Well it feels like I’ve been here a month already, but apparently it has been less than a whole week. I arrived in the middle of the day having missed my first two lessons, but just in time to catch the third. After the SAME PLANE as the day before had the SAME MALFUNCTION at 9pm, we were finally transferred to a new plane and took off at 1am – a full 30 hours late. Oy.
But it was worth it as I’ll explain later. Most importantly, I got here and as usual it is totally amazing. I’ve seen a giant chicken dance with Frida during the meetings every night while she makes announcements. I’ve had a random comment I made about dancing earlier and earlier in the night when I got old spawn an entire parade and “future” party over which I was forced to preside as myself 40 years into the future where I couldn’t really go to a dance past 8pm – with a live band and dancers from this same “future.” I had my advanced class interrupted by a circus-themed jazz routine in honor of tonight’s theme party. Plus I have had some amazing dancing and I am ready (after my 9m-midnight nap) to go get some more. Oh and I danced with Dawn Hampton. She really is the shit. If you ever get a free week in July, do yourself a favor and get out to Herrang, it truly is the Mecca of Lindy Hop and although it is quite likely that you will experience nothing on my little list above aside from great dancing, you will surely have some very special experiences of your own that I couldn’t even guess at. As they say here, “only in Herrang.”
I hope all’s going well back home in Minneapolis. Although it is hard to imagine the rest of the world existing while in Herrang, having my classes at Uptown Swing gives me a bit of an anchor to back home that convinces me that indeed home does exist when I’m not there so I’m writing to remind you all that I exist too, even when I’m not home. I’ll see you all actually very soon, although it won’t feel like that for me. In the meantime, be sure to check out Late Night Swing’s inaugural Thursday night at their new location at the Social Dance Studio – it should be great and packed to the gills with fun dancers. If you took lessons with Uptown Swing this session, be sure to let them know at the door as Late Night Swing will be our Uptown Swing field trip this session and Cindy & Terry are gonna give this session’s students $1 off.
With any luck at all I’ll be arriving back home just in time for the big National Dance Day event at the Tea Garden. This is why I said my plane debacle was all worth it. After a billion calls to Delta, they finally decided that to compensate for my flight pains, I could get my return flight changed to get me home at 12:30pm aka one whole 1/2 hour before everything starts up at the TG. I was scheduled to arrive at 3:30pm, so rushed as I may currently be, it’s much better. I hope to see everyone out on the 31st to come party with us at some time during the day – it should be super fun. Sign up here if you know you are coming to the (FREE) night dance so you can get a coupon for 1/2 off of a drink. For now, take care, I’ll try to pour out a little fun for the homies that ain’t here. Ciao!
-P
