Are dancers musical tastes changing?

Message

Eyeball · #76 Post by **Eyeball** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 9:14 pm

Ryan wrote:
Razz wrote:A few weeks back a 22 year old friend of mine expressed an interest in taking up swing. He wanted to see what it looked like, so I played him a few video clips. After about the third clip he looked kinda solemn and disinterested, "Is this the only music you guys dance to? Jazz?"

If someone isn't interested in dancing to jazz, then Lindy Hop is the wrong dance for them. Period. No need to force newbies into the wrong dance for the sake of it. Let them be not interested. Why is everybody so concerned with trying to "grow the scene" to people who have no business being in it?

Let them learn hip-hop, salsa, Ballroom or country... whatever DOES float their boat. Stop trying to make Lindy-Hop something it's not just to get your friends in the door. It's just selfish and misguided.

AHHH!

A Defender of the faith! I salute you!

Eyeball · #77 Post by **Eyeball** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 9:15 pm

trev wrote:
Ryan wrote: If someone isn't interested in dancing to jazz, then Lindy Hop is the wrong dance for them. Period. No need to force newbies into the wrong dance for the sake of it. Let them be not interested. Why is everybody so concerned with trying to "grow the scene" to people who have no business being in it?

Let them learn hip-hop, salsa, Ballroom or country... whatever DOES float their boat. Stop trying to make Lindy-Hop something it's not just to get your friends in the door. It's just selfish and misguided.
I would argue that it's up to us to help encourage and foster an interest and appreciation of jazz. We can't expect people to love it from the beginning. When I started I was interested in many aspects of Lindy Hop even though I knew very little about jazz. More 'accessible' music was a window to an eventual passion for the real jazz stuff. Very few Lindy Hoppers today start dancing because of an existing passion for jazz music.

Having said that, I completely agree that if they are never interested in dancing to swinging jazz, then they should be doing something else.

Yet, you do not encourge or sanction pandering, do you?

trev · #78 Post by **trev** » Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:07 pm

Eyeball wrote: Yet, you do not encourge or sanction pandering, do you?

Well, to a point. Personally, I believe the music should be all-swingin all the time, but i'm not going to just play all my favourite jazz tunes with indifference to the experience level & tastes of the dancers in the room. Some of the best stuff is difficult dancing if you've only ever heard rock/hip-hop/club music before. So while I'm not going to DJ Wham!, Queen or Bon Jovi

to get them excited (!), I would play tracks with simple clear rhythms (and more vocals) that may have less 'jazz' credibility. But for Lindy Hop, I don't think this should ever become the default to the exclusion of the real stuff.

Haydn · #79 Post by **Haydn** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 5:38 am

Ryan wrote:If someone isn't interested in dancing to jazz, then Lindy Hop is the wrong dance for them.

Please don't write people off that easily.

trev wrote:Very few Lindy Hoppers today start dancing because of an existing passion for jazz music.

That was certainly the case for me. Actually, to begin with, I found it hard to get into the music, I was just captivated by the sight of people dancing and wanted to experience it myself. It probably took me about a year before I really started getting into some of the 1930s music.

la musette · #80 Post by **la musette** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 6:24 pm

I started off loving jazz, discovered lindy in college and was THRILLED to have the chance of moving to the music instead of sightreading it in a chair, and I continue to love the dancing and the music.

But I also get excited about the posibilities of where else I can take the dance. I do some lindy to some hip hop with a glimmer of swing in it, or blues, or try balboa with a rhumba or bossa nova song. It's fun branching out and seeing just how creative you can get with your partner. Last week the DJ here put on a sort of klezmer-ish song and it was a little weird at first, but surprisingly it worked and it was fun adapting to it.

kitkat · #81 Post by **kitkat** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 10:13 pm

trev wrote:So while I'm not going to DJ Wham!...to get them excited...

What are you talking about? That's an excellent song! Exciting & captivating, for sure.

*waltzes off*

I'm a killer diller, yes I am...

fredo · #82 Post by **fredo** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 12:59 am

yeah...who wouldn't dj this ?!?

Nate Dogg · #83 Post by **Nate Dogg** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 9:41 pm

You could play George Michael's danceable, if too short for dancing version of "My Baby Just Cares For Me" from his "jazz" album.

TomHopper · #84 Post by **TomHopper** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 12:30 pm

Haydn wrote:
Ryan wrote:If someone isn't interested in dancing to jazz, then Lindy Hop is the wrong dance for them.
Please don't write people off that easily.

trev wrote:Very few Lindy Hoppers today start dancing because of an existing passion for jazz music.
That was certainly the case for me. Actually, to begin with, I found it hard to get into the music, I was just captivated by the sight of people dancing and wanted to experience it myself. It probably took me about a year before I really started getting into some of the 1930s music.

If there isn't that many people who is passionate for swing music to begin with, is there any particular type of musical preference, that is indicative of people who will stay in lindy hop and will become passionate for swing music, once they are exposed to it? Basically, I am interested in knowing what sub-group of general public are potentially more interested in swing music and swing dancing.

Or, is there any particular type of music you play that is more successful in retaining newbies to stay in the scene, other than swing music from 30's itself?

In my case, it also took about a year to start appreciating swing music from 30's, since I started dancing. Now I love it.

Mr Awesomer · #85 Post by **Mr Awesomer** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 11:15 am

Music used to attract those who don't like Jazz to Lindy Hop causes those who do like Jazz to leave Lindy Hop.

Haydn · #86 Post by **Haydn** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:13 am

GuruReuben wrote:Music used to attract those who don't like Jazz to Lindy Hop causes those who do like Jazz to leave Lindy Hop.

Or they could find a Lindy dance where they play their sort of music

Haydn · #87 Post by **Haydn** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:20 am

TomHopper wrote:is there any particular type of musical preference, that is indicative of people who will stay in lindy hop and will become passionate for swing music, once they are exposed to it? Basically, I am interested in knowing what sub-group of general public are potentially more interested in swing music and swing dancing.

Or, is there any particular type of music you play that is more successful in retaining newbies to stay in the scene, other than swing music from 30's itself?

Good questions

CafeSavoy · #88 Post by **CafeSavoy** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 8:39 am

Haydn wrote:
TomHopper wrote:is there any particular type of musical preference, that is indicative of people who will stay in lindy hop and will become passionate for swing music, once they are exposed to it? Basically, I am interested in knowing what sub-group of general public are potentially more interested in swing music and swing dancing.

Or, is there any particular type of music you play that is more successful in retaining newbies to stay in the scene, other than swing music from 30's itself?
Good questions

I don't think it's that easy to predict because even from the members of this list you find people who came from very diverse musical backgrounds. I think whether or not you love dancing and have an interest in learning more about the dance, its music, and history will have as much impact as your previous musical preferences.

Mr Awesomer · #89 Post by **Mr Awesomer** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 10:10 am

Haydn wrote:
GuruReuben wrote:Music used to attract those who don't like Jazz to Lindy Hop causes those who do like Jazz to leave Lindy Hop.
Or they could find a Lindy dance where they play their sort of music

They shouldn't have to... especially if it's being billed as a "Lindy dance." In fact, that should be the sign that steers them in the right direction.

Campus Five · #90 Post by **Campus Five** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 11:55 am

GuruReuben wrote:
Haydn wrote:
GuruReuben wrote:Music used to attract those who don't like Jazz to Lindy Hop causes those who do like Jazz to leave Lindy Hop.
Or they could find a Lindy dance where they play their sort of music
They shouldn't have to... especially if it's being billed as a "Lindy dance." In fact, that should be the sign that steers them in the right direction.

A Lindy Dance where they play swing music....do they still have those?