By  Jamie solitude14@yahoo.com
Date: 21 September 1998

Simple Black Dress

Comments: For those of you not familiar with the in's and out's of swing dancing, 
I'll give a little background. Lindy hop is a poplular form of swing. Within lindy 
hop you can find two main styles: savoy and hollywood/smooth. If each were 
represented by a character, hollywoood would be that of a refined and 
sophisticated couple. Savoy would be more of a cartoon couple. Hollywood 
lends itself better to faster music and savoy is more playful. Hollywood has a 
tighter lead and follow. Each has its own merits and each is not for everyone. 
The basic for each is called a swingout. The basic footwork consists of triple 
steps; a left, 2, 3 and a rt, 2, 3 for the man. 

       I myself prefer Hollywood or smooth style. In this story, I take time to poke a 
little fun at Savoy dancers. In the swing scene in LA and Orange county there is
 a so-called style battle going on. This plays on that a little.


	They stood together at the edge of the floor watching the dancers. He
 remembered his early days, when he had first begun dancing. He was excited. 
The music stirred his soul, moved him. He could feel it coursing through his 
body, resonating in his bones. Rushing excitedly to each lesson or club eager to 
learn more steps, eager to learn more about lindy hop. Tips and tricks and hints 
flowed in from every direction. He could still hear them, " Try bending over 
more…try to be like a tiger stalking his prey…try leading as lightly as possible…try 
these Capezio dance shoes…maybe you need some baggy clothes." Something 
was wrong, it felt empty. He did what they told him to but it didn't compliment the 
music. There was no substance to what they showed him. He must be doing it 
wrong he told himself. He reapplied his efforts by enrolling in actual classes, 
nothing. He walked away each evening hollow with no feeling of satisfaction. 
Was it him?
	A simple black dress changed everything. It wasn't just the dress; it 
was the girl who wore it. He caught a glimpse of her through the hazy dark of 
the club's dimly lit interior. A simple black dress. His eyes began to focus when 
an over eager swing out stole his view. Five and Six carried them out his way, 
but she wasn't there any more. He scanned the area where she had been but 
he saw no trace. He checked the dance floor, no dress. Setting his coke on the
 counter he began to scan the crowd.
	"Excuse me. Would you like to dance," the question came from 
behind him, startling him. He looked back and found he was staring into the face 
of the girl who belonged to the simple black dress. 
	"Why me," he asked.
	"Because you don't look content," she returned.
	"You think you can help?"
	"Put your faith in a stranger and take my hand. It's your lead."
	He took her hand and led her onto the floor. He noticed a difference 
in the way she held herself contrary to the other girls he danced with. She stood 
up and her posture was perfect. He began to do his basic lindy swing out, but 
she stopped him.
	"Come straight at me. Don't travel on your triple steps, use the counts
 in between for that; and don't forget to straighten up your back," she smiled 
knowingly. 
	Why not? He took what she said and put it to use. With a little more
 coaching something happened, the music and dancing began to meld. The 
notes sounded as though they were meant to go with the steps he was doing. 
Each swing out began to feel solid; there was substance to the dance. Was it 
the girl? No, she was only part of it. It was the tension, the opposing force, it was 
the posture. Each played a part in the overall feeling. This was what he was 
looking for.
	"Where did you learn that," he asked, "Did someone teach you?"
	She smiled, "Are you free tomorrow?"
	That simple question from a girl in a simple black dress changed 
everything. The next day he showed up at her house. She pulled out her video 
collection. As she began playing clips of dancers from the early days of swing he 
grinned wildly; this was what he had been looking for. They worked together 
each day mastering the moves and footwork they saw in the videos. They 
began creating their own footwork and moves, staying true to the style of the old 
Hollywood dancers. He found that he could match the faster beats with ease. 
The dancing, not only the music stirred his soul now. Each driving the other into 
a rhythmic frenzy of footwork and styling. That was his rebirth into swing.
	He shook off the daze he had fallen into watching the dancers 
attempt to dance to the up tempo song. He smiled as he watched them 
scramble around each other. Scramble style, he laughed softly as he put a name 
to the dance they were doing. Arms and legs flew independently of each other 
with no regard for anything. It looked as if they would get in trouble if they didn't 
move every single portion of their body on each beat. The music began to work
 its way into his limbs, working its way around his body. He looked over; it was 
affecting her too. He took her hand and they made their way onto the dance 
floor. He led her through some basic swing outs. He began to switch up his 
footwork; turns worked themselves into their dancing. They felt the music 
pulsating and knew what the band had planned. As she turned on six he 
dropped his hand sharply; a quick stop. They matched the break perfectly. He 
led her into switches, she swiveled round him as his weight shifted foot to foot 
and his knees moved in and out. A kick ball change brought them back into a 
swing out. He used the next one to whip himself round for a double spin. He 
caught her hand as he finished the second and did another swing out. The 
music pulsated; it began to build in intensity. The band was winding up for the 
finish. He grabbed both her hands and held them at waist level, shifting forward 
and back. As the band launched into its final assault on the dancers he 
switched his hands to a palm to palm grip. Knowing the lead she stuck her foot 
behind her and leaned in as he pushed. She slid back into her normal upright 
position as he placed his right hand round her back and pulled her smoothly into
 a low slung dip. They looked at each other, both knowing they had timed it 
perfectly. He felt content. She smiled again as he pulled her back up to a 
standing position. It was then that they realized that everyone else had stopped 
dancing to watch them.
                 Whispers went round the room, commenting on how refined they 
looked, the precision footwork and the clear lead and follow. Satisfied, they 
gave each other a knowing smile and walked calmly off the floor.