To print this page properly - use Print icon located on the page.
Please note that JavaScript has to be enabled.
Welcome to
 DSDS

Welcome Everyone!

26-Jun-10 18:48 | Alan Wells (administrator)

Hi everyone,

We hope you like our new website.  We would love to hear how we are doing.  Please use this blog to post your opinions and comments.  We are working very hard to make sure you always have a great time dancing and learning.  You will start noticing some changes to our dances and classes over the next few months.  Write us and let us know what you think.  Thanks so much for all of your support.

Add comment

Comments

  • 03-Jul-10 12:20 | Bill Turner @ Turner's Pizza in Flower Mound
    If anyone is interested, we have swing dancing on Saturday nights at my restaurant starting at 8:30 till midnight. We also have
    all-you-can-eat pizza for $5 and $6 with a drink. We do not have a liquor license but do have beer for tips and byob.
    Call me if you have questions at 972-899-9256.
    Link  •  Reply
  • 29-Jul-10 19:22 | Paul Bell
    I would like to suggest that the expert dancers of DSDS create 'playlists' for Wednesday and Saturday night instead of relying on the DJ's. The experts would collaborate to create sets of 5 or 6 songs. Each set would contain danceable tempos and rhythms appropriate for dancing with one or two songs that are edgy. DJ's play too many songs that don't bring out the most danceable tempos and rhythms. These songs sets would grow over time and become more refined. They would be simply set to play and anyone could get the sets in motion. No more reliance or panic if a DJ doesn't show. In fact, DJ's would become a thing of the past.
    Link  •  Reply
    • 27-Aug-10 11:32 | Kathy Warwick - DSDS Board of Directors, ACME Swing Company Director
      First of all... sorry for the delayed response. It's been a very busy summer for me. I understand your concern and am glad you are putting a possible solution out there. I am curious if you have seen this kind of thing work in other cities.

      Here are my initial thoughts on the idea and DJ's in general. Note that I do not agree with your solution but I am so happy that you actually had a solution to your concerns. We need more members who are willing to say what they don't like and offer possible solutions. If we all agreed it would be a very boring world indeed. DJ's not showing up and music selections are very valid concerns. Thank you very much.

      If an experienced dancer puts together a play list of 6 songs with 2 of those being edgy, you are still looking at an evening with 30% edgy (possibly non-swing) songs. Also, many like minded dancers like the exact same songs, so the 10 laylists for an evening may result in some songs being played 2 or 3 times.

      Note on DJ's for DSDS on Saturdays and for Sons on Wednesdays(btw, 2 seperate organizations). Part of a DJ's job is to...
      "read the room" and deturmine what song will move the majority of the people who are in the room at that moment. A playlist (even one with great songs)cannot do that. Some nights the crowd wants slower groovier tunes, some nights they want driving fast music. Some nights they want both.

      "read the skill level in the room" Early in the evening is great for high energy but still slow tempo, with an obvious swing'n beat for the beginners who just took thier first lesson.

      "create a journey" Great dj's will take the room on a roller coaster ride. Ranging tempos and styles to ramp the room up and down keeping the energy of the room pulsing while providing enough variety so that everyone gets some songs that speak specifically to them.

      "reflect the rich history of our dance AND incorporate swing'n music of more modern times" Swing music ranges in tempo and feel. LaGrange by ZZ Top is NOT a swing song, but you can certainly have a blast doing Lindy to it. It has a driving shuffle beat that works for tripple steps and is certainly fast enought to challenge most dancers. It's not swing, but it swings. It would not be appropriat eto play early in the evening but it would be a great "challenge" song for the end of the night. Sing Sing Sing is a great swing tune, but many advanced dancers complain when it is played... It's been overplayed in the past, has a difficult drum solo, and it's too fast for the non-advanced dancers. There's no space for advanced dancers to safely "bust a move". More often than not this forces a Jam circle where dancers are "expected" to do aerials etc. Kind of like a "dance monkey dance" kind of expectation, instead of a naturally occuring jam circle.

      Info on advanced dancers... Some advanced dancers like slower tunes so that they can "style" in a groovy fashion. Some advanced dancers like lightening fast music. Some advanced dancers like it all!

      Playing a range of tempos and a range of styles comes closer to matching what would happen in the ballrooms of old. At the Savoy a mixture of music was played... slow, fast, Foxtrot, Waltz, Swing, Jazz. All was danceable but it was not all the same. The greater the variety of music, the better our dancers become.

      Now with all of that said... I have heard some DJ'd sets that made me wonder "do they realize they are playing for swing dancers?" These are usually the newer DJ's who have not gotten it all figured out yet. Give them time. They will either get better, or be asked to step down by the DJ Coordinator.

      I would like to encourage you to let the Board of Directors know which DJ's you like and which you don't. Please take some time to explain your opinion so that the Board and DJ coordinator can make good decisions with regard to this concern. Also, would you like for there to be more live music?
      Link  •  Reply
 

 Copyright © Dallas Swing Dance Society 2010. All Rights Reserved

Privacy Policy