Dj Björn at Cats Corner

There are just a couple of weeks left of indoor dancing at Cats' Corner. Yesterday DJ Björn made his dj debut at Cats Corner. Great music all evening and lots of nice people to dance with. I even squeezed in a little bit of foxtrot and blues between all the lindy and balboa.

I've been busy at Cats' Corner this season and have been djing four five times. Now it's nice to have a little break.

The photo is taken by me and may not be published elsewhere without my permission. Contact me if you want to buy or license it.


What do you think of last nights' Cats' Corner? Please comment.

Cats' Corner: Season Premiere

Tonight the regular weekly dancing at Cats' Corner starts again. "At last!" I think many people exclaims because the pause over Christmas and New Year is the longest pause during the whole year.

Tonight the swing dj is Simon Ternsjö. I'll be djing next week.

The photo is taken by me and may not be published elsewhere without my permission. Contact me if you want to buy or license it.

What do you think of Cats' Corner? Please comment.

Happy birthday in advance, Frankie Manning!

Frankie Manning, the lindy hop legend, turns 95 in May, and he is going to have a gigantic birthday party in New York.

Peter Strom & Ramona Staffeld have created a choreography to honor Frankie at his birthday. People all over the world have participated in performing it and of course we have also done it in Uppsala. The video above is from Tuesday at Cats Corner at Smålands nation.

The song is Savoy by Lucky Millinder.

I think it looks really nice. What do you think? Please comment.

Happy Birthday Duke! - Concert and show April 29th

Happy Birthday Duke! is a concert and show that you really should see. It's a concert that celebrates Duke Ellingtons 110th birthday. The concert features no less than three bands and orchestras: Uppsala University Jazz Orchestra, SweDukes and the Middlesex group.

But wait there's more. Way more. You will also see the swing dance troupe MessAround perform together with the bands. The will show off all kinds of swing dances: Lindy hop, balboa, shag, charleston and tap.

The concert takes place next Wednesday, April 29th, at Univeritetsaulan, at 19.30.
Tickets cost 130 kr (90 kr for students). If you got a UNT-card: 100 kr (70 kr for students). Buy tickets via UNT Biljett (018-478 10 70) or at Ticnet.

Invite all your friends to Happy Birthday Duke! on Facebook.

If you were at Cats Corner yesterday, you got a sneek peak of MessAround doing the charleston number Uppsala Stomp. The number was tight and had lots of energy.



Uppsala University Jazz Orchestra (UUJO) has got a new member: Claes Brodda on saxophone. The photo above is from Saturday when he played together with Jennie Löbel and the Swing Kings at Swingkattens dance at Grand. I look forward to hear more of him. (I'll post more about the Saturday night dance later).

The photos are taken by me and may not be published elsewhere without my permission. Contact me if you want to buy or license them.

Will you attend "Happy Birthday Duke!"? Please comment.

Cats' Corner at Gotlands nation

I hope I didn't scare you with the photo above. Sometimes when I'm out taking photos unexpected things like these pop up in front of my lens. Booo! ;)

Yesterday I visited our (almost) weekly dance Cats' Corner. This season we don't have just one but several locations for the dance. This time it was held at Gotlands nation. It was there very first time we had the dance there, so there was some things to figure out how they worked.

Another debut for the night: Agnes Hjelm debuted as a swing dj and I think she played very well. She played both old classics as well as some neo swing.



One especially nice thing about Gotlands nation as a swing venue is that there are some space where people really can sit down and talk while they are not dancing. Oftentimes it's just "dance, dance, dance!" and you never get a chance to chat with people.

One other thing you could do when you're not dancing is to read the old magazines that we have bought. All the magazines are from the 1940s-1950s and it's fun to read what they thought was important to write about then. It's also entertaining to read the advertisements.



The photos are taken by me and may not be published elsewhere without my permission. Contact me if you want to buy or license them.

What do you think of Cats Corner at Gotlands nation? Please comment.

Swing dj Henrik Eriksson at Cats Corner tonight

Yes, that right, I'll be djing at Cats Corner at Smålands nation in Uppsala tonight.

There is a taster lesson in boogie woogie at 19. Social dancing starts at 20 and ends at 23. At 21 there will be a performance of African dancing. Cost: 20 kr.

What would you like to hear tonight? Tell me, here's your chance. Please comment.

Cats Corner at Grand tonight

The venue for our weekly dance night Cats Corner has changed for the rest of the season due to unforseen problems. Tonight and next week we will be at Grand. What a super location. Tonight's dj is Trina Dobbs.

As usual: 20-23. 20 kr. Lots of fun!

The photo is taken by me and may not be published elsewhere without my permission. Contact me if you want to buy or license it.

What do you think of Cats Corner this season? Please comment.

Swing djing: shaping the floor

To shape the floor is to look at dance floor and see what mood and energy is and deciding in what direction to go. Faster or slower tempo? Big band or small group? Older or modern recording? Vocal or instrumental? Experienced or inexperienced dancers? Crowded floor or lots of space? Which people are dancing together? Theme of the night? Face of the moon?

You as a dj shapes the floor, the dancers respond and you adjust. What would be a good song right now and in what direction will it take us?

It's almost like a dance itself, the dj provides a lead: "Lets try this move (song)" and the crowd follows "Cool, and look at what extra styling I just added to the move". "Yeah! Ok, then you'll probably like this next move"

The photo above is from last night at Cats Corner where Jonas Pettersson djed.

The photo is taken by me and may not be published elsewhere without my permission. Contact me if you want to buy or license it.

What do you think of last night at Cats Corner? Please comment.

The Rhythm Club in Natchez burns down

Last Tuesday I djed at Cats Corner. I played a lot of styles of swing music, so hopefully everybody got some songs that they liked. When I dj I almost never leave the dj booth to dance, djing gets my full attention. However, I couldn't resist to dance two songs with the lovely Miss J.

One particular song I played during the night was "That Night" by Swing Session from their selfentitled album.

"That Night" is a slow and groovy song with fictional story based on a real event: the night when the Rhythm Club in Natchez burned down April 23, 1940 killing many people.

I've found a blog post that gives you much more info on what went down that night in Natchez. Check it out.

What do you think of "That Night"? Please comment.

The education of organizers

Tuesday night I dj:ed at the weekly dance event Cats Corner that has continued at GH nation this semester. The djing went well I think (please tell me what you thought of it).

A new place always means that things work a little bit different, it also means that things doesn't work in different ways. We've had some technical challenges but I think we have solved them now. This is where experience comes in handy: You know that something almost certainly will happen, but hopefully you have solved the problem before and it can easily be taken care of.

I've been involved in arranging events ever since Swingkatten, our dance organisation, started seven years ago. I'm one of the go-to guys when it comes to technical issues.

I've started to write "brain dumps" so that more people get to know how to do technical stuff. My main goal in Swingkatten in the coming year will be to educate people on technical issues.

I think it's important to have a large group of people that are available to arrange events. It's dangerous to rely on only a few people. What if someone disappears from the scene for one reason or another? You also avoid people getting burned out from doing too much work.



Everybody has their favorite way of doing things. In Swingkatten we've had the principle: "If you make things happen, you get to do it the way you like it".

Obviously, everyone can't completly agree about how things are done. That brings us to the other side of the principle: "If you like things done your way, you got to make things happen". Get involved! More people means more variety.

Over the the last couple of years I've implemented the plan that Swingkatten should have technical equipment to be able to independently arrange events. We have almost reached that goal and that feels great. Only a few things are lacking.

So now the challenge is to make use of all this equipment. The next step is to educate people. Setting up equipment is not that hard that it may seem. We need to set up some form of apprentice program. Have you done anything like that? I'd like to hear how you did it.

The photos in this post are taken by me at an impromtu jam session at Cats Corner. The photos may not be published elsewhere without my permission. Contact me if you want to buy or license them.

Would you like to be an apprentice? Please comment.

Cats' Corner: Autumn Premiere

Tonight it's autumn season premiere for Cats' corner, the weekly dance that Swingkatten arranges.

This season the dance will take place Tuesdays at the ballroom at Gästrike-Hälsingland nation located at Trädgårdsgatan 9.

Jonas Pettersson will be the swing dj tonight.

Welcome to a night of fabulous dancing!

What do you think of the new location of Cats' Corner? Please comment.

Cats Corner: Season finale

Tonight is the last Cats Corner for the season and the swing dj is Trina Dobbs. There will be some kind of contest during the night.

It has been a great season. I can't tell you enough how good it is to have a weekly dance. I think it raises the dancing level of the entire scene and it also brings the dance scene closer together since there are more opportunities to meet eachother.

I'm really impressed with how many people that has helped organize the evenings, I count to at least 27 persons that have contributed. Thank you so much!

I also love what a variety of swing music we have heard, we've had 13 different swing djs. Some of them came from Stockholm, but most of them were from Uppsala, how cool is that? I hope the newer djs continues to develop their style. The more, the merrier.

I hope that we can continue to develop Cats Corner in the autumn and I hope to get to meet some new friends.

What do you think of this season of Cats Corner? Do you have any ideas for the autumn? Please comment.

The photos are taken by me and may not be published elsewhere without my permission. Contact me if you want to license them.

Swinging events this week

Swingkatten's regular event Cats Corner takes a break tonight as there are other things scheduled at Uplands nation but there are several other events this week:

• Tomorrow Wednesday: Swing Time Sextett featuring Margareta Nordlander at Katalin. Show by MessAround. Dance floor available. 20-22. 100 kr.
• Thursday: Uppsala University Jazz Orchestra: Exam concert at Katedralskolans aula. 19:00 - 20:15. Free.
• Friday: After Work Jazz. Concert with Kari Sjöstrand, tenor sax, flute and vocals, Daniel Lantz, Fender Rhodes and Henrik Voldsgaard Christensen, double bass. Where: The pub Pipes of Scotland/Hotel Uppsala (intersection of st. olofsg./kungsgatan) At 17.30. Free.
• Saturday: Outside dance at Kopphagens dansbana in Länna. Celebration of Lennakatten. Show by MessAround. 12:30 - 16:00. Swing dj: Henrik Eriksson (me!). Free. Read more.
• Sunday: Swe-dukes playes at Skarholmen. 15-18. 50 kr.

Wow. What a lineup of great events. Be sure to visit most of them!

I'll write more about them later on.

Which events are you going to? Tell me.

Swing dj Hans Moberg at Cats Corner

This week Cats Corner has once again a swing dj from Stockholm, tonight it is Hans Moberg. I have never heard him so I'm curious what kind of swing songs he will dj.

Below I've added some swing dance photos from last week when Patrik Öhrström dj:ed.







The photos are taken by me and may not be published elsewhere without my permission. Contact me if you want to license them.

Do you visit Cats Corner? Is there anything you think could make the event even better? Tell me.

Swing dj Patrik Öhrström at Cats Corner tonight

Tonight swing dj Patrik Öhrström from Stockholm will play swing songs at Cats Corner. Patrik djed here in Uppsala last spring when Swingkattens weekly dance was called Dekadans.

I'll be testing some new ways of doing photography tonight. Say hi to me if you want to be a model.

The photo may not be used elsewhere without my permission. Contact me if you want licence the photo.

Have you heard Patrik dj before? What do you think of him? Tell me.

New swing djs in Uppsala

Last tuesday three new swing djs made their debut at Cats Corner in Uppsala: Susanne Karlsson, Frida Samuelsson and Mats Fröberg.

It's great to have new people to dj. As a seasoned dj you might think that you have heard most swing music, but then a new person comes along with new stuff that you never heard.



Today we have about 6-7 swing djs in Uppsala, which is quite a difference to four years ago when I was pretty much the only swing dj in town.



The photos are taken by me and may not be published elsewhere without my permission. Contact me if you want to license them.

Tonight there is "Duke Ellington night" at Cats Corner. Be there!

Did you hear the new swing djs last time? What did you think of them. Tell me.

First time swing djs at Cats Corner

Tonight it's dancing at Cats Corner with some first time djs: Susanne and Mats. Here are some photos from last week when Trina Dobbs and Jonas Pettersson dj:ed.


The photos are taken by me and may not be published elsewhere without my permission. Contact me if you want to license them.

Are you a regular a Cats Corner? What do you like about it? Haven't you been there? Why not? Tell me.

How to recognize a balboa dancer from Uppsala

Tonight it's time again for Cats Corner at Uplands nation in Uppsala. Since it is Veronika, Nils and Gabriela who are organizing this evening, the evening will have a slight focus towards all the balboa dancers in Uppsala.

One of the things they have fixed is small balboa corner so that the balboa dancer will run less risk to be hit by a charleston kick from the wild lindy dancers since the room can be quite crowded.

The balboa corner also makes it easier to find your fellow balboa dancer. Another thing that will help you recognize a balboa dancer from Uppsala is the newly produced balboa buttons. If a person wears this button, she/he would like to dance balboa with you. A great initiative from Jennie!

A couple of Swingkattens balboa teachers, Jonas Pettersson and Trina Dobbs, will dj classic swing tonight. As usual: Time: 20-23, Price: 20 kr.

The photo is taken by me and may not be published elsewhere without my permission. Contact me if you want to license it.

What do you think of the idea with a balboa button to locate other balboa dancers? Tell me.

Henrik Eriksson is djing swing at Cats Corner tonight

Just a reminder: Cats Corner has been taking a break for two weeks but now it's back again. Join us tonight for a great night of dancing.

I will be djing great songs for you. I've found some great new stuff that i'm eager to play.

There is also a taster class in Balboa at 19 by Jennie Norrman & Jonas Pettersson.

Come dancing tonight! Or as Louis Jordan put it:

"Hey everybody. Let's have some fun! You only live once and when you're dead you're done. So, let the good times roll!"

The photo is taken by me and may not be published elsewhere without my permission. Contact me if you want to license it.

Will you be there tonight? Do you it's strange to talk about yourself in third person? Tell me.

Cats Corner - Season premiere

Our weekly dance in Uppsala, Cats Corner, starts the spring season tonight. The club is located at Uplands nation. The dance is between 20 and 23 and costs 20 kr.

We will start of softly with a joint venture between me and Jonas Pettersson choosing the music for your dancing and listening pleasure.

I've found lots of great swing music during Christmas and will present a small portion of it tonight.

Welcome!

The photo is taken by me and may not be published elsewhere without my permission. Contact me if you want to license it.

Do you have any ideas what we could do to make Cats Corner even better and extra special this season? Tell me.