Beantown Lindy Hop Camp 2009: June 25-July 2 (Boston, MA)

[Tony T]

We are very excited to announce that the Beantown Camp 2009 website is now up! There are still some staff confirmations in the works and a few loose ends here and there, but the majority of details are now available. For information:
http://www.beantowncamp.com/
Facebook users can also become a Fan of the Beantown Lindy Hop Camp page:
http://www.beantowncamp.com/facebook.html

Beantown will be back for the 5th year at the beautiful Endicott College campus in Beverly, MA. The whole shebang experience is designed as an all-inclusive vacation - a dance immersion. It is amazing what a week can do for your dancing and your spirit! For those who would like to attend but are not able to do the complete experience, there are multiple options to choose from:

• Whole Shebang: Thursday-Thursday, June 25-July 2
• Week: Friday-Thursday, June 26-July 2
• Extended Weekend: Friday-Monday, June 26-29 (Optional Add-Ons: Thursday Evening, June 25 & Monday Night, June 29)
• Weekend: Friday-Sunday, June 26-28 (Optional Add-Ons: Thursday Evening, June 25 & Sunday Night, June 28)

This is Beantown's 13th year and it is going to be a blast! Changes for this year include some new additions to the amazing staff, more weekend live music, new mini-tracks, Endicott Pub and other fun activities.

Beantown Camp Highlights

• An Amazing Line-up of Instructors: Ryan Francois & Jenny Thomas * Sylvia Sykes * Peter Strom * Ramona Staffeld * Skye Humphries * Naomi Uyama * Kevin St. Laurent & Emily Jo Hoffberg * Michael Jagger & Evita Arce * Bobby White & Kate Hedin * Eric Fenn * Richard Badu * David & Jennifer Coulombe * Joel Domoe & Melanie Myers * Michael Gamble & Jaya Dorf * Adam LaMontagne * Carl Nelson & Gina Helfrich * Chris Nickl & Shirley McAdam * Andrew Sutton * Marc-Andre Vachon & Tara Weinstein * plus more!
• Lindy Hop Tracks (5 progressive levels)
• Balboa Mini-Tracks (2 progressive levels)
• Ryan's Jazz Routine Mini-Track
• Eric's Hip Hop Combo Mini-Track
• Blues Mini-Track
• Optional Classes with Multiple Choices
• Morning & Afternoon Stretch Classes
• Classes for All Levels (including beginner)
• Four Nights of Live Music: Shawn Hershey & the Fried Bananas * Boilermaker Jazz Band * The Racky Thomas Band * Gordon Webster Quartet
• A Great Mix of Fabulous DJs
• 8th Annual Northeast Lindy Hop Championships: Solo Charleston * Strictly Lindy * Nov/Int/Adv Jack & Jill
• Special Presentation
• Performances
• Beantown Cafe
• Beantown's Got Talent
• Soul Party with Peter Strom
• Friday Night Blues Party
• Camp Barbecue
• Ice Cream Party
• Late Night Dancing
• Three Quality Meals Per Day
• Multiple Housing Options
• Beautiful Coastal Setting
• Private Beaches
• Air-Conditioned Dance Spaces
• Surprises!

Beantown Camp, here we come! This is a phenomenal gathering of instructors, live music, DJs and dancers from across the country and beyond. All levels are very welcome. Please join us this summer.

Registration opens at the end of February.

Stay tuned for more details. Please be sure to contact us with questions.

Happy dancing,
Aurelie & Tony

ps. For those who like to plan early, there are currently some great flight opportunities to Boston in June (check out Virgin America).

[Tony T]

We are pleased and very excited to announce that the one and only Frankie Manning will be joining us at Beantown Camp this summer! It will be just one month after his 95th birthday. Frankie will be doing a special presentation which you will not want to miss! He is an amazing person who has spread joy and inspiration around the world. We are honored that he will be returning for his 10th visit to Beantown!

Registration opening day is Wednesday, February 25. Check the website for all the latest details:
http://www.beantowncamp.com/

If you have never done the full experience, this is the year to take the plunge! Check out comments from 2008 participants to see what you could be in for:
http://www.beantowncamp.com/2008/index.html#comments

For those attending for the Week or Whole Shebang, there is a special early bird discount during the first month of registration (expiring on March 25).

If you are not able to do the full week, there are multiple registration options to choose from so that everyone who would like can participate. Beantown is a phenomenal gathering of instructors, live music, DJs and dancers from across the country and beyond! Make your plans now for this summer. You will be glad you did!

Happy dancing,
Aurelie & Tony

Become a Fan of the Beantown Camp Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Beantown- ... 6104508203

[Tony T]

Camp registration is up and running! This year we are offering a special early bird discount through March 25 for those attending the Week or Whole Shebang. Either of those options includes the entire track experience and if you can do it, it is really worthwhile. Especially with the phenomenal staff of instructors we have at camp! A whole week of classes with them is not only inspiring but can take your dancing to a new level. Plus of course there is the social dancing, Frankie Manning, instructor performances, Soul Party, camp BBQ and many other fun activities going on throughout Beantown. Check out the website to get all the details:
http://www.beantowncamp.com/

If you are not able to do the full week, there are multiple registration options to choose from so that everyone who would like can participate.

There are many housing options to choose from. Single AC rooms sell out first. Register early if there is something particular you would like to reserve.

Facebook Beantown Camp Page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Beantown- ... 6104508203
Facebook Beantown Camp 2009 Event:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=37323821971

Please be sure to let us know if you have questions.

Happy dancing,
Aurelie & Tony

[Tony T]

13th Annual Beantown Camp 2009
Endicott College, 376 Hale Street, Beverly, MA 01915

The Beantown Camp early registration due date is coming up on Wednesday, May 13! Now is the time to register if you have not already done so. If you have registered and paid a deposit, May 13 is also the due date for full payments. Avoid late fees and sign up now! Payments may be made on-line using PayPal or by mail postmarked by May 13.

Beantown has it all:
*Frankie Manning Tribute with Cynthia Millman!
*Amazing Instructors!
*Track Classes, Mini-Tracks and Optional Choices!
*4 Nights of Live Music!
*Boilermakers!
*Gordon Webster!
*Awesome Performances!
*Fun Competitions!
*Soul Party!
*Blues Party!
*All Levels Welcome!
*Late Night Dancing!
*Beautiful Campus!
*Nice Accommodations!
*Three Excellent Meals Per Day!
*Camp Barbecue!
*Plus so much more...

Check the website for all the latest details:
http://www.beantowncamp.com/
Become a Fan of the Beantown Camp Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Beantown- ... 6104508203

Camp will run from June 25 to July 2. If you are not able to do the full week, there are multiple registration options to choose from so that everyone who would like can participate.

So far we have people coming from 25 states and 4 countries. Don't miss out on this phenomenal gathering of dancers, instructors, DJs and musicians! It is going to be awesome!

Please be sure to contact us with any questions.

Happy dancing,
Aurelie & Tony

[Tony T]

Lindy Hoppers around the world have been mourning the passing of Frankie Manning. We attended Frankie's funeral last Saturday in NYC. It was held at a beautiful large church in Harlem which was completely filled with family and friends from near and far. The Harlem Renaissance Orchestra was packed onto the altar and there was even dancing in the aisles. The ceremony included remembrances from a wide range of speakers. We saw a lot of people who we haven't seen in a very long time including some from our first years of Lindy Hopping. There were quite a few tears shed, but it was also a joyous occasion. Frankie lived an exceptional life and was loved by many. His legacy will live on, and as he had said recently, the torch has been passed!

Frankie Manning Tribute
-----------------------
This year Frankie was to join us for his 10th time at Beantown Camp. We are very pleased to announce that Cynthia Millman will be coordinating a tribute to Frankie for Saturday night at camp. Cynthia is the coauthor of Frankie's autobiography, "Frankie Manning: Ambassador of Lindy Hop". Many campers know her from the presentations she has done with Frankie in past years. We will have more details as the plans come together.

Beantown Camp Early Registration Date
-------------------------------------
The Beantown Camp early registration due date is coming up on Wednesday, May 13! Now is the time to register if you have not already done so. If you have registered and paid a deposit, May 13 is also the due date for full payments. Avoid late fees and sign up now! Payments may be made on-line using PayPal, by mail postmarked by May 13 or in person at our classes or one of the dances. We will extend the due date for those paying at the next Uptown Swing dance on May 16 or at our classes on May 17.

You can find all of the details and latest information on the Beantown web site:
http://www.beantowncamp.com/
Become a Fan of the Beantown Camp Facebook Page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Beantown- ... 6104508203

13th Annual Beantown Camp 2009
Endicott College, 376 Hale Street, Beverly, MA 01915
Thursday, June 25 - Thursday, July 2, multiple registration options:
* Whole Shebang
* Week
* Extended Weekend (with two optional add-ons)
* Weekend (with two optional add-ons)

So far we have people coming from 25 states and 4 countries. Don't miss out on this phenomenal gathering of dancers, instructors, DJs and musicians! There are classes for all levels of experience, including beginners. Beautiful campus, dances, classes, competitions and many other fun activities planned. It is going to be awesome!

Please be sure to contact us with any questions.

Happy dancing,
Aurelie & Tony

[Tony T]

Hope everyone had a fantastic Memorial Day weekend! We attended the Frankie 95 Festival in NYC, which was everything and more than expected. It was a gathering of over 2000 dancers from around the world which will likely never be reproduced. Much praise is due to the main organizers and many volunteers who did an outstanding job from start to finish.

There were so many highlights and so many wonderful moments. A very special event was the 3 hour show of Frankie's life which was written, produced and directed by Ryan Francois, with help from Jenny Thomas, Naomi Uyama and countless others. The show followed Frankie's autobiography and covered many of the significant events of his dance career. A huge cast of dancers participated and every one of them did a great job. The finale was a reenactment of the famous dance scene from Hellzapoppin' with Ryan playing Frankie's part. The audience literally erupted onto their feet with deafening applause after that phenomenal performance!

We were busy as competition coordinators, especially for the first couple of days of the event. The world record largest J&J competition in Central Park on Friday was a lot of fun and had 442 participants! It was a sight to behold:-) The Hellzapoppin' contest was reminiscent of the old Harvest Moon Ball clips, with bodies flying and all kinds of craziness.

In late 2008 Frankie had donated his huge collection of t-shirts from around the world to be made into a quilt, which was on display at the festival. It is an incredible honor that 3 Beantown Camp shirts are included as well as a shirt we had given Frankie during our weekend with him a few years ago. That shirt has a cartoon with the picture of a king saying "If I had to do it all over again, I would have liked to be the King of Swing." < http://www.hoptothebeat.com/video_photo ... _9407.html > The quilt was won in the auction by Lana Turner (not the actress) for $12,600! She mentioned that she had plans to move it around and eventually have it placed in a museum in Harlem.

Frankie 95 truly was an incredible event, filled with tributes, performances, video clips, panel discussions, lots of live music (18 bands) and many wonderful dancers. Most important was the spirit throughout the 5 days, everyone coming together to celebrate an amazing life. I am sure that Frankie would be very proud and that he was looking down on us with that huge smile!

Happy dancing,
Aurelie & Tony

[Tony T]

Beantown Camp is about one month away and there is still time to register! Camp is currently open for everyone although we would like to get more leaders, especially for Tracks 2 and 4, and more followers for the full week in Track 1.

We will miss Frankie at Beantown this year, although we are pleased to have our own opportunity to honor him. There will be a tribute to him coordinated by special guest Cynthia Millman who co-authored Frankie's autobiography "Frankie Manning: Ambassador of Lindy Hop". Plus we can all do our part to continue to spread the joy and that very positive spirit. As Frankie would say "Keep on Swingin'!"

Beantown runs from June 25 to July 2, back at the beautiful Endicott College campus in Beverly, MA. There are multiple packages and time periods to choose from for attending. You can find all of the details and latest information on the Beantown web site:
http://www.beantowncamp.com/

Don't miss out on this phenomenal gathering of dancers, instructors, DJs and musicians! As of today, dancers are attending from 27 states and 5 countries. There are classes for all levels of experience, including beginners. Beautiful campus, dances, classes, competitions and many other fun activities planned. It is going to be awesome!

Facebook Beantown Camp Page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Beantown- ... 6104508203
Facebook Beantown Camp 2009 Event:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=37323821971

Please be sure to let us know if you have questions. We hope to see you at Beantown this summer!

Happy dancing,
Aurelie & Tony

[Tony T]

Beantown Camp is less than 2 weeks away! The schedule is just about complete with just a few odds and ends to be finalized. Class names for the optional classes are now available ( http://www.beantowncamp.com/schedule.html ). In housing news, we have been able to open a few singles with AC. If you are interested, please let us know.

We are also happy to announce that Patrick Szmidt and Natasha Ouimet from Montreal will be joining our staff for the weekend. They are fresh off earning the title of Vice Champions at the 2009 Canadian Swing Championships and will be bringing their fabulous energy and flair.

Leaders are needed for Tracks 2 and 4. If you are interested or know someone who might be, please get in touch with us at info@hoptothebeat.com ASAP.

For beginner followers, in Track 1 we have EXTRA leaders for the full week! Track 1 is an amazing experience for a new or fairly new dancer. A week long dance immersion with some of the world's best instructors is transformational! In addition, two fabulous instructors, Michael Gamble and Jaya Dorf, will be sharing the role of Track 1 coach, helping out and looking after our Track 1 campers. If you are interested in this opportunity or know anyone who would be, please contact us ASAP.

Who wouldn't want to spend a week with dancers from near and far, many of the world's best instructors, 4 nights with 4 favorite bands, great DJs, a beautiful location on the shore and many fun activities included. If this sounds like a the vacation that you want to go on, register today!

Beantown runs from June 25 to July 2, back at the beautiful Endicott College campus in Beverly, MA. There are multiple packages and time periods to choose from for attending. You can find all of the details and latest information on the Beantown Camp web site:
http://www.beantowncamp.com/

Come share the Lindy love!

Happy dancing,
Aurelie & Tony

Facebook Beantown Camp Page (become a Fan):
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Beantown- ... 6104508203
Facebook Beantown Camp 2009 Event:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=37323821971