"SW!NGOUT": 'Jazzing' Artistic Crossings

Swing Dancing— often a far-off echo, indefinitely stamped in a vaguely specific image of Americana. I can almost imagine young adoring women all donning 40s circle dresses, tossing their pristine victory rolls. The scene runs in the back of my mind on 80mm, garbed in velvet theatre décor, like some modern radio ad. But brace yourself. The narrative is far more complex, and luckily, Hollywood has only whitewashed a fraction of the picture.

In venues across the globe, accompanied by a swirl of fabric, the squeaking of shoes, and the tapping of feet, swing dancers cram themselves into any space willing to accommodate their rhythmic shenanigans. In swing, the rules are not written down. Each movement within the partnership is completely improvised. On the social dance floor, swing dancers work to create a fun, stimulating experience with friends and strangers alike. To smooth over the challenge of continuously interacting with brand-new people, there is a kind of vocabulary that dancers fall back on. Dancers call this swing vernacular, and it functions much like building blocks— each movement is pieced together, forming fluid conversation. However, within the functionality resides the potential to structure ideas in completely new and unpredictable ways. On the social dance floor, swing dancers work to create a fun and stimulating experience with friends and strangers alike, building both a social and artistic connection on their feet.

Improvisation is not really about creating a product out of thin air. Many jazz greats relate their playing to having a conversation. Just like we don't always think about the words we use in dialogue, they kind of bubble up from subconscious feelings, jazz musicians play what feels natural in the moment. The same occurs when swing dancers improvise.

Caleb Taicher, in his production SW!NGOUT, takes the challenge of condensing the ethos of swing along with its complicated history tied to the continual growth of jazz. In many swing dance communities, the music played at venues remains historically stagnant. Most of the jazz listened to by dancers points to the decades between 1920 and 1940. However, post World War II, jazz took a huge shift, favoring explorative approaches to melodic structure and harmony. It's this schism that Taicher challenges through his theatrical synthesis of social dance. Any listener would agree that the resident band, The Eyal Vilner Big Band, marvoulously amplified the evening's setting. Blasting through an intense mix of modernized charts harkening back to the origins of Swing, the virtuosi performed re-imagined classics including "Shiny Stockings" by F. Foster and "Jumpin' at The Woodside" by Count Basie. However, Vilner's Big Band featured modern syncopation and even the beloved clave, a traditional Latin rhythm not often included in the traditional dance canon. Yet the dancers seemed to complement the challenging rhythms with an organic elegance, as if their bodies were called to move with such effortless intention. In a sultry Latin tune, the baritone saxophone took a deep, raspy solo during which a dancer improvises an entire scene solo. She created an emotional roller coaster using many staple steps and movements from the lyrical vernacular of "traditional jazz". The audience seemed entranced as she conversed with the musician, back and forth, they enticed each other as if competing in a sensual game of cat-and-mouse. Yet, neither withheld their respective voice, their musical chops and physical dexterity evident through their deep respect for their respective dialect—dance and music. It was as if they tossed their expertise into a vast ocean without fear of their partner "getting lost" or "feeling overshadowed". The conversation was unadulterated passion; the ethos of modern jazz.

At the end of the performance, after an extended standing ovation, Taicher made an unprecedented announcement. Turning to the audience, he stated, "This is a social dance, to pay homage to its spirit and culture, I invite you all to join us onstage with us..." At the tail end of the COVID-19 pandemic, I felt a sense of joy that brought tears to my eyes. Taicher went on, giving a short lecture expressing the importance of physical connection in a trusting community, and how swing dance provides a unique opportunity to act as a catalyst for stimulating our social consciousness. I watched as the newly appointed participants tentatively made their way towards the stage. Some, already active members of the local swing scene, knew the drill and hit the floor immediately. But, I couldn't help but find my interest magnetized to the couples that appeared to have less dance experience. Many were coupled, yet as the night went on, I watched as audience members asked evident strangers to join the ranks of vibrantly whirling bodies; the ethos of modern swing.