THE hall at Como Primary School comes alive with big skirts and groovy moves every month, compliments of the Perth Swing Dance Society.

A four-week beginner class will prepare people for the night of dancing and starts on Wednesday, November 24 at the Park Recreation Centre in Victoria Park. Classes include the core figures and
rhythm of the 1930s and 40s style of swing dance.

Something's in the air and - with apologies to John Paul Young - this time it's not love. It's far hotter and sweatier than matters of the heart. Think lower. Think hip swivelling, foot stomping and enough grinding and gyrating to keep a hula hoop spinning. And to catch a slice of it you'll have to frock up to Perth's seriously cool nightspots after dark where the young and beautiful are congregating to rumba, salsa and tango.
There's also a whole lot of rockabilly, swing, jiving and waltzing going on as young punters learn to dance just like their grandparents did...

... Vas Pelecanos, a Perth musician who could be described as a cool dude, says dancing provides another way of getting in touch with the music.

Pelecanos dances the lindy hop - a form of swing dancing - regularly at the Mustang Bar in Northbridge...
...In lindy hop, dancers fly over each other's heads and the dance itself is fast and energetic.

"People like to invest in the whole era and get the look," says Pelecanos.
" A lot of people think about the style as '30s and '40s fashion. It's not Cadillacs but '40s Holdens. Fashion was suspenders and baggy pants, large loud colourful ties and the occasional newspaper-boy hat..."

Western Independent, September 2004
Swing Dancing Craze Sweeps Perth Off Its Feet

Swinging is back in style. SARAH COSSEN checks out Perth's Swing scene. Picture: KIRSTYN MARCH

Men in two-toned shoes, caps and braces have never looked as good as they do today. Big in the 1920s and 30s, swing dancing is undergoing a worldwide revival, and in Perth the scene is particularly vibrant thanks to the Perth Swing Dance Society.

"For 40 minutes I stood in the sun totally
captivated by the dance in front of me."

The Perth Swing Dance Society was established in 2002 by a group of dancers who wanted to broaden the swing social community. President Cheryl Glasgow said the emphasis was on social dancing.

"We wanted it to be completely independent from any teaching body to provide an outlet for members to socialise and dance in public," she said.

Ms Glasgow has been involved in swing dancing since 1999 when one summer afternoon she came across a couple of swing dancers husking.

"It was very hot, but for 40 minutes I stood in the sun totally captivated by the dance in front of me," she said. "The lady dancing was really amazing and the man just looked like he was having so much fun. They inspired me to get involved."

Ms Glasgow took a flyer from the pair and began taking lessons at Swing It Out dance studio. In July 2000, she went to Sweden to attend the annual Lindy Hop Camp. The camp is held for four weeks in Herrang every European summer and involves representatives from more than 29 countries participating in dance workshops. Ms Glasgow said it was the beginning of her love for swing dance.

"I saw the dance first, but until the camp had no idea how amazing the music, the clothes and the overall culture was, and this made me fall in love with the swing scene even more," she said.

Unless you are a professional ballroom dancer it's not often you get to dress in fancy costume and take to the dance floor. That is unless you attend a Swing dance like this one called 'Hullabaloo' here at the Midland Town hall where it's not only expected you'll dress up and dance until you drop it's practically compulsory!!!...

Read the full article here

Billed as the swing event of the year, the grand Swing Out to Victory Ball presented by the Perth Swing Dance Society at the Midland Town Hall captured the ANZAC spirit at the culmination of the Hullabaloo 2004 weekend festivities.

Hip Mo'Toast with diva Libby Hammer, the Kalamunda Youth Swing Band and the Hullabaloo Hoppers entertained guests dressed to the hilt in keeping with the 1940s war years theme.

Los Angeles tap dancer, producer and choreographer was practicing an aerial move with her dance partner when she fell to the ground and broke her neck in five places.

A NEAR-FATAL accident four years ago almost stopped Rusty Frank from doing the thing the loves most – dancing.
The Los Angeles tap dancer, producer, writer, teacher and choreographer was practicing an aerial move with her dance partner when she fell to the ground and broke her neck in five places.
It was a huge blow to Frank as she had a professional career dancing in numerous American stage shows including the all-star tap revue Jazz Tap featuring the Nicholas Brothers, Savion Glover, Jeni LeGon, Arthur Duncan and Brenda Bufaleno.

Luckily there was little damage to her spinal cord which could otherwise have meant paralysis from the neck down.
"I knew it was going to be a big fight to come back, but I really wanted to dance again.” she said.
Although the road to recovery was long and painful her neck healed and she is now back on the dance scene.
However, because of her injuries, Frank now focuses on her other favourite, less vigorous, dance style - the Lindy Hop, also known as the Jitterbug or swing.
She is now one of the most sought after teachers of Lindy Hop at dance camps all around the world, including Australia.

Frank was in Perth last week to take part in the Perth Swing Dance Society's Perth Lindy Exchange Hullabaloo 2004.
The exchange included workshops held by Frank international dance teachers Peter Loggins and Lisa Ferguson and Perth's own Deb and Glenn Moore, Roger Schmidin and Janet Tolifson.

Frank stayed with a host family in Swanbourne in what was her third visit to Perth.
“Perth has such an amazing dance scene and some really hot-shot Lindy Hoppers” she said.
“There are dancers here that could hold their own anywhere in the world"

Frank said she fell in love with the Lindy Hop after watching a video of an English dance troupe, the Jiving Lindy Hoppers In 1996.
The first time I saw this dance I almost fell over it is just amazing" she said.
"It is just a spontaneous combustion on the dance floor" Frank said she encouraged everyone, young and old, to "give the Lindy Hop a go'. "Nowadays many people spend their day sitting at a computer and answering emails and the phone." she said "This dance is so much fun and it brings people together that in normal circumstances would never meet.

Frank has worn several hats throughout her career, including dancer, author of the acclaimed book TAP! The Greatest Tap Dance Stars and their Stories 1900 - 1955, producer of television tap specials and instructional videos, and a member of the Smithsonian Institution's Jazz Oral History Project. She now owns and operates On Tap! through which the promotes dance productions, holds dance workshops, presents historical video programs and markets dance supplies.

720 ABC Perth Radio, 23rd April 2004
The Lindy Hop
Presenter: Eoin Cameron

What is it ? Why's it booming ? What's it's history ? All is explained by a visiting expert.

An American Lindy Hop expert visits Perth for a major hopper festival. What's the Lindy Hop we want to know ? : "the Lindy Hop is the name of the original American swing dance... a specific 1930s,40s dance" explains Rusty Frank...

Read and listen to the interview here.

THE first Hullabaloo 2004 Perth Lindy Exchange will be held this weekend. Perth's premier swing big band Hip Mo' Toast led by Libby Hammer and the Kalamunda Youth Swing Band will perform at the event which has been hailed as the swing event of the year.

The Perth Swing Society will host Hullabaloo 2004 and the society's performance troupe, The Hullabaloo Hoppers often perform throughout Perth demonstrating how swing was danced in the 1920s, 30s and 40s

Hullabaloo 2004 will be held at Midland Town Hall on Sunday from 8pm. The night has a 1940, vintage civilian theme and guests are asked to dress in military uniforms or after-five wear.

The Perth Swing Dance Society is warming up for Hullabaloo 2004! Perth Lindy Exchange.
Perth has witnessed the resurgence of swing dancing over the last five years at various pubs, clubs, festivals and private functions. You call go along to one of the most consistent swing gigs at the Mustang Bar Friday nights and watch the ever growing number of swing dancers strutting the floor in their favourite vintage gear.

The Perth Swing Dance Society was formed to promote swing dance, music and culture. And for the first time in their short history they are presenting Hullabaloo 2004! Perth Lindy Exchange. These exchanges have been operating worldwide for many years. The idea being, to exchange and share information and experience about swing dance through workshops and social dancing with visitors from other cities and countries.
Hullabaloo is set for the ANZAC Day long weekend in April. Events include workshops with local and international teachers, video presentations, a vintage hairstyle workshop and lots of social dancing at cafes, bars and theatres. A major event will be the Swing Out to Victory Ball held at the Midland Town Hall which will be decorated in 1940's style. Perth dancers are well known for their eagerness to dress up for such occasions and no doubt everyone entering tile hall will feel as though they were stepping back in time. Live music by the Hip Mo' Toast Big Band and tile amazing Kalamunda Youth Swing Band will create an exciting mix of swing music to complete the wartime era atmosphere.

The Perth Swing Dance Society is very proud to offer workshops by both international and local teachers. Peter Loggins and Lisa Ferguson from Los Angeles, have performed and taught all over the world, appeared an television and recently choreographed and performed in Marilyn Manson's Mobscene video. Rusty Frank (from California) is a performer, teacher, writer and producer of all things swing. She will be revisiting our shores to share more of her invaluable experience. Rusty will be partnered with our very own Shane McCarthy. Roger Schmidlin (originally from Sweden, now local) and Janet Tolifsen (Arizona) founded the swing dance scene in Perth in 1998. They have learnt from and also taught alongside leading Lindy Hop teachers in the world and will continue to share more of their expertise. Glenn and Deb Moore were Part of the team that established the Perth Swing Dance Society and have gone on to form their own local dance school, Swing Junction. They taught at the 2002 Melbourne Lindy Exchange and look forward to the first of many Perth Lindy Exchanges.

While most of the workshops have been sold out, the public can corne along and dance at the swing ball and other social events or simply watch tile spectacle, which can be quite energetic and exciting with spontaneous jam sessions and performances. There will also be an opportunity to view Peter Loggins' collection of movie and film dance clips. These historic movie images provide a great insight into the dance, its origins and evolution.

Hullabaloo runs from 23 - 26 April. For more information on Hullabaloo and Lindy Hop dance in Perth, you call visit the website www.perthswing.com

The Perth Swing Dance Society is hosting a major event this Anzac Day long week - the first ever Hullabaloo 2004 Perth Lindy Exchange. With dance workshops and a number of swingin' social events, including the grand finale Swing Out To Victory Ball, there's plenty of toe-tappin' good times to be had by all. The Victory Ball will feature Perth's favourite big band, Hip Mo' Toast, lead by Libby Hammer, along with the amazing Kalamunda Youth Swing Band in a double bill. Guests are invited to dress in 1940s vintage civilian, military uniform or after five wear.

It's all happening at the Midland Town Hall on Sunday, April 25, from 8pm until 2am. Tickets are $55 for members or $65 for non-members, or free with a Hullabaloo full pass.