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Alabama has two stories of swing history. I wrote this quickly...did it in reverse so just hang with me!!! In the 1960s, the shag bands from the Carolinas ventured to the Northern Gulf Coast of Panama City Beach, Florida. The bands sometimes brought Carolina dancers, and the lifeguards of Panama City Beach caught on to the six-count basic. The lifeguards taught it to the kids traveling on vacation. They focused more on the push and pull creating a downward motion on the first triple and a rock back on the second triple returning them to upright and stretched for a rock step.....and the Panama City Beach Bop was born (different from Ohio/River City). The dance followed more of a style from the Carolina's. Birmingham, Alabama, kids from the western side of town, primarily second-generation Italian Catholics, picked up on the dance when visiting Panama City Beach in the 60s at the beachfront pavilion on Thomas Drive. The pavilion had a jukebox loaded with Carolina music and Motown. They would learn dance steps at the beach and then return home to Birmingham. They started booking the Carolina bands in Birmingham, Alabama at events called "Dukes in Dixieland" with famous Birmingham area radio DJ Duke Rumore hosting Panama City Bop dances. These were held at Catholic centers (Knights of Columbus Halls) and Armories on the western side of town. The Birmingham, Alabama Italian boys grew up watching their parents dance to big band music. Birmingham, Al (because of its area Italians) had roots with NY. Ny dancers from the Savoy danced with the Birmingham, Al 1st gen immigrant kids post ww2. The western side of town is home to the famous Ensley, Alabama Tuxedo Junction of Big Band fame. The Italian Immigrants came to Alabama from Bisacquino, Sicily either through NY or New Orleans to work in the Bham Steel mills. The ones that came through NY brought swing to Birmingham and taught it to other Italians. Louis Prima was actually booked for a swing dance party by the Italians (by my grandfather Frank Cashia of NY) at the Catholic Hall in the early 1950s! The swing dancers of Birmingham were the 1st gen Italian immigrants and the local African American community that shared Ensley (Little Italy of Bham). The 2nd gen were their kids, the Panama City Boppers. I grew up watching my grandparents dance Balboa and Lindy Hop from NY and my parents dance Panama City Bop. My dad's tank in Vietnam was named "The Swinging Medallions" for the Carolina Band and one of his favorite 45's. Birmingham, Al Italian kids third gen grew up to their grandparents' big band records and their parents' 45's of Carolina Beach Music! Some of us stumbled into country bars in the 90s....ventured into WC Swing....worked to spread styles of Swing within Alabama. I met some great people along the way, had a lot of fun, and enjoyed some great music. Last bit....Lisa West was originally from a small country town in Alabama. She moved back to Birmingham in the mid 90s. She would travel dancing at country events and swing events with Barry Durand. She gave me a job to get her mail while she was gone. I was a college kid at the country bar. She would return from dance events, show me VHS tapes of all these people at dance events, and teach me what they were doing. Lisa West deserves a lot of the credit for bringing WC Swing influences during the 90s to the state. Many of us branched out from country to swing, hustle, ballroom, etc. There's still a scattering of our group, which started in the 90s across the couples' dance industries. Great talk and I hope this adds to the conversation! Dr. TJ Zito, Jr

I think it would help if you articulated the difference between constant connection versus a constant RATE of connection right at the beginning of the connection segment. You can of course be constantly connected but the rates or degree of connection would vary. Subtle distinction but I am sure some folks will need this little extra differentiation in terminoloy.

Please remove this paid content now! I’m submitting this as illegal to RUclips

You need to remove this content NOW

At 1:27:28 Brandi classifies West Coast Swing as...a Rhythm Dance? But the UCWDC classifies it as Smooth? And Brandi is no stranger to the UC as she was just included into their Hall of Fame. I'm confused. Here, she is discussing the distinction of the standing leg, saying that in Rhythm dances, we push out of the standing leg after the moving leg has arrived and in Smooth dances we push off of the standing leg. But under her distinction, I would argue she is using a limited view of Smooth dances because she does not discuss the moving leg. The real distinction, as I see it is in the moving leg. That in smooth dances the moving leg arrives before the weight of the spine is taken over the foot and in rhythm dances the foot and spine arrive at the same time. So, I think its a better distinction to examine the moving leg and that WCS is correctly a Smooth dance. I would be curious to see what Brandi would say to this..?

Robert, when doing videos, could you please repeat the questions so we can understand what the answer pertains to?

The best workshop i listen

i want to feel your arm but not the weight of your arms...

❤Best explanation ever❤ so much wisdom

at 23:40 the video "starts"? Everything before that is repeated. Essentially 23:40 = 48:00

West Side Story. ✅ “When you’re a Jet, you’re a Jet…” *snap, snap*

Does the couple at 3:02:35 teach anywhere?