  lindy,  or  whatever.

It  also  helped  that  my  parents  listened  to  a  bit  of  jazz.  And  when  I  hear  swing,  I  thought  “whoa  dude!”  Well,  okay,  I  didn’t  ay  “dude”  but  you  get  what  I  mean.

Okay,  on  to  the  dance. When  I  moved  to  Singapore  (I’m  from  Jakarta),  still,  for  one  reason  or  another,  I  didn’t  pick  up  the  dance.

But fast  forward  a  few Lindy at Jitterbugs, and I haven’t stopped dancing since!

JUYL : What was your most memorable or happy Lindy moment ?

It Oddly, it was with a girl. *gasp* But all a great time at socials and in classes. Just filled with positive
 energy!

The  people  are  one  of  the  things  that  keeps  me  dancing.  It’s
 like  all  dancers around the world are part of one big happy family.

You know with families  you always feel warm and fuzzy and stuff.

JUYL : Who had the greatest influence on your Lindy development ? I’ll have to name Sinclair!

JUYL : To whom would you like to dedicate this award, and why ?

To  all  Lindy  Hoppers  in  Singapore  who’ve  been  keeping  the  scene  alive  because  without  them  we  wouldn’t  have  so  much  dancing  and  so  much  fun.

To anyone who has taught me! Because they’re the ones I learn dancing  from.

JUYL :What are your views on the present Lindy scene in Singapore ?

Can I not answer this?

(JUYL’s reply: OK, the youngest and newest kid on the block … out of all the scholarship winners … can be excused.)

JUYL : What is your vision for Lindy Hop in Singapore ?

That the scene will grow, and more people in Singapore will be aware of
what Lindy Hop is, and uh…that more people will wear polka dots!
JUYL : What message do you wish to send out to our readers ?

If you’re thinking of picking up a dance, pick up Lindy Hop.

If you’re thinking of picking up Lindy Hop, stop thinking and sign up for a class now!

If you’re already dancing Lindy Hop, keep dancing.

JUYL : Thank you Stephanie !

The Herrang Scholarship (Singapore) Winner – Interview with Sing Lim

Introduction 

Sing Lim is Executive Creative Director and Instructor at Jitterbugs Singapore (www.swingapore.com).

The pioneer of Lindy Hop in her home country and credited with bringing swing dancing to the sunny island of Singapore, she is as passionate today about the dance as when she first started. Read her interview to find out how she started and what keeps the fire burning.

Besides running Jitterbugs Singapore, Sing is a dedicated mother to three children and a loving wife to her husband, also an avid swing-dancer. And yes, they met through the dance

JUYL : How did you get started in the dance ?

I was working in London in the summer of 1988 when a friend took me to a Ceroc

Club. Ceroc is a fun dance that is danced to pop music and is as addictive as

popcorn. It was at a Ceroc dance that I saw someone doing a tandem charleston.

Intrigued by this complex step, so I asked him to teach it to me and I was

surprised and frustrated that I couldn’t do it. He suggested that I should learn

Lindy Hop from Ryan Francois. I found a Lindy class near to my work but was

not impressed so I didn’t continue. It wasn’t till another few months later (oh, the

wasted time!) that I finally sought out Ryan at Jitterbugs Tufnell Park. As soon

as I saw him dance, I knew that was what I wanted to learn. And I took my first

lesson from him in December 1988.

JUYL : What was your most memorable or happy Lindy moment ?

There are two that come to mind: 1) Winning at the American Lindy Hop

Championship in NYC in 1992 as a Chinese girl from Singapore dancing a black

dance in NYC, representing London.

2) SEA Jam 2004 when Steven Mitchell led the Jitterbugs Stroll on Sentosa

beach. All those happy people dancing those strange steps in the sweltering

tropical evening, led by a sweating black guy in a hat, watched by a very cool old

black dude with no hair.

JUYL : Who had the greatest influence on your Lindy development ?

Along the way, the village raised this Lindy kid:

1) My first Lindy inspiration was Ryan Francois, whose fluid movement and

creativity showed me the spirit of the dance.

2) Frankie Manning who reminded me to be gracious and humble and always

giving.

3) Angela Andrews who made me believe in myself as a female figure head.

4) Frida Segerdahl for her inspiring application to the dance.

5) Brian Ang for reminding me I am still as student.

JUYL : To whom would you like to dedicate this award, and why ?

To Chan Meng who has been so supportive of me and my passion and pleasure

in Lindy Hop. He listens to me when I am demotivated and he drives me to the

airport when I hare off to dance camps. This award is dedicated to him because

I know he knows how much it means to me. A dedication also to the committee

that took the initiative to start the scholarship and for its belief and support in

the longevity of the Singapore Lindy scene. And a shout out to JUYL for its

independent enthusiasm and stimulation for the scene.

JUYL : What are your views on the present Lindy scene in Singapore ?

I wish it was bigger, after all these years. I’m so glad to see some really fantastic

dancers in our scene and I’m grateful for their energy and enthusiasm.

JUYL : What is your vision for Lindy Hop in Singapore ?

I hope I can personally continue to contribute and that it will continue to grow and

remain a strong presence not just in the SEA Swing scene but in the world-wide

one too.

JUYL : What message do you wish to send out to all readers ?

Remember how happy Lindy Hop makes you when you are dancing and put

aside the laziness or frustrations when you feel you are “plateauing”. Seek to

make it as fun for the person you are dancing with.

The Herrang Scholarship ( Singapore)

Intro

A group of Lindy hop enthusiasts here in Singapore recognize how the dance has changed their lives, and would like to pay it forward, so as to grow the community. They have come up with the idea (and money) for the Herrang scholarship.

Objectives:
1. To recognise and reward individuals who have contributed to the Singapore Lindy Hop scene in exceptional ways.
2. To raise the artistic standards and spirit of Lindy Hop through exposure of outstanding Singapore-based Lindy Hoppers at Lindy Hop mecca – Herrang.

The people who put up the money and the folks who are in the judging committee wish to remain anonymous.

More in Facebook : Herrang Scholarship

JUYL on the move

Granted . Their anonymity is respected.

But the ever-so-curious JUYL seek out to know about this mysterious enthusiasts. We tried numerous way to hunt them down, stared at every dancers in the scene , Charleston kick every Lindy hoppers to force them to reveal themselves , but to no avail…

We finally decided to do the impossible.

we wrote in .

and waited without sleep.

Within 36 hours, they gladly replied us.

JUYL : What is the motivation for starting this scholarship?

Ans : The scholarship developed from a mere spark that originated from the love of Lindy Hop into reality thanks to like-minded people who came together. We all believe in being involved in the communities we are part of, and giving back in whatever way we can. This is our way of giving to the Lindy community. Through working in the committee, it has brought us much joy and friendship – it has been a validation of “you take out what you put in”.

JUYL : We are interested in knowing a little more about you – can you tell us how long have you been dancing? What inspires you about the dance?

Ans : We don’t know how to answer this while remaining anonymous – suffice to say, long enough to know that a simple activity like dance can make a difference in many small ways: bringing people together and giving them somewhere to belong, cheering someone up after a hard day, celebrating pure artistic beauty in a world that would otherwise descend into mere functionalism. And short enough to know that we are not very good at it, that there is still a beautiful learning journey ahead – we look forward to it!

Source of Inspiration: Each of us has different sources of inspiration. Frankie Manning and the spirit he role-models – bubbling joy, loving people, a big heart. And on the daily dance floor – the generosity of spirit and chivalry that is constantly displayed – leads making it a point to invite all followers present to dance (and vice versa), experienced dancers inviting beginners to dance to help them get started on the journey, and the warmth with which international visitors are made to feel welcome and included. Also, every time we dance, we feel connected to our partner. The connection with another human being is inspiration enough.

JUYL : What is your vision for Lindy Hop in Singapore?

Ans : A dynamic scene of a unique character, offering instruction and inspiration to dancers in the region. That it will become a well-known uber cool dance – a dance that everyone who’s  anyone will have heard of and want to learn. That anyone who says “I dance Lindy” will be greeted with the same awe and envy as saying “I work for Google” or “I drive a Porsche” or “I hang out with Johnny Depp”.

JUYL : What message do you have for the winners?

Ans : We appreciate and believe in you. You won for a reason. You won because what you are doing matters. We hope that you will remember this when the going is not so smooth, when you feel like giving up on Lindy, when you ask yourself why you are doing this. Evangelists and pioneers can sometimes feel lonely and frustrated because not everyone shares their passion. We understand how much of yourselves you give to Lindy, and this is our way of supporting you. Please continue making the world a better place.

JUYL : Great . Thanks for sharing this with us. It is evident how much you love Lindy Hop !  We really appreciate you for this unprecedented initiative to spice up the Lindy community here and spread the love of Lindy Hop . Once again, thank you very much.

The Many Splendours of Emerald Hill

Our special Guest blogger Mr. Hong Wee contributed the following review , Enjoy !

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The Many Splendours of Emerald Hill

Emily of Emerald Hill is like the Botanic Gardens – you’ve heard of it, you’ve heard it’s good, but you’ve never been there yourself. First staged in 1984, played by no less than 4 different actresses and 1 actor, to audiences in KL, Singapore, London, Hawaii, … It was the play that launched Wild Rice Productions – from the proceeds that Ivan Heng collected from his first but very successful run as Emily.

Just like the Botanicals, Emily is a rich bouquet. It is about family, tradition, possession and obsession, love and desertion. Each of us takes away a specific memory, a reflection perhaps more of ourselves and the lens with which we view our prevalent circumstances. My wife, for example, resonated with Emily’s need for control over household matters – “Ah Hoon, puan and the kids’ clothes must be thoroughly starched. My blouse though, must be only light starched, and only at the edges”. She (my wife) also admitted to being teary-eyed at our son’s (kindergarten!!) graduation, just like Emily’s emotional farewell to Richard’s departure for university in London.

For me, the heart wrencher came mid-way in the second act; Emily, all of 10 years old, had just lost her father and her mother was packing up to leave the family. It suddenly dawned upon her that Mother did not intend to take her along. “Please take me with you,” Emily pleaded, getting down on her knees. “Please please please please please PLEASE!!” Heng’s cries, fear-soaked and incoherent, screamed desparation and desolation. Not a single exhaled breath in the audience. Quite brilliant script, Ms Kon, quite exquisite, Mr Heng.

This W!ld Rice Production re-drew the traditional boundary between stage and audience. A part of the budget went into extending the stage into the audience space – yes, the front row was in the splash zone. Heng’s Emily invited the audience (quite literally) into her world; at one point, Emily was singing Happy Birthday at Richard’s 20^th birthday party, when she realised that the audience wasn’t singing along. “Come on people, you can decide whether you are part of the party, or not. What is it going to be?” In another instance, she admonished her ‘servants’, who unfortunately happened to be sitting on the front row when she walked on stage. It was funny and the ‘servants’ took it all in good humour, but it was perhaps bordering on being antic-ish for an old dog like myself. It did distract one from the gravity of the storyline and somewhat at odds to the persona of a matriarch.

Apart from that, what’s not to love about the production? Within the plot, Heng brought an edgy feel to the production. His rendition of fake-colonial accent was sublime, and his machine-gun rattle of how to cook Buah Keluak impeccable. One can almost see the pork meat boiled off the bones, feel the belachan triggering the salivary glands, and taste the gravy poured over steamed white rice. Margaret Chan possible was the regal Emily, but Heng made her more personable and accessible. It’s a shame Ms Chan has taken her last bow as Emily – it would have been an interesing contrast.

Many have argued Emily to be Singapore’s representative theatrical production. Indeed, as the one evening where the sarong kebaya is de rigeur, it is probably more palatable than Kuo Pao Kun’s ‘The Coffin Is Too Big For The Hole’. I loved the way Emily sashayed into the play and out of it, the evocation of olfactory and aural senses, the sympathy for a young girl fighting for survival, and the empathy with a mother who drove her son to suicide and her daughter who opted for marriage as an escape. All in all, a good evening out. It is like visiting the Botanic Gardens – so many things to see, smell, hear, touch. And if you have not visited the Botanic Gardens all these 27 years, it’s high time you did.

- Hong Wee

Reporting Live from Hong Kong!

Hi everyone! Hope you haven’t forgotten about me yet! It’s been a little over a week since I’ve moved back to Hong Kong and boy am I missing my Swingapore lindy family. Luckily, I’ve been getting updates from some of you – but unfortunately, these updates also tell me what I’ve been missing! However, my days in HK so far have also been full of fun and swing!

I’m lucky that HK Swings is also a great and friendly bunch, and also lucky that lots was going on at the same time that I moved back! First off, last Wednesday, we were able to swing to the Victoria Jazz Band at Grappa’s, who play there every first Wednesday of the month. They do everything great and swing, so it was a real treat.

Then, it was very exciting to have Shawn and Sachiko from Tokyo giving a workshop over last weekend. We had classes on musicality, rhythm, pulse leading, solo charleston, and fast lindy. What I loved most were the solo charleston classes since we learned a lot of cool moves…I just hope I can still remember them though and put them to use for I Charleston Hong Kong during HKSF! Hope Karen can organise some practice sessions soon! What I also loved about the workshop was that there was a strong focus on connection and leading/following and not so much on just learning new moves and routines. I think we pick up a lot of bad habits along the way and classes on connection can help remind us and help get us back on track. Here’s are some photos from the workshop:

On Saturday night after the workshop, there was another live band, The Stray Catz, playing at Grappa’s. These guys play every first Saturday of the month. I guess we’re never short of live jazz music in HK to swing to!

And to round off the weekend, Leru from Beijing Swings took us to an awesome jazz bar in TST called Ned Kelly’s. This is apparently one of the oldest jazz bars in Hong Kong and has been around since 1972. Who knew? The band was great too, but there’s not much room for dancing, and it’s a rubbery floor. But it’s a nice chill-out venue.

This is Pumpkin Pie, reporting live from HK as the JUYL Foreign Correspondent. Hope to see some of you soon at HKSF! Swinging out for now!

321 Challenge : Lindy Marathon

The first ever Lindy Marathon in Asia .
Be part of Lindy history here in Singapore.

The 321 Challenge awaits fun and energetic Lindy hoppers to dance non stop to swing music for 321 minutes (5 Hours 21 minutes).

The last couple who remains dancing after everyone else has dropped out  is the winner.

Date : 17 November 2010 ( Wednesday)

Time: 15:00

Venue : Love the World Soul Rock and Bistro,
#02-05 Singapore Flyer  , 30 Raffles Avenue , Singapore 039803

COMPETITION RULES:
1. Fixed partner throughout the marathon.

2. Couple to be of opposite sex , but role switch of lead and follow is allowed.

3. 5 mins break every hour.
(for refueling, toilet breaks, change clothes )

4. Re-hydration is allowed throughout the marathon on the dance floor.
helpers will bring plain water to you upon request (raise arm) , but do not leave the dance floor nor come to a complete halt.

5. Any swing dance move will be allowed in the 1st 3 hours : 6 or 8 Count swing, Lindy hop, Charleston,  Solo Jazz, Bal-swing , Shag , WCS, etc.

6. Only Lindy hop, 6 or 8 count swing & Charleston will be allowed in the final 2 hours and 21 minutes.

PRIZES :
1st Prize: Full Pass (excl accommodation) , 1 pass each for winning couple, to
SEA Jam 2011. The 10th Anniversary Edition
Plus LTW gifts . Total Worth more than S$820

2nd Prize: S$240 credits to Jazz Inc lessons/private .
Plus LTW gifts . Total Worth more than S$240

3rd Prize:  Full pass for JUYL Christmas party on 18 Dec at Changi Beach chalet. Plus LTW gifts . Total Worth more than S$50

REGISTRATION :
1 All registration must be made on the Official Registration form and fees be submitted personally to the designated registration personnel during regular social dancing events.
Registration is available during socials at
Jitterbugs (Sun 31/10) , Love the World (Mon 1/11) , and Blu Jaz (Thurs 4/11).
Registration opens 26/10/2010 and closes 5/11/2010 .
Registration fees S$21
(sweets, energy bar, banana, mineral water, isotonic drinks are provided)

2 The Organiser reserves the right to limit and refuse entry.

3 Participants must be 21 years of age (as of 16 Nov 2010) .

4 All participants are responsible for their own safety during the event. All participants must also observe social dance etiquette. The Organiser shall not be liable for any damages whatsoever, resulting from injury, whether fatal or otherwise, of any participant or for damages to or loss of any participants’ property.

5 The Organiser reserves the right to cancel, postpone or change the venue, date and time of the event. 50% fee refund if the Event is cancelled.

6 The Organising Committee reserves the right to amend any rules and regulations without prior notice.

7 Failure to observe the Rules and Regulations shall result in disqualification and no refund will be given.

8 The Organiser’s decision shall be final.

9 Number tags will be given out on the event day during registration. Participants are to wear it during the entire period of competition.

10 Once the registration form has been duly processed and registration has closed on 5/11, there will be no refund of fees.

11 The Organiser shall not be liable for any loss, injury, claim or damage suffered or incurred as a result of this event.

12 The Organiser reserves the right to use any photographs, motion picture, recordings, or any other record of this race and of participants for any legitimate purpose, including advertising.

13 Please avoid bringing any valuables to the event as the Organisers will not be responsible for any loss or damage of valuables . There is no secured deposit service.

14 Entrance fees to the event venue is $11.6++ ( for purchase of 2 soft drinks at $5.80) for supporters , visitors and any person other than organisers and dancers competiting in the 321 Challenge.

TIPS AND PREPARATION :
1. Dance to four songs in a row during socials. Take a  1 song break. Repeat the cycle. Be energy efficient in your steps and moves.

2. Get tips from swing masters, marathon runners, or any dance / sport gurus.

3. Forget the above, enjoy the music with your partner and keep dancing. Remember to breathe!

For enquiry : jazzupsg@gmail.com

This competition is brought to you by Jazz Up Your Life (Singapore) .

Supported and Sponsored by :

Jitterbugs Swingapore

Jazz Inc

Special Sponsored by :

Love the World

*************************************

This event has ended.

321 challenge : Lindy Marathon official results

Desmond+Pamela – 5:24
Taufan+Deborah – 5:23
Gabriel+May – 5:06
JingYang+HoiKin – 4:13
BoYu+Carine- 3:26
Colin+QingHui – 3:00
YiHeng+ChingShan – 2:28

Social Scene in Vilnius

Swing and Lindy hop in Vilnius

JUYL first ever personality of the month , Mr. Hong Wee – listed among the best singapore swing export , has a fond fantasy about Lithuanian follows.

How true can it be , I wonder ? I set out to investigate . By making a covert visit and getting up close and intimate. That is the only way to verify.

First of all , the capital city of Lithuania is Vilnius . 9,200Km away from Singapore .

I visited Vilnius during cool and sunny autumn in September 2010.  Besides being a very beautiful city – European Capital of Culture 2009 , I discovered the Lindy social scenes are even more beautiful.

The Social Scene

1. Every Friday 8pm at Hoppers’ dance studio located at Konstitucijos pr. 12, , organised by hoppers.lt

I arrived one day late only to realise the social ran deep into the wee hours !

So, yes, my next trip will cover friday night alright.

2. Every Sunday 8pm at lindyhop lt Klubas  located at Saltoniškių g. 29/3, organised by lindyhop.lt .

I was greeted by the lovely and beautiful Justė Buzelytė , and had my first dance with her.

The studio was soon filled with many lindy hoppers , full of energy and passion.

And boy oh boy, not only they dance well ( both leads and follows ) , and all the girls look gorgeous !

(*sorry girls , your photo are used here without permission, but I am sure you do not mind being Vilnius most gorgeous lindy ambassadors year 2010   )

Guys, do not ask me for their names. You have to visit Vilnius and ask them yourself.

If looks can kill, and you survived it , wait till you have a chat with them.  Warmth, genuine ,  demure and sweet.I must admit, it is hard not to blush and tongue tied while talking with these girls.

Did I mention they are truly good dancers/follows ?

well, try a gentle 4 beat pause at open hold and watch them move and you will see what I mean. But hey, first, make a trip to Vilnius.

The girls are gorgeous , yes. but really, these people here  – girls or guys, big or petite , young or young  (right, only young, no old) are all genuinely friendly . No sense of distance, gap or alienated , but warmth and hospitable and fun right for the start.

I left the studio with a heavy heart. Though it was 12 midnight , they were staying back dancing, chatting and relaxing. How pleasant , they could stay for as late  as they wanted to (2-3am)- if only this can happen in Singapore.  And have you forgotten this is a Sunday night ?

I will visit this studio again , defintely. Anybody coming along ?

3.  Every first Saturday of each month , at Tamsta Club , organised by lindyhop.lt .

During such Saturday , the dancing club is opened to the crazy lindyhopers team with swinging dance and music performances.

Unfortunately, I was not there for the 1st Saturday of the month, so, yes, my next trip will cover 1st Saturday of the month alright.

Addition

Me a guy, hot blooded one. so I do not apologise for blogging about gorgeous experience with gorgeous girls.

However, it is fair and interesting to note what Agent W said and I quote, referring to Herrang dance camp 2010  “Do you know there was a pyjamas party one night at Herrang week 4 and the party-goers voted “Lithuanian men” as the most desirable in the whole camp? “

So, before you decide to reject my ‘wanna dance ?’ , remember you could get tips on traveling into Vilnius and other information not written in this blog.

Mind Blowing

You have got to listen to this …

Can you dance non stop for 5 songs in a row ? Lindy hop with songs at 150bpm and above ?

What about non stop for a moderate 42km marathon timing of 4hrs ?

What about non stop for a moderate 100km marathon timing of 10hrs ?

well.

These crazy guys at lindyhop.lt did such a Lindy hop Marathon at a record timing of 30 hours ! ( with hourly interval break of 10mins) . read more .

This is such fun and craze..

we here in this tiny Island shall response to such similar challenge .

The End

So, Huncle Hong Wee, you indeed are right about what you said. now I share the same fantasy, ie Dancing with Lithuanian twin. Let’s make plan now. Trip to HDC , sharing of intels, and also including the student Xchange program.

that’s all for now, till my next visit in Vilnius , signing off ,

Agent A

Up Close and Personal with Lennart Westerlund

Interview with Lennart

The Interview.

JUYL had the great honour to get up close and personal with Mr. Lennart Westerlund – founder of  Rhythm Hotshots and Herräng Dance Camp , during this visit to singapore on 22 May 2010.

Mr. Lennart shared with us his passion and love in swing dance , his views and vision, how and why he started dancing , what attracted him so much , how Rhythm Hotshots (now Harlem Hotshots) came about, his fond memories of Frankie Manning, and many more including his other expertise (swing/lindy aside) in this special interview session with JUYL.

The Workshops

Mr. Lennart taught, imparted , instilled and inspired many eager students during his lessons and workshops over the weekend of .

Agent A recorded his experience in the-lennart-effect .

JUYL thanked Mr.Lennart for sharing and showing his true passion , and look forward for his visit to Singapore again , soon.

Good News Everyone! – The Herrang Scholarship

We’ve all heard about Herrang dance camp and the plan to invade it in 2011. While we’re all scurrying about making plans and figuring out our annual leave, a few of very generous Singapore dancers have initiated the inaugural Herrang Scholarship for Singapore-based Lindyhoppers!

$2,000 will be awarded to up to 3 individuals, with judging criteria including artistic standard, spirit of Lindy Hop, and post-Herrang contributions. You can nominate yourself, or a fellow Lindy-Hopper.

Application / nomination deadline: 30 November 2010
Announcement of winner: January 2011
Registration for Herrang: March 2011

How to apply?
Answer the following questions, and send it to herrangscholarshipsg@gmail.com

1. Name of Applicant / Nominee
2. How have you (or your nominee) promoted the Lindy scene in Singapore either through personal artistic standards or embodyng the spirit of Lindy Hop?
3. How do you (or your nominee) intend to contribute to the Lindy scene upon returning from Herrang?

For the complete T&C, questions and more,  visit this Facebook Page

Disclaimer:
JUYL is not the organising committee or a sponsoring party. The actual committee wish to remain anonymous but for ease of administration, Hong Wee and Adam Patrick have kindly consented to being PR.

Dancing in the Moonlight

Dancing in the Moonlight  : Mini Herrang at Goldkist

Join us for an exciting time of partying with friends.

Venue : Unit D8 , GoldKist Chalet . East Coast Park.

Time : from 5pm till late.

cost : $25

Watch the video at Dancing in the moonlight

Join our event by RSVP at our event page at facebook group name ” Jazz Up Your Life (Singapore) .

Live music and dance energy FUSE together at MBS!

Following on from last Friday’s success at the Bellini Room, we let the fun momentum continue its course last night at the Marina Bay Sands. Our happy and energetic gang were ready to party after a week of work.

Fuse is a classy lounge located in the lobby of the hotel in MBS. Even though it’s located smack in the middle of the busy lobby with numerous passers-by, as soon as you enter the place it gives you a cozy and chill vibe. The live music came in the form of a guy from the States named Funch on the piano. He’s a delightful fellow who referred to us as “solid gold dancers” and cracked cheeky jokes about knowing friends who are swingers but they don’t dance He’s also go the cutest deep-belly chuckle you’ve ever heard, so don’t miss him! He’ll be playing and singing every evening (except Mondays and Tuesdays) at Fuse until 13 September so do check him out before he goes. He mainly did lounge jazz and rather mellow tunes…perfect if you’re looking to chillax. But as you know, with us swingers, we always find it hard to tame those jitterbugs in us so we asked if he could do a few swingin’ tunes for us. And even though he didn’t have that much swing in his repertoire, he was most obliging and played and sang us the swing tunes he had, even going so far as repeating a few numbers just so we could have more chances to strut our stuff on the nice wooden dance floor

And, as usual, our swinging energy was infectious, and soon, others made their way onto the dance floor to show off their groovy moves, including Funch himself! Antonio was none too hestitant to swing me over to Funch when he complained he had no one to dance with Funch said he used to dance when he was young, and he definitely hadn’t lost his moves!

watch the video

watch the video

It was another fun night…thanks to all those who showed up and made it great with your spirit and energy! Let’s continue to spread the lindy love and energy to all parts of this little island (no, not just the little man-made MBS island, I mean the whole of SG, hehe).

Until the next JUYL outing, keep swinging and keep smiling!

Tags: bars, hangout venues, live music