USO Canteen FReeper Style ~ Dance Fever ~ March 18, 2003

March 18, 2003 | LaDivaLoca

[LaDivaLoca]

Dance Fever ~ Canteen Style

"It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing" (Duke Ellington)

"Swing music is pedestrian music. When you hear It, it makes you want to move."
(Clarence Clemons)

The first known swing dance, which dates back to 1913, was called the Texas Tommy. This dance later became the Mooch and Sugar in 1916, and by 1919 was called the Breakaway.     

Swing had its beginning in the 1920s and kept on going strong for many decades.  In 1926 the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem, New York opened its doors and began to host bands and dancers from all over. 

Swing dancers were not only doing the steps, they were naming and inventing them as well.  In 1927, Shorty George Snowden coined the term Lindy Hop to describe his dance style.  It has been known as such ever since.

In 1935, Frankie Manning, one of the greatest Lindy hoppers ever, created the first air steps.  Since then, dancers have been trying to duplicate and recreate them.

Swing continued into the 40s and 50s with the big band and rock & roll eras.  The music changed and the dancing developed.  Check out the important dates below!

1920s - Early Charleston and Lindy Hop begin                                                

1926 - Savoy Ballroom in Harlem New York opens

1927 - Shorty George Snowden coins the term Lindy Hop   

1930s - The role of the band leader changed; they no longer just conducted the band, they were musicians who alternated between leading and soloing    

1934 - Cab Calloway records "The Jitterbug" and the Jitterbug dance craze takes off.

1935 - Frankie Manning creates the first air steps             

1941 - Whitey's Lindy Hoppers appear in Hellzapoppin'

1950s - Swing dancing becomes known as "rock and roll" dancing

1960s - Partnered or "touch" dancing declines as Chubby Checker's "Twist" sweeps the nation.

2002 - Swing is still very much alive and well in the 21st century.  It seems as though most dancers are trying to get back to basics, experimenting with the Lindy Hop, Shag, Balboa, and Charleston.  Today's dancers are not only learning the dances, they are adding their own unique styling and inventing new moves as well.  Swing may not be the most popular thing in 2002, but for those who fell in love with it... it will never go out of style! 

GLOSSARY OF COMMON MUSICAL TERMS
As you read the BigBands Database, some expressions may be
unfamiliar. Hopefully, you can find their meaning here.

ALLIGATOR: Musician's used to refer to each other as 'Alligators'.
          Today, the word has been shortened to just 'Gator'.
          Louis Armstrong is often referred to as 'Gate Mouth',
          - from the same source.

BACK LINE: Musical slang for 'rhythm section'. Any combo of drums, bass piano, banjo, guitar. (Early bands would also use a Jug (glass/clay, gallon size) and washboard.) The expression stems from the early Jazz bands which often were just 5 - 7 pieces. The Melody instruments would stand out in the 'front' line while the Rhythm - piano, drums, banjo, and tuba/bass fiddle - would be the 'back line'. See also, "Front Line" below.

BEBOP: Another word for 'Bop'. See 'Bop" below.

BLUE NOTES: The lowered 3rd, 5th and 7th tones of a major scale. Often referred to as the 'flatted 5th', etc., by jazzmen.

BLUES: 1) A sad ballad type of song, often sung by a female moaning about a lost/uncaring/mean/etc lover. 2) A sad song sung mainly by black singers, - male and female. The traditional structure is 12 bars divided into 3 four bar measures. The "song form" (see below) is almost always AAB. (See "Jazz Overview" Link on the Main Page for more information.)

BARRELHOUSE: (Also called "Fast Western".) A style of piano playing popular west of the Mississippi before the 1900's and into the 'teens. So named because the piano players were usually working in the crude cabarets that served whiskey directly out of the barrel.

BOOGIE WOOGIE: An "Eight beats to the Bar" Ostinato. The left hand plays a repetitive riff throughout the song.

BOP: Originally, a style of music that used the changes (chords) of a well known song, but with a wild (sometimes recognizable and sometimes not) improvisation on the original melody. The expression has racial overtones. Dizzy Gilespie said that blacks developed Bop to "exclude "lesser" (meaning - white) musicians".

For more, click on the graphic:

SWING ERA AND MODERN COLLOQUIALISMS

---

 "Swing", like most fields of endeavor, also has it's own
special lexicon. Once used mostly by the musician's
themselves, the slang has now become a part of the greater
society. And, what is even more remarkable, is the way the
language has prospered. It is still widely used today, AND
growing.

---

18 Karat        "Pure Gold"
                Ex: "He's 18 karat."

Ace One dollar; Dollar's worth, one, first rate Ex: "He's 'Ace' with me. Ex: "Slip me an Ace, Gate." (Let me have a dollar.)

Air-check An actual radio or television performance caught on tape; as opposed to a work done in a recording studio

Alligator Originally, a slang term for "Musician". Very early in Jazz history, musicians referred to themselves as "alligators". Now it simply refers to any Swing Devotee (abbrev. 'Gator or Gate) Note: Louis Armstrong is often called 'Gate Mouth', from the same source. Ex: Cat 1: See ya later, alligator. Cat 2: After while, crocodile.

Axe ANY musical instrument. Ex: Man, - what do you think of my new Axe?

Ball To enjoy Ex: We had a 'Ball' when Tommy Dorsey played.

Big Apple New York City. Ex: He's working at Roseland Ballroom in the Apple.

Baby A term of endearment. (for either sex.) Ex: Say, "baby," I got us some bread, let's "move" downtown.

Bad Good Ex: That dude does some "bad" ass playing.

Bag One's own special interest. Ex: Man, - Tommy Dorsey's "Well Git It" is my "Bag".

Balloon lungs A Brass player with good breath control. That cat has "balloon lungs," he held that note for one complete minute!

For more, click on the graphic:

Click and dance to the music:







Movies to watch:

Additional information
(click on the graphics):

[MoJo2001]

Love the coconut!! LOL!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

WOW! 3 Navy wives in the Canteen bright and early!
Thank You Navy Wives!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

I'm glad to see you visting the Canteen each day.
Wait till tomorrow, tomkow6 will be in charge again. LOL

[GulfWar1Vet]

LOL

Tom's a character, I take it? :)

[SAMWolf]

You're welcome, Mojo. We need to remember what these people and their families are sacrificing for us all.

[snippy_about_it]

LOL, I love that graphic.

[GulfWar1Vet]

Awww, Snippy!

Thank you for the dancin' Smilies! :)

(I need to learn how to do graphics on this board!) LoL

[tomkow6]

I'm glad to see you visting the Canteen each day.
Wait till tomorrow, tomkow6 will be in charge again. LOL

Oh BOY! I get to trash, er, I mean run the Canteen again?
WOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!

[GulfWar1Vet]

Ditto on you providing the pics.

I got a little teary-eyed as well.

Troop Families: You are in our prayers and thoughts as well!!!!!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Thanks again for everything you do in the Canteen,
especially for orgainizing the schedule of daily threads!

[Pippin]

Hey, Tom? Where's Pippin?

[snippy_about_it]

You didn't buy his burka did you????

Just holler or send a freepmail and I'll help you with the graphics if you need it. :)

[Cachelot]

Hello all. This is sort of an announcement thingy and may even be important.

A couple of days ago, while talking to Nix and discussing the latest info on SARS (the pneumonia thing that seems as infectious as nothing we've ever seen before), Nix told me that there was an outfit sending Veterans kids and widows to Vietnam to visit the places where their loved ones had been killed. She was concerned that they might have been put in harms way, be it deliberately or not. So we checked into the operation a little.

What we found was disquieting and in some ways outrageuos.

The disquieting part is that there are currently around 80 Veteran's kids out of the country on the latest trip arranged by these people. The travel they have been doing seems to be in areas carrying extreme risk of infection by SARS. And they are expected back (arriving at LAX) today (the 18th).

The outrageous? Well - the operation running these trips seem like something cut straight from the various "peace" movements. The trips are touted as "healing" or "closure". The words "Honor", "Peace" and "Understanding" abound. And at least some of the people involved in the operation are straight out of the Democrat political machine. Here's one:

Our Mission

Frost Media Relations is a quality oriented professional publicity firm specializing in the art of building relationships with clients as well as the journalists we target for media placement. Our reach is nationwide, with strong contacts not only in national and local media circles, but also with key policymakers and corporate leaders. This experience pays off in client counsel that is focused, practical and results oriented. Whether your need is a national rollout, local tour, radio placement, speaking tour or gaining a forum for comment on breaking news issues, Frost Media Relations understands the marketing discipline and how media relations can be used to drive sales, strengthen positioning and make all aspects of the mix work harder. In short, Frost Media Relations develops publicity programs that help ensure the success of our clients' products in the marketplace. We know marketing and we get results. Karen Frost is principal and owner of Frost Media Relations. She is a full-time media relations consultant, entrepreneur and speaker/facilitator for Courage to Give Workshops to corporations, schools and nonprofits around the country. Prior to launching her own agency, Karen was director of publicity for a national publishing company, worked on the political advertising team for Senator Ted Kennedy, Congressman Richard Gephardt, and former Speaker of the House, Tom Foley, freelanced for CBS News and Fox News Service, and managed the pressroom for the Perot '92 Presidential Campaign in Dallas, Texas. Karen also worked in Uganda, East Africa, for Habitat for Humanity.

What's more, when you look at that site (Frost Media) it's an empty shell with most of the content default placeholders. Just this blurp. The thing reeks of Clinton and company. And people from Ted Kennedy's and Jimmy Carter's circle of friends making a profit out of this isn't a great thing.

Anyway. Here's a couple of pages about the current trip - first the press release put out by the operators, then the itinerary. If you know anyone on this trip it might be a good idea to check on them to see if everything is ok.

 

SONS AND DAUGHTERS IN TOUCH
“They Were Our Fathers…”
P.O. Box 1596, Arlington, VA, 800-894-9994, www.sdit.org

MEDIA ALERT

For Immediate Release What: Press Conference Date: Saturday, March 1, 2003 Time: 2:00 PM PST Location: Bob Hope Hollywood USO Center, 203 World Way, LA Int'l Airport (LAX arrival level, between terminals 1 & 2; adjacent parking)

Contacts: United States: Mokie Porter, 800-882-1316, mporter@vva.org Karen Frost, 512-423-2406, kfrost@frostmedia.com Vietnam: Mokie Porter, Rex Hotel, Ho Chi Mihn City Phone: 011-84-8-829-2185 Fax: 011-84-8-829-6536 Cell Phone: 011-84-918-451-886, VN 0918-451-886 Los Angeles: Sons and Daughters In Touch, 310-938-1264

 
 

(Los Angeles, CA) Sons and Daughters In Touch, the national support organization representing the grown children of American servicemen lost during the Vietnam War takes 80 of its members to Vietnam to trace the final footsteps their fathers left a generation ago.

Vietnam 2003: In Honor, Peace and Understanding

As such, SDIT will visit Vietnam to: Honor their fathers and all who served in the war; to seek a measure of inner Peace through better comprehension their life-changing loss; and to gain a better Understanding of the people and country where their fathers fought and died.

The fathers of these "sons and daughters" were servicemen from each branch of the US Military who fought in every campaign during the Vietnam War.  Today, these "sons and daughters" are in their 30's and 40's, they are fathers and mothers with families of their own. Those leaving for Vietnam come from 24 different states and the District of Columbia.

Beginning March 2, the trip will include visits to many of the sites that played significant roles in America's longest war: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Hue, Da Nang, China Beach, Khe Sanh, Bien Hoa, the Mekong Delta and Hanoi. While in Vietnam, the delegation will break into nine teams to visit different regions of the country and provide each son and daughter an emotional visit to the location where their fathers died.

For ten years, this organization has helped its members confront their loss and realize that they are not alone in that struggle. "Now we have the chance to help them see, touch and experience the land where our fathers died," said SDIT founder Tony Cordero of San Pedro, CA, one of five children of Air Force Major William E. Cordero (KIA 1965).
" I'm not seeking closure. Grief is a journey that has a beginning but never any end. At least not in this life", said Karen Spears-Zacharias of Pendleton, OR daughter of Army SSG David Spears (KIA 1966). 

In its efforts to generate the funding necessary to stage this historic trip, SDIT received major support from Vietnam Veterans of America, Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America, VietNow and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. An untold number of individuals, many of whom fought alongside these fallen fathers, also contributed to the cause.

For 13 years, SDIT has worked to locate, unite and provide support to the now-grown children of US Servicemen lost in the Vietnam War.In that time, more than 3,000 members have been able to contact veterans who served with their fathers, visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, share their life experiences with others and take pride in knowing that the loss of their father was not in vain.

###

This announcement took place on
Saturday, May 26, 2001 on the East Knoll --
adjacent to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Adrian Cronauer- Vietnam Veteran "Good Morning Vietnam",
along with leaders of the Vietnam Veterans community were
on hand to support the cause.

For Immediate Release

For more information:                      800-984-9994

SONS AND DAUGHTERS IN TOUCH
“They Were Our Fathers…”

SDIT ANNOUNCES PLANS TO TAKE ITS MEMBERS TO VIETNAM

The largest trip of its kind will give members a chance to
retrace their father’s final footsteps.

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 26, 2001 – Sons and Daughters In Touch, the national organization representing children of American servicemen lost during the Vietnam War, will take its members to Vietnam to retrace the final footsteps their fathers left a generation ago.  Scheduled for the spring of 2003, the trip will include visits to many of the sites that played significant roles in the war: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Bien Hoa, Hue, Da Nang, China Beach, the DMZ, the central highlands, and Hanoi.

“I can’t think of a better time for SDIT and its members to visit Vietnam.  For ten years, this organization has helped its members confront their loss and realize that they are not alone in that struggle.  Now we have the chance to help them touch, see and feel the land where their fathers died,” said SDIT founder Tony Cordero, son of Air Force Major Bill Cordero (KIA 1965).

SDIT anticipates that as many as 200 of its members will make the two-week trip, making it the largest visit of its kind to the country where America fought its longest war.   Interested veterans and other family members will only add to the size of the travel group. With so many SDIT members hoping to visit the actual site where their fathers died, travel planners will arrange for smaller groups to make side visits to these remote battlefields and villages.

To offset many of the planning costs, and to make the trip affordable for its members, SDIT will launch a fund-raising campaign to generate up to $500,000.  The group will look to supportive veterans organizations, corporations, and other individuals for assistance in reaching this goal.

“Two years ago, I was able to visit Vietnam and to make personal contact with my dad.  I couldn’t have done it without the help of some very supportive Vietnam veterans,” said Michelle Baugh, of Centralia, IL, daughter of Army SP4 Richard Githens (KIA 1968). 

With the tremendous support of America’s veterans, SDIT has hosted four major Fathers’ Day ceremonies at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC.  For many of the attendees, those events provided the initial opportunity to see their father’s name inscribed on the memorial and to meet others who lost their father during the Vietnam War.

Interested participants and contributors can complete information forms at the SDIT web site: www.sdit.org or can call 800-984-9994.

Sons and Daughters In Touch is a fully accredited non-profit 501(c)3 organization that has been meeting the needs of its members since 1990.  SDIT members are the children of men who served at nearly every rank -- in every branch -- of the US military.  Today, these children are testaments to the sacrifice of their fathers.  They have become parents, priests, professional athletes, business-professionals and more. 

###

Photos of the Press Conference

---

CLICK ONE

Please Come Again Soon

www.SDIT.org
 

SDIT MASTER ITINERARY 

Arrive Los Angeles 3/1/03 and depart for Viet Nam 3/2/03. The group will be broken into teams for touring and visits to the fathers’ areas of operations. Re-group at the Furama resort on China Beach before traveling on to Hanoi and departing Hanoi on 3/16/01.

Click Global Spectrum Banner For More Detailed Information

 

Blue South  of Saigon	Brown Hanoi N. Viet Nam	Gold Northern  I Corps	Green Tuy An	Purple Southern  I Corps	Red  West of Saigon	Orange Central Highland Plateau
March 1-2: Meet in/Depart from Los Angeles March 3-5: Arrive/Tour Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
March 6:  Tour of Nui Ba Den, Cao Dai Temple, Cu Chi Tunnel	March 6:  Mekong Delta tour.	March 6:  Nui Ba Den, Cao Dai Temple, Cu Chi Tunnels	March 6:  Nui Ba Den, Cao Dai Temple, Cu Chi Tunnels	March 6:  Mekong Delta tour	March 6:  Mekong Delta day trip tour to visit Cai Be and Vinh Long
March 7:  Mekong Delta tour, drive to Can Tho.	March 7:  Nui Ba Den, Cao Dai Temple, Cu Chi Tunnels.	March 7:  Mekong Delta Tour.	March 7:  Mekong Delta Tour.	March 7:  Nui Ba Den, Cao Dai Temple, Cu Chi Tunnels.	March 7:  Cu Chi Tunnels, Cao Dai Temple, Dau Tieng/ Dau Tieng Reservoir, Nui Ba Den.
March 8:  Chau Doc, Hung Ngu River, Seven Mountains.	March 8:  Fly to Hanoi begin area tour.	March 8:  Fly to Hue, Camp Eagle, City tour of Hue	March 8:  Fly to Nha Trang, Tuy Hoa.	March 8:  Fly to Nha Trang, drive to Tuy Hoa, Tuy An, QuiNhon. Overnight:  Quang Ngai	March 8:  Ben Suc, Ben Cat, An Loc, Quan Loi, Song Be, Phuoc Binh.	March 8:  Fly to Pleiku, tour sites in the vacinity of Pleiku. Visit a  minority village. Overnight: Pleiku
March 9:  Soc Trang,  Cau Ke	March 9:  Visit site vic Phuong Vang Mountain approx 60 miles NE of Hanoi.  Hanoi	March 9:  Visit sites in the Ashau Valley, return to Hue	March 9:  Tuy An, Qui Nhon  (link up with Orange Team)	March 9:  Chu Lai, Antenna Valley, An Phuoc.	March 9:  Dong Xoai, Phuoc Vinh, Phu Cuong	March 9: An Khe, site on QL19, Bong Son.  Overnight: Quang Ngai
March 10:  Dong Tam site, Ben Luc,	March 10:  Fly to Hue- Phu Bai,  leisure time.	March 10:  Khe Sanh,  DMZ sites	March 10:  Chu Lai,  My Son.	March 10: Tour sites vic Danang,  China Beach.	March 10:  Bien Hoa, Long Binh, Bearcat, Cat Lai.	March 10:  Chu Lai,  My Son. Overnight:  Hoi An
March 11:  Fly to Hue, tour Hue	March 11:  Hue city tour with other teams.	March 11:  Visit Sites in Quang Tri and Thua Thien	March 11:  Drive to Hue and city tour.	March 11:  Drive to Hue and city tour.	March 11:  Fly to Hue,  tour Hue.	March 11: Drive to Hue and city tour. Overnight: Hue
March 12: Tour Khe Sanh, DMZ	March 12:  Tour Khe Sanh, DMZ.	March 12:  Continue touring in Hue, leisure time	March 12:  Tour Khe Sanh, DMZ.	March 12:  Tour Khe Sanh, DMZ.	March 12:  Tour Khe Sanh, DMZ.	<--Same
March 13:  Drive to Danang, visit red Beach, Memorial Ceremony  Furama Resort	<--Same	<--Same	<--Same	<--Same	<--Same	<--Same
March 14:  Free day, optional tours, beach party	<--Same	<--Same	<--Same	<--Same	<--Same	<--Same
March 15: Charter flight to Hanoi  City tour, Joint Task Force-Full Accounting Brief (tentative), water puppet show.	<--Same	<--Same	<--Same	<--Same	<--Same	<--Same
March 16: Hanoi-Tour Hanoi, farewell reception with members of the U.S. Embassy Staff (tentative)
March 17: Begin their departure for USA! Spend the night in Singapore	March 16: Depart Hanoi Sunday, 11:15 pm. California Time
March 18: Depart Singapore 09:45 a.m.	March 17: Depart Singapore Monday @ 5:45 pm. California Time	March 18: Arrive @ LAX at 10:55 a.m.  Singapore Airlines @ California Time

 
 

---

CLICK ONE

	Page Updated February 2003

[SAMWolf]

2002 The Poetry Branch of Free Republic opens it's doors

Click on the logo and drop by to wish the Poets of the Belve a Happy Anniversary.

[snippy_about_it]

Love the music.

[zip]

Thanks for this phenominal post. Luv it.

GOOD MORNING AND GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS AND THEIR FAMILIES - AND - THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS OUR ALLIES (MILITARY AND THEIR FAMILIES)

We are praying for the safe return of each and every one of the military personnel. THANK YOU ALL.

[Kathy in Alaska]

[missycocopuffs]

Who says we can't go after Saddam Hussein.

I say we can-can.

Bless you guys and gals who protect us daily. Heads down, chins up, and I hope we can all be *dancing* in the streets soon.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Duty ~ Honor ~ Country

Click above to visit "A Day in the Life of President Bush"

[ProudArmyWife]

Good Morning All. Hope today brings nothing but smiles and happiness.