Swing!

In 1999 my ballet teacher invited a small group of students to go see Swing! on Broadway. We sat in the very last row of the St. James Theatre and I spent the entire two hours at the edge of my seat, squinting my eyes so that I could see every single step. The house lights came up at the end of the performance and all I could think was, “I need to be in this show!”

As I went into rehearsal for the National Tour, I was trained by incredible lindy hop dancers as I studied legends such as Frankie Manning, Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers, Norma Miller, and other frequenters of the Savoy Ballroom. I watched films like “Hellzapoppin’” and “A Day at the Races” and often find myself in a YouTube deep dive where I get lost in the incredible swing dancers of the last 100 years.

I wish that I could transport myself to that moment in history where music poured out of their souls, and communities integrated for the first time, to share in the joy and freedom of moving with such abandon and celebration. Folks gathered to share a release – be it from societal restraints, tensions from the war, or simply an escape from the burdens of daily life. Places like the Savoy Ballroom offered a refuge where dance and music was the universal language that united communities. My wish for audiences who see my version of Swing! leave with an open heart and a deeper knowledge for an art form that has continually challenged me and inspired me throughout my entire artistic career.