Welcome to Chicken Swing!We are an organization dedicated to improving the swing dancing vibe in Oakland. There's been a sizable swing dance and lindy hop scene in Pittsburgh for a while, and we (along with CMU's Swing Dancers Anonymous) aim to bring some of that energy to the university scene in Oakland!"Swing dancing" is an umbrella term for "lindy hop," "east coast swing," "balboa," "shag" (there are various types), "blues dancing," etc -- basically anything that can be done to swing/jazz/blues music. The resident lesson instructors usually teach east coast swing or lindy hop, but guest instructors will drop in semi-regularly. And then there's the music! Today, "swing dance music" includes music from the 1920's through 2004, ranging from the early greats -- Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, and Duke Ellington -- to later-era blues and jazz musicians like Oscar Peterson, Clark Terry, and Jimmy Witherspoon -- to the great bands that grew up around the swing dance boom, like George Gee, Indigo Swing and our very own Boilermaker Jazz Band. Of course there are hundreds more artists that are heard at swing dances today, and we aim to please.
This Week: January 26th
It was great to see around 40 people at the Shim Sham lesson last week. As we do at the begging of each semester, we will have a series of Beginner Lessons starting on Thursday. Jeff and Michelle will be starting from the East Coast basic and teaching enough moves so that any new dancer can swing the night away. If you have friends who would be interested in learning to dance, this is the week to bring them.
Thursday
Rangos 3, (University Center, 2nd Floor)
Lesson: 7:30-8:30 pm
Dance: 8:30-10:30 pm
See you on the Dance Floor!
ps. Steel Town Lindy Hop Dance this Friday at Absolute Ballroom: facebook event
| | | Dance Information | When:
Every Thursday.
Free lesson at 7:30pm.
Dance from 8:30-10:30pm. | Who:
You and your friends.
All skill levels.
No partner necessary.
Safe area in Oakland.
No Alcohol & No Smoking. | Cost:
FREE | Where:
Usually Andy's or Rangos
(subscribe to the mailing list for updates) | Directions:
Click here for directions
Campus Map
- Andy's - University Center, basement (Bldg. #28)
- Rangos - University Center, 2nd floor (Bldg. #28)
- Margaret Morrison (Bldg. #13 Rm. 119) | Parking:
There is a parking garage right at the intersection of Beeler & Forbes (P7 on the campus map) that is free on weekends and after 5pm on weekdays. Park in the garage and walk back out the way you drove in. Once you're outside turn left and go down the stairs and walk past the narrow end of the track. The first building you run into will be the one you want (it has big glass doors and a rounded entranceway). Go inside and down one floor to the basement. Head straight down the hall and it opens right up into Andy's. | | After Hours | | Sometimes we like to get together after the dance and grab a bite to eat. If you're interested in hanging out after the dance let us know. | |
