Snowball Dance Camp - Stockholm

Just before New Years Eve I went to dance at the Snowball Dance Camp in Stocholm. The camp is about one week but I was just there for one night, so I had to choose carefully which night to visit.



I choose this night because of the bands that were playing: Jennie Löbel And the Swing Kings and the Gordon Webster sextet. I've danced to Jennie and her band ever since I started dancing. I first saw Gordon Webster this summer at Herräng Dance Camp. I remember him in a 3AM jam in the pub when the set had stopped but the audience kept on clapping, wanting more. Gordon went back to the piano and improvised a song using the clapping audience as a huge rhythm section.

That's why I wanted to see them.



The ballroom was huge and there were people everywhere, in fact I don't think I ever have seen so many swing dancers at one time. I heard somewhere that the ballroom allows for 600-700 people to be there at one time. Lots and lots of people to dance with. It's fun to be part of such a crowd, but it also makes it difficult if you want to find a certain person you want to dance with.

If you follow the Swedish custom to dance two songs with a person you can dance 10 dances in one hour which meant 80 dances through the night if you danced non stop.



If the middle of the night there were a performance by The Harlem Hot Shots. Great stuff as always. I liked their 1920's number best.

The bands traded sets and they played 3 sets each. How about that!

In the end of the night the fatigue and the fact that my shoes are pretty new and not really worn in yet made my dance less good than it normally is (I hope).

Overall, a very nice night. Afterwards, I reflected on how easy it is to take events like this for granted and how much work it must have taken put it together. I know, because I've arranged half a dozen camps myself and more dance nights than I can remember.

If you meet the organizers be sure to thank them.

The next big event will be here in Uppsala in the and of January: The Uppsala Winter Camp. See you there.



The photos are taken by me and may not be published elsewhere without my permission.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 Snowball? Please comment.

Swing djing at Swedish Swing Society in Stockholm tomorrow

Tomorrow, I'm proud to be djing swing at a dance organized by Swedish Swing Society, one of the dance clubs in Stockholm.

The evening starts at 20 with a introduction to the jazz routine Jitterbug stroll. At 21 there will be a Shag performance as a teaser for the coming "Stockholm Collegiate Shag Weekend" and then I'll be djing until midnight.

Join me for a fun night of dancing tomorrow!

Swedish Swing Society is located at Igeldammsgatan 22C (Uppgång 2). Nearest subway station is Fridhemsplan (exit Mariebergsgatan).

Is there any song in particular that you would like to hear tomorrow? Please comment.

Royal Crown Revue: Concert photos

Royal Crown Revue played yesterday at Debaser. They played good neo swing with a lot of energy. A very professional and entertaining band with very talented musicians. I had a good dance with M. When the band played the song Harlem Nocturne there were even a little burlesque number with three girls from Stockholm.



I went to the concert with members of the rhythm & blues band Sweet Emma & The Mood Swingers, who by the way will play at Stampen in Stockholm tonight. A lot of the audience were also into vintage fashion and dressed sharply, they were really good looking. Very nice!


The photos are taken by me and may not be used elsewhere without my permission.

Where you at the concert with Royal Crown Revue? What did you think of them? Tell me.

Royal Crown Revue concert at Debaser

The neoswing band Royal Crown Revue is out on an European tour and is coming to Debaser (Slussen) in Stockholm tomorrow.

Neo swing is not classic swing but it's a style of swing that is influenced by rockabilly and jump blues. Neo swing became popular around 1997-1998 when there was a swing music revival and a lot of people started swing dancing.

Here is a video with Royal Crown Revue performing their song Zip Gun Bop. In the video you can see Peter Loggins dancing lindy hop.



The evening starts at 19 and before Royal Crown Revue goes on stage the Swedish band Nosey Joe and the Poolkings will play. I hear that RCR is an awesome live band, so if you have the opportunity I think you should go there.

Buy tickets at Ticnet. 145 kr.

Interesting fact: Royal Crown Revue was featured in the film "The Mask" where Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz dance to their song "Hey Pachuco!".



What do you think of Royal Crown Revue? Tell me.

Louis Armstrong sings Mack the Knife (1962)

Louis Armstrong sings Mack the Knife at a concert in Stockholm in 1962.



The music is written by Kurt Weill and the lyrics by Marc Blitzstein and Berthold Brecht.

What do think of this video clip where Louis Armstrong sings Mack the Knife? Tell me.