Lindy hoppin'

Calling all dance and jazz lovers. If you are interested in swaying across the dance floor to the music of Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra, or Ray Charles, look no further than the SwingCats, a non-profit, MSU-affiliated organization that works to bring people from all walks of life together with the power of swing dancing.

The SwingCats put on a weekend long event called Swing+ from Oct. 4-6. The weekend consisted of 8 hours of class, 3 evening dances, and a late night dance. Plus students were able to dance along to live music and take part in private lessons, a dance competition, and a late-night party up Hyalite Canyon complete with s’mores under the stars.

Lindy Hop is a variation of swing dancing that arose in 1928 and became popular during the swing era of the 1930’s and 40’s. The event allowed the general public of Bozeman to take Lindy Hop lessons from four different world-class instructors hailing from San Francisco, CA and Mesa, AZ.

As the dancers moved across the floor, they were accompanied by the One O’ Clock Jazz band led by Ryan Matzinger. The One O’ Clock Jazz band is an audition-only group that brings together the finest jazz musicians at MSU.

The night started off slow, with couples shyly slipping onto the dance floor. As the night continued, Ryan Matzinger told the audience of timid dancers that “you may not think you know how to swing dance, but you do because you are in America and that is what we do. It is inside all of us.”

The Swing+ event was a perfect mix of contemporary fun based upon an old tradition of swing dancing and the uniquely indigenous art form of jazz.

The MSU SwingCats host an open practice every Wednesday from 8:30-9 for those of you interested in putting your dancing shoes on.