 THE CUTAWAYS
Friday, June 22
Beginner lesson with Tom and Debra 8:30-9pm; dance 9pm-12midnight
$15
We kick off this great weekend with a welcome dance featuring one of our favorite bands. We'll show the film short that started it all, Groovie Movie, during the first band break. Don't miss the chance to meet our darling Jean Veloz in person, plus our great instructors for the weekend.
The Cutaways have emerged as one of the surprising new favorites of the swing dance community with an utterly danceable blend of blues, rhythm and blues, jazz, and roots music all played with exquisite musicianship. A long-time staple of the local music scene, Dave Kitchen has worked with The Thrillbillies, Demolition, The Cutaways and American Song, just to name a few. An accomplished singer/songwriter active in the roots rock scene for over 15 years, Dave has been nominated for a dozen or so Washington Area Musicians Association WAMMIE Awards and has won twice, most recently as 2006's Songwriter of the Year along with a nomination for Best Male Vocalist, Roots Rock. Together with Dan Hovey, Nick Ruagieri and Pete Ostle, The Cutaways promise a great night for swing dancers!
Chevy Chase Ballroom, 5207 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, DC| DIRECTIONS >
Back to TOP ^
THE TOM CUNNINGHAM ORCHESTRA
Saturday, June 23
Beginner swing lesson with Tom and Debra 8-9pm; dance 9pm-12midnight
$15
C'mon, all you hep cats! Come see for yourself why everyone calls the Tom Cunningham Orchestra "the Swingin'est Band Around!" Lindy Hop legend Frankie Manning said it best when he said, "I haven't heard it played that good since Basie!" What higher compliment could be paid to a swing band? The Tom Cunningham Orchestra plays the best Basie since Basie, the best Goodman since Goodman, the best Ellington since Ellington, the best Miller since Miller. . . the best swing music since the swing era. They've been at it for well over 20 years! During that time, they've collected the finest big band library—not modern, glib arrangements, but the original, hard swingin' charts that made swing music ageless—and that's what makes the Tom Cunningham Orchestra the best for dancing, the best for listening, and the best!
We're fortunate that the timing of this year's Groovie Movie weekend coincides with the TCO's regular monthly dance in the Spanish Ballroom, and that they invited us to share this special occasion with the orchestra that has supported swing dancers in the DC area since the early 1980s. Tom and Debra have been working with TCO since the late '80s and recognize their devotion to swing music and dancers as being vital to keeping the swing scene here vibrant. Be sure to check the TCO website for their schedule of dances at the Spanish Ballroom throughout the year.
In cooperation with the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture, Inc., the National Park Service and Montgomery County
The Spanish Ballroom at Glen Echo Park, Intersection of MacArthur Boulevard & Goldsboro Road | DIRECTIONS >
Back to TOP ^
GM2007 Home | Biographies | Classes | Dances | Directions to Venues
Gottaswing.com home |
