Summary of Winter Quarter 1999 SBDC Activities

Weekly SBDC Club Practice Meetings

The SBDC Club Practice Meetings were held on Monday nights in Rob Gym room 2320, from 8:30 pm to 10:45 pm. The average attendance at these meetings ranged from 75 to 150 dancers. Meetings consisted of our Basics I introductory dance program (for the beginning dancers), our Basics II practice and styling program (for the intermediate or advanced dancers), announcements of upcoming activities, and demonstrations or exhibitions.
In the Basics I program, introductory lessons were held in East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Charleston, The Madison, and other swing variations. Time was set aside at the weekly meetings to review these steps. Also, for those members who attended the SBDC Saturday or Sunday Afternoon workshops, time was set aside to review those steps as well.

Weekly SBDC Ballroom Dance Practice Night

For the Winter Quarter, the Ballroom Dance Practice Night was moved to Monday nights to coincide with the regular Weekly SBDC Club Practice Meetings. The Ballroom Dance Practice Nights were held from 8:30 pm to about 10:45 pm in Rob Gym room 2320 and Rob Gym room 1430. These were conducted by SBDC Ballroom Dance Coordinator Porfirio Landeros and his dance partner Laetitia Santore.
Each week, they showed introductory steps for three different smooth and Latin ballroom dances, including the Waltz, Foxtrot, Tango, Cha Cha, Mambo, Salsa, Rhumba, and Samba. Time was also set aside each week for practicing all the different ballroom steps.

Winter Quarter Valentine's Day Ballroom Dance

The Valentine's Day Ballroom Dance (Saturday February 13th) was an outstanding success! The SBDC was honored to be able to have the Lencho Martinez and Sons Marimba Band play for this special event. They played a wide variety of songs, including Latin, Smooth Ballroom, and Swing.
There were also several outstanding dance exhibitions in Argentine Tango, Waltz, and Rhumba. We also had a Jack-and-Jill Ballroom Dance Contest in Tango and Foxtrot. For the festivities, the SBDC had completely decorated the Goleta Valley Community Center ballroom to look like a "Cupid's Paradise" for Valentine's Day.
(Photos to be added.)

1950's Sock Hop Dance Party

The SBDC offered a special Fifth Friday in February DJ Swing Dance (February 26th), as a 1950's Sock Hop Dance Party! The dance was held in UCSB's Robertson Gym (room 2320), which was completely decorated for the 1950's theme. We also provided a self-service ice cream soda fountain, where dancers could make their own root beer or coke floats.
The highlight of the evening was a special guest appearance by ELVIS himself. Elvis (Roger Redford) brought the house down with his showcase performance and crowd pleasing songs.
The entertainment continued with a very fun and exciting Limbo Bar contest. The nimble dancers were exciting to watch as they squeezed their way under the lowering bar each time! We also held a bubble gum blowing contest which was a real "blast" too.
(Photos to be added.)

January Lindy Hop Workshop with Kathrine Ljunggren and Chester Whitmore

The Swing and Ballroom Dance Club was extremely pleased to have Katherine Ljunggren of the Swedish Lindy Hop Performance Group, "The Rhythm Hot Shots" return to teach a series of Lindy Hop and Women's Styling workshops for us on Friday and Saturday, January 29 - 30, 1999. Joining with Katherine in teaching the Saturday Lindy Hop classes was world famous Lindy Hop and Tap Dance Master, Chester Whitmore, from Los Angeles.
Katherine and Chester last taught together at the Herrang (Sweden) Dance Camp in the summer of 1997. They worked together very well, and made the whole experience fun and unforgettable.

Katherine Ljunggren , of "The Rhythm Hot Shots", with Chester Whitmore

Katherine, Chester, and the SBDC Officers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

February Aerials Workshop with Bob Rogers and Nancy Sandburg

The Swing and Ballroom Dance Club sponsored an afternoon workshop of Aerials on Sunday, March 14, 1999, featuring local instructors Bob Rogers and Nancy Sandburg. They offered two classes in Lifts, Drops, and Aerials, the first was a beginning level, the second was at an intermediate level
Bob and Nancy stressed the importance of safety in practicing and performing these steps, and emphasized that these steps are only appropriate at certain times on a dance floor, such as in a jam circle or during a performance. They also taught methods of dancing into and out of each step.
Everyone who attended enjoyed the class, so the SBDC promised to offer several more Aerials workshops in the Spring Quarter!

Dance History Video Night

The SBDC held two dance history video nights during the Winter Quarter. We watched film and video clips of the origins of swing dancing and Lindy Hop, documentaries compiled by National Geographic about the "Jitterbug", dance competition videos, "Groovie Movie", Herrang Dance Camp videos, and much more! We held a special "Dean Collins" film night, narrated by local film historian, Brian Amrine. We also watched the Swing and Ballroom Dance Club commercial that was filmed in December 1998, and is currently airing on Cox Cable channel 17. Dance history video nights will continue in the Spring Quarter.

Swing Dance "Field Trips"

The SBDC Club members took part in the monthly Santa Barbara Elk's Lodge Sunday Afternoon Big Band Dances. These events are open to the public, and are a fund raising event for the Elk's Lodge. The Elk's provided the Big Band ("Kings of Swing"), a large wooden dance floor, and the facilities. The SBDC brought the dancers! These monthly field trips will continue in the Spring Quarter.
SBDC Club members also took part in the local Santa Barbara Swing Dance Scene during Winter Quarter! The most popular dancing spots in town were Wednesday nights at the Yucatan, and the First and Third Friday Night Swing Dances at the Carrillo Recreation Center. You would be sure to find several dozen SBDC members dancing up a storm!

This page was updated by Steve Carlan on 9/6/99.