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
Robert mentions the "chitlin circuit," which includes Tuxedo Junction in Ensley. The song's writers played the Savoy in NY. As Robert says, for the dances, follow the music. Everywhere the music spread, the dance came with it and changed regionally.
Thanks for the heads-up! Also if this helps anyone else: The sound quality seems a bit better from the restart at 23:40, so if you're just starting, probably just start at 23:40.
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
Robert mentions the "chitlin circuit," which includes Tuxedo Junction in Ensley. The song's writers played the Savoy in NY. As Robert says, for the dances, follow the music. Everywhere the music spread, the dance came with it and changed regionally.
at 23:40 the video "starts"? Everything before that is repeated. Essentially 23:40 = 48:00
Thanks for the heads-up! Also if this helps anyone else: The sound quality seems a bit better from the restart at 23:40, so if you're just starting, probably just start at 23:40.