The Track with Ryan Swift – Détails, épisodes et analyse

In Episode 54, I am joined by dancer & DJ Helena Martins. Helena has danced, competed, performed, and DJed across the US, South America, and Europe - including DJing at events like Lindy Shock, ILHC, Lindy Focus, and at Herräng dance camp, where she has been a staff and Head DJ.

Helena joined me by video from her home in Madrid to talk about growing up in Brazil, her involvement in the electronic music scene, and how she discovered big band jazz through playing video games.

We also talked about what led her to DJing, what characteristics make a DJ great, finding a silver lining during the pandemic through online events, and why she prefers playing classic swing artists over modern bands for dancers.

In this episode, I am joined by dancer, organizer, and educator Julia Loving. Julia has been a Teacher of Africana History and School Media Specialist in the New York City public schools for the past 27 years, and began Lindy Hopping in 2013. In addition to being a mainstay at social dances in her native New York City, she organizes dance events in Harlem as co-founder of SwingWithUsNYC.com, and is the creator of LuckyLindysNYC undergarments for dancers. Julia currently serves on the Boards of the Frankie Manning Foundation and the Black Lindy Hoppers Fund.

Julia joined me by video from her Bronx home to talk about growing up in the Bronx during the birth of Hip Hop, memories of watching elders dance Lindy Hop at Harlem community events in the 80s, and her observation that she and other Black women do not get asked to dance on the social dance floor.

We also talked about her close relationship with Norma Miller, her clothing brand Lucky Lindys, and how the events of the past 10 months give her hope for the future of Lindy Hop.

In this episode, I am joined by dancers and instructors Kim Clever and David Frutos. Kim and Dave met at a dance class at a bar in 1994, and by 1996 they were teaching swing dance together at the world famous Brown Derby.  As competitors David and Kim have numerous titles together from the National Jitterbug Championships, the International Lindy Hop Championships, and US Open Championships. They have many film and television credits to their name and have been inducted into the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame, both individually and as a couple.

We sat down at Camp Hollywood 2019 to talk about the early days of the camp, how getting hired by Whoopi Goldberg launched their Hollywood careers, and their experience as dancers for the Brian Setzer Orchestra.

They also break down dancing at and running some of LAs top swing dance spots, their experience traveling from the west coast to compete in the east at the height of the infamous style wars, and Kim’s experience as a woman in the swing dance scene. 

In this episode, I am joined by Balboa legend, Marge Takier.  Marge began dancing in Southern California in the 1950’s and soon after met her longtime husband and dance partner Hal Takier.  Hal and Marge became a dance partnership that was looked up to by generations of dancers to follow, both in person to young dancers in California, and around the world through video clips of their dancing.  Marge and Hal were inducted into the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame in 2000.  

Marge joined me at Camp Hollywood to talk about learning to dance at the Lido Ballroom, dancing to big band greats like Count Basie and Benny Goodman at Disneyland, the start of the now-legendary Big Band Sunday dances at Bobby McGee’s, and unwittingly becoming a swing DJ icon.

She also paid tribute to her late husband by sharing stories of his dance legacy, including meeting and dancing with him for the first time, his unique dance style, and his filmed work during the Swing Era in Soundies - the original music videos.

In this episode, I am joined by dancer, instructor, and choreographer Ryan Francois.  Following a chance encounter with a poster promoting “‘Thirties dancing with Judo throws” in the early 1980’s, Ryan has since become master of Lindy Hop, jazz, and tap. He is a two-time winner at the US Open and American Swing Dance Championships, has taught and performed around the world, and his choreography and performances on stage and screen have inspired generations of modern Lindy Hoppers. 

Ryan joined me in New York City to talk about his discovery of Lindy Hop as a poor black teenager from East London, how profoundly the films “A Day at the Races” and “The Spirit Moves” impacted his life, and how connecting with the dance and such legends as Mama Lu Parks, Norma Miller, Pepsi Bethel and Frankie Manning shaped his sense of self and history.

We also discussed the evolution of his career from traveling performer and competitor to choreographer on films like “Swing Kids” & “Malcolm X,” and the Tony-nominated musical “Swing!,” the legacies of the individuals that have carried the torch of Lindy Hop, and the thing he has yet to accomplish in a career that has touched nearly every aspect of show business.

In this episode, I am joined by dancer and instructor, Sing Lim.  Sing has been part of the global swing dance community for over 30 years - learning in London under the tutelage of Ryan Francois and Frankie Manning and spreading Lindy Hop to Asia when she returned to her native Singapore in 1996.  She was a member of the Frankie100 organizing committee and has been invited to teach, perform and judge at numerous events around the world, including Herräng Dance Camp, Swingtime Ball Beijing, and the Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown in New Orleans.

Sing joined me in New York City to talk about our memories of Norma Miller, learning from — and then competing alongside — Ryan Francois in the early 90s, her friendship with Frankie Manning, and founding Jitterbugs Swingapore and SEA Jam, the first Lindy Hop weekend in Asia. 

We also discuss the early days of Herräng, how Lindy Hop has grown throughout Asia, both learning and teaching the history of Lindy Hop, and the importance of respecting the community of Harlem from which it came.

In this episode, I am joined by dancer and instructor, Alice Mei.  Alice began dancing when she was four, and studied ballet and contemporary dance before falling in love with Lindy Hop and Solo Jazz.  She very quickly became a highly sought-after international instructor and acclaimed competitor, teaching in more than 30 countries and winning titles at events such as Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown, the International Lindy Hop Championships and the European Swing Dance Championships.

Alice joined me at Lindyfest 2019 to talk about the loneliness and difficulty she experienced at a dance conservatory program as a child, her struggle to understand rhythm at the start of her Lindy Hop career, and her experience finding her own voice in dance after an unhealthy partnership.

We also discuss how switching partners multiple times has helped her dancing evolve, why fear is her greatest motivator for competing, and what she’s learned about successful group choreography as part of Brothers and Sisters in Rhythm.

A brief content warning --  we discuss Alice’s relationship with Max Pitruzzella about 42 minutes into the episode. 

In this episode, I am joined by dancer, instructor, and choreographer, Nick Williams.  Since his first swing dance lesson in LA in 1998, Nick has studied Lindy Hop, Balboa, and Collegiate Shag with its original dancers and spent countless hours studying vintage dance clips. He has won titles at virtually every top-tier event, including the World Lindy Hop Championships, US Open, ALHC, National Jitterbug Championships, ILHC, Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown, and American Classic Balboa Championships. Nick’s choreography has been featured on So You Think You Can Dance, and he has been inducted into the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame.

Nick and I sat down at Lindyfest 2019 to talk about his early years of dancing - where he experienced bullying in the late-90’s LA swing dance scene, his challenging first experience at ALHC, and how dancing with Sylvia Sykes became a gateway for opportunity in the larger swing dance scene.

We also discuss his obsession with loafers and how that shapes his dancing, finding opportunities to dance in film & television, and how he pushes his creativity through song & dance, like recreating Gene Kelly’s iconic “Singin’ in the Rain” routine for a live audience.

In this episode, I am joined by singer, dancer, and event producer, Hilary Alexander.  Hilary has been a vital part of the Los Angeles swing dance scene since she began dancing in the mid-90s - she founded and continues to run Camp Hollywood and the National Jitterbug Championships in LA, was inducted into The California Swing Dance Hall of Fame in 2008, and later served on its board for 5 years.  She has also been the co-leader and vocalist for Jonathan Stout and His Campus Five and The Jonathan Stout Orchestra since 2002.

Hilary sat down with me at the 2019 California Balboa Classic to talk about taking up to swing dancing to fight loneliness when she moved cross-country after high school, what compelled her to start Camp Hollywood with absolutely no experience as an event organizer, and what it was like being part of a cultural moment at some of the most well-recognized venues of the LA swing revival.

We also discuss what it was like growing up with show business aspirations in New York City, her experience as a self-taught vocalist, and how her complicated relationship with her mother has shaped her own outlook on motherhood.

In this episode, I am joined by international swing DJ, Sam Carroll. Sam started playing music for swing dancers in 2005 and has since DJed at events around the world.  In addition to numerous events in her native Australia, she has DJed at Herrang Dance Camp and Snowball in Sweden, Authentic Jazz Weekend in South Korea, and Lindy Focus in the United States.  In her home scene, she is one of the organizers of Swing Dance Sydney and JazzBANG weekend.

Sam sat down with me on New Years’ Day 2019 after a late night of DJing at Lindy Focus to talk about her observations about dance in the US, why being a DJ is about more than just playing good music, and how her experience in Australia was different from the American dancers riding the pop culture swing wave of the late 90’s.

We also discussed what it’s like as a DJ and attendee at Herrang, what goes in to running her own successful events, her grad school work on women in media, and how that has shaped her approach and experience writing her blog, Dogpossum.