Swinging in Cottonwood Square

Niwot's weekly Dancing Under the Stars event was full of high energy and huge smiles Friday, July 22. Dancers boogied to diverse sounds spanning music from the 1920s to the 1950s.

When you think of swing dances, you might think of the Charleston, Lindy Hop, Balboa, Shag, Hand Jive and Jitterbug, but there are hundreds more which make up the genre. Swing dancing is experiencing a resurgence, with popular swing dance classes and social dancing at the Avalon and Boulder Swing Dance in Boulder and at Swingin' Denver.

Many people are realizing how fun it is to dance without needing to bring a partner. Dancers at these social dancing venues commonly rotate partners or ask each other to dance. Friday night in Niwot was no different, and even young kids were taking turns with their moms, friends or even strangers to try out the fast-paced dance. Expert and intermediate swingers synchronized their shimmying, stomping and cheering in a line as they called out the moves to each other.

Catherine McHale and Tom Masterson ran the show in perfect rhythm, as usual, and kept everyone on the beat as they played music, called out the sponsors and made announcements. Allison Frey and a friend taught the group the steps for the Lindy and the Charleston before teaching the group to swing and dip their partners without falling down.

Frey, a swing dance aficionado, discovered Lindy Hop in 2014 and found she loved the improvisational and carefree nature of the dance. In 2020 she went from teacher to the owner/operator of Boulder Swing Dance. Frey is committed to fostering a fun, energetic experience, teaching not only the steps, but also the history of the iconic dance.

The Lindy Hop, for example, grew from Black American roots in Harlem in the early 1930s. The Savoy Ballroom in Harlem was a haven for Black Americans to dance the Lindy Hop, and was famous for its 'Battle of the Bands' where two jazz bands would face off against each other in a jazz music showdown. A dance troupe called "Whitey's Lindy Hoppers" performed swing dance around the world and featured dancers such as Frankie Manning, Norma Miller, Willa Mae Ricker, Al Minns, and Leon James. Here in the Denver metro area, swing dance enthusiasts can find several venues to boogie woogie the night away.

Dancing Under the Stars takes place every Friday night in Cottonwood Square through Sept. 23. A free lesson begins at 7 p.m. followed by social dancing to DJ'd music. Swing nights are Aug. 12, Aug. 19, and Sept. 9. Next Friday, July 29, Dancing Under the Stars will have us learning and dancing Contra/ Folk dancing. Stay tuned.