Follologie

2012-01-27T10:20:00.000-08:00

Follologie was awesome! I enjoyed assisting Annie Trudeau in class and trading tap steps with Adam and Mr Pedroza.

Lone Star Championships

2012-01-27T10:08:00.001-08:00

Bravo, Lone Star team. I think this year, what I enjoyed most was playing in the late night band--an official jam session managed by Falty and Freddy of Seattle. Great idea!

Lindy Focus

2012-01-27T10:04:00.001-08:00

Clearly the most important US event, for the time being, Lindy Focus continues to grow. Will Sweden continue to be the world's Mecca of Lindy Hop, twice a year? Or will Lindy Focus become the new tent post of Lindy, between Herrangs!? Only time will tell.

Baltimore

2012-01-27T10:03:00.000-08:00

It was a blast, bumpin in Baltimore. Great music jam! Thanks Dorry and Sommer for having me.

Catalina

2012-01-27T10:01:00.000-08:00

I still can't get over the Catalina Swing Dance Festival. Location, location, location. An event on an island paradise, a place where you can actually travel back in time to the jazz age!? All live music. If this event doesn't double in size next year, something is wrong with the universe.

Atlanta Varsity Showdown

2012-01-27T10:00:00.000-08:00

This was my first time at AVS, and I loved it! Great, super fun event.

Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown

2012-01-27T09:59:00.000-08:00

I was proud to advance to the slow finals again! This time with Giselle Anguizola.

Swing Out New Hampshire

2012-01-27T09:58:00.000-08:00

Another successful SONH

ILHC

2011-08-30T09:26:00.000-07:00

The International Lindy Hop Championships have concluded, and although I did not win prizes, I consider it one of my strongest appearances. Giselle and I presented the routine that we had prepared, I danced in the Solo Charleston finals, and we danced in the Champion's Strictly Lindy prelims. In the Champion's Strictly, in particular, after reviewing the contest footage, I absolutely believe in every moment of our dancing. That isn't to say that we can't improve. I am looking forward to the maturation of the style we are working on, and I'm hopeful that there will be room for it in the future of the Lindy community. Check out the Strictly contest on Youtube; I am wearing a brimmed hat: Song 1, Song 2

Saratoga Races

2011-08-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

It's race season in Saratoga Springs, and that means that Chance Bushman and Giselle Anguizola are shredding carpet with Reggie's Red Hot Feet Warmers. It also means that I get to sub for them one weekend! I had a great time, as always, and enjoyed dancing with Dominique Blouin from Quebec City, Quebec. This year, in addition to dancing and tapping, I also played rhythm on two songs, while we waited to meet up with Peter Davis--the band's actual banjoist. What a thrill!

PS21

2011-08-08T00:39:00.000-07:00

The Vanaver Caravan has completed their residency at PS21 - Public Space 21. The workshop classes were very well received, and the Saturday show was among the best I have participated in. We had several "heavy hitters" in the cast, including Joel Hannah, the Irish dancing star and former "Riverdance" cast-member. We also benefitted from decent technical resources, remarkable for a tent-type stage, with lighting specials and plenty of sound capabilities. We performed the "Earthbeat" program, which celebrates percussive dances from around the world. To find out more, click the Vanaver Caravan link in the right-hand column. Also, big thanks to Emily Vanston, my partner for the classes and in the swing performance piece! (The featured image is actually from the Caravan's residency at Jacob's Pillow; it is a photo of Fode Sissoko and myself.)

Saint Louis Tap Festival

2011-08-03T00:38:00.000-07:00

Saint Louis was great...mostly because I got to tap take class every day. Also I don't think I've ever performed in a show with so many celebrities. In addition to the greatest young tappers from around the country, including Dormisha Sumbry-Edwards, we had Cloris Leachman, Bill Irwin, Harold Cromer, and the one and only Arthur Duncan! I loved hanging out with the Saint Louis Lindy crew before and during the event. I hope it happens again and again!

NYC and Welbourne

2011-07-11T15:35:00.000-07:00

Giselle Anguizola spent some time in NYC surrounding the Ashokan festival. Workshops in the city went well, we had a photo shoot with Lynn Redmile, and we got a lot of choreographic work done, but we also wore ourselves out. Immediately after Ashokan we had a gig at Welbourne, for which the usual suspect, Chance Bushman, was not available. Welbourne is a scarcely describable plantation home in Virginia, where Nat, the southernly, curmudgeonly, lord of lords, hosts parties to end parties. After a night of dancing, we stayed for a day of ol' swimming hole fun, followed by a legendary stickball game staffed by all the neighbors. Later that evening I was thrilled to tap with, and even join the remaining Loose Marbles (by that time, mostly Tuba Skinny folks plus Mr. Magro), playing a couple tunes on the piano! Reportedly none were offended. Then Giselle and I headed back to New York, for another intense week of mighty artistic mojo. What a month!!

Ashokan HELLO!

2011-07-04T15:33:00.000-07:00

For more than thirty years, Ashokan has been home to a magical music and dance camp, sustained by the minds, hearts, intensions, and talents of multiple generations of artists. Nothing could have prepared me, or Giselle, for the profundity or the simplicity of what we experienced, visiting, hopefully joining, that peculiar Catskills tribe. We got to teach class, without an ipod, but astoundingly with the BEST of musicians, and we taught the Big Apple dance to a group of dancers with a twenty-year age span, and they ROCKED IT in performance! We gave an improvised performance to a Bebop rendition of Cherokee, which you can watch above. My deepest thanks to all involved.

Stompology 2011

2011-06-21T15:31:00.000-07:00

I am feeling incredibly lucky this year, having been invited to a string of "feel good" events. Stompology was everything I had hoped it would be, and I am still amazed that there aren't more copy-cat events. I always tell my most serious, eager, Lindy students, "working on solo movement is the key to improving your partnering." However, I know how hard it can be for laypersons to see the pathway connecting both pursuits, when the partnered dance classes have such a clear, one-to-one pay off. But despite not feeling like the full value of Stompology is understood, I have no doubt that it will continue to be well attended and loved for years and years. Stompology is definitely a go-at-least-once event.

CSC!!!!!!!!!

2011-05-24T15:18:00.000-07:00

Wow, the Canadian Swing Championships, wow. WOW. What a beautiful event. Very fun, atmosphere, very elegant setting. Not what I was expecting. Not being much of a "party" person I was worried I might feel out of place, but that was not the case! There was something--some activity, some food, some atmosphere, some group of friends, some moment--there was something for everyone at CSC. It was also a pleasure, spending the preparatory week hanging in Montreal and working again with Dominique Blouin. I can't say I was surprised, because I've known Dee and the Montreal scene for a while now, and I know that quality and finesse are simply the way of things. BRAVO!

Edmonton, Canada, Yes Please!

2011-05-17T15:16:00.000-07:00

I wasn't ready for the quality of this very rejuvenating trip. Great people, great music, very swingin. It was also the first full weekend for which Giselle Anguizola and I were hired as a partnership. There are many great things about Edmonton as a dance town. Firstly, the city itself has that perfect balance of opportunities and intimacy, much like Houston where I started dancing, that allow a swing community to simmer. Edmonton is not so small that the scene is mired in its own style and self importance, but not so big that dancers with special interests fracture into untenable sub-communities. Secondly, and amazingly, the live music was fantastic! This is such a stumbling block for medium sized swing scenes, because you don't just have to find jazz--you have to find SWING. Thirdly, there are local professional swing dancers working in Edmonton. It is EXTREMELY rare that any but the biggest dance Meccas can support local, full-time, jazz dancers. If it happens at all, it is usually a case where the dancers leave to work--as with Kevin StLaurent and Pittsburgh, but not so in Edmonton! Lastly, all the people, from the beginners to the pros, were lovely and had great attitudes as students. I'm sure this is the true secret to Edmonton's success. A special shout out to Reed and Sierra with whom Giselle and I stayed. That was a trip I won't soon forget! Thank you!

Italy

2011-05-09T15:15:00.000-07:00

Swing Brother Swing 2011 was awesome!
Sylvia did it again!!
Got to see and dance with my friends in Italy!
Ryan and Jenny were here this year!
Great playing music, late night with Deebs!
Joel Plys, you're the man!
Dances were fun!
The contests were out of control!!

Followlogie

2011-01-31T22:10:00.000-08:00

I had a great time at Followlogie, which was also my first trip to Montreal! Thanks everyone for all the awesome dances, and thanks to Dominique for inviting me. My favorite part was the beautiful movie palace where the Saturday dance and show were held. Bravo! Above is a picture of me in the show, performing "You're Easy To Dance With." The detail on the wall in the background was continued throughout the entire building. I can't wait to go back for the 2011 Canadian Swing Championships--coming soon!

Lonestar Championships

2011-01-17T03:30:00.000-08:00

I won first place in the Lonestar Championships' Charleston contest. However that victory was completely eclipsed by the wonderful social dance experiences I had during the weekend. Thank you to everyone with whom I danced, I was honored.

Lindy Focus

2011-01-02T11:43:00.000-08:00

Lindy Focus has come and gone, and this year was as fantastic as ever! I won first place in the slow dance contest as well as the invitational Jack and Jill. My favorite part of the week was dancing with friends who I rarely see. However I also had a particularly good time in class this year. These students were awesome!! And congrats to everyone who performed in the New Years Eve show; it was one of the greatest jazz dance shows I've ever been a part of! The photos in this post are from my winning dances. Much thanks to my contest partners, Annie Trudeau and Giselle Anguizola.

September-October-Explosion!

2010-11-26T23:30:00.001-08:00

Wow. I've never been busier as a dancer than I have been this Fall. I had six straight travel weekends of dance event work, followed by only a brief interlude before the astonishing Catalina Jazz Dance Festival! And now I'm off to Italy again, after which I will enjoy two weeks of training with Dominique Blouin, a fabulous Canadian Balboa and Jazz dance expert. Also within that string of events was the first large-scale workshop weekend I have taught with no partner. I frequently teach alone in New York and the North-East, but Lindy producers don't often request such a thing, so a big thanks to Lara Willars and San Antonio for giving me that chance. I saw a lot of smiles down there! I can't wait to see the Texas folks again at the Lonestar Championships in January!!

I'm back!!

2010-05-27T09:55:00.000-07:00

Italy was great!!

Swing Brother Swing is a fabulous event in Bologna, Italy. It was my pleasure to be a part of this years festival as a teacher and performer. The people were generous, the food was delicious, and the accommodations were luxurious. Everyone dressed beautifully for the dances, which shows much respect for our dear dance. Bravo!

Thank you to the Killer Dillers, Roberto, and the entire cast for a wonderful floor show!! Thank you Italy!

Killer Diller Photo Shoot

2010-01-03T14:56:00.001-08:00

In May 2009 the Killer Dillers had a photo shoot with New York photographer Allison Michael Orenstein. Here are some of the shots:

Photos from the International Lindy Hop Championships 2009

2010-01-03T14:14:00.000-08:00

Photos taken of the competitions and performances at the International Lindy Hop Championships in Washington DC, in August 2009:

The Killer Dillers did well in the competitions:

1st Place Team Division
1st place Charleston: Juan Villafane
2nd place Charleston: Nathan Bugh (that's me)
3rd place Charleston: Jo Hoffberg
Filling out the rest of the Charleston finals: Evita Arce, Kevin St Laurent & Sharon Davis (ie: all the rest of the Killer Dillers)
1st place Cabaret: Evita Arce & Mike Jagger
3rd place Cabaret: Kevin St Laurent, Juan Villafane & myself

Camp Jitterbug 2009 & The Jump Session Show

2010-01-03T14:03:00.000-08:00

A few photos from our performances in the annual Jump Session Show, as part of Camp Jitterbug in Seattle in May 2009. The first photo is myself with Kevin St Laurent, taking during our performance of Fascinating Rhythm, a tribute to the legendary Berry Brothers:

This is a performance of the One Man Dance, originally created by The Five Blazes in the late 1920s:

From left to right, the performers were myself, Juan Villafane, Mike Faltesek, Kevin St Laurent and Stefan Durham:

And just for kicks, here is the original One Man Dance film clip, performed by The Five Blazes to Duke Ellington's tune Black Beauty, in 1929:

Performing with The Vanaver Caravan

2010-01-03T13:54:00.000-08:00

Some photos from my time performing with The Vanaver Caravan:

Dancing with legend Dawn Hampton

2010-01-03T13:41:00.000-08:00

A few photos of me dancing with living legend Dawn Hampton (above), at Swing Out New Hampshire in September 2009. Dawn is 82 years old! Click on the thumbnail to see a larger version:

Some info about Dawn, care of Century Masters:

Dawn Hampton was born in 1928, in Middletown, Ohio. Her father, Clark Deacon Hampton, Sr., had a family band and vaudeville act that was part of a traveling carnival. She grew up listening to the music of the family band, Deacon Hampton's Pickaninnys, sitting on an orange box behind her mother Laura's piano.

It wasn't long before the infant Hampton was making a contribution. She began performing at the tender age of three, and two years later sang "He Takes Me to Paradise".

Dawn is one of twelve children. Slide Hampton, the well-known jazz trombonist, is the youngest. Two of Dawn's older sisters, Aletra and Virtue, live in Indianapolis and are still performing and there are many more musical Hamptons scattered around the country.

After the war, the family band reunited for several years. There were fourteen pieces and nine Hamptons; Dawn played alto and tenor sax. They traveled under the leadership of her brother, Duke, and played throughout the Midwest and South. Finally, in 1950, the band achieved its dream of performing at Carnegie Hall (along with another well-known, although unrelated Hampton - Lionel).

Once the Big Apple got a taste of the Hampton Family, they were featured at the Apollo Theatre and the Savoy Ballroom. The Hamptons became the house band at the then-famous Sunset Terrace in Indianapolis, and then moved on to the Cincinnati Cotton Club. Sometime in the mid-1950s, several brothers left to study music and Dawn and her sisters Aletra, Virtue, and Carmelita continued to perform as The Hampton Sisters.

Fascinating Rhythm

2010-01-03T13:29:00.001-08:00

Footage of The Killer Dillers' recreation of the Berry Brothers' number Fascinating Rhythm from the the 1941 film Lady Be Good. Filmed at Herrang Dance Camp in Sweden, July 2009. The performers are myself, Kevin St Laurent and Juan Villafane:

The Berry Brothers were a famous flash act duo (and later trio) in the 1920s, 30s and 40s. Their specialties included soft shoe tap, cane, spectacular splits and death-defying acrobatics. The brothers were Ananias (or Nyas) Berry, James Berry and Warren Berry. They performed alongside Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway at the Cotton Club in Harlem, were the first African-American act at the Copacabana in 1929, and performed at the grand opening of Radio City Music Hall in 1932. They also headlined at New York’s Apollo Theatre, the Zanzibar Cafe, Harlem’s Savoy Ballroom, The Moulin Rouge in Paris, and The Rio Cabana in Chicago. Their film credits include Lady Be Good (1941), Panama Hattie (1942), Boarding House Blues (1948), and You’re My Everything (1949).

The Berry Brothers are remembered as one of the greatest dance acts in the history of the American stage and cinema in the twentieth century. At a time when tap dancers were “a dime a dozen,” these brothers combined their talents to form a unique act that remains unsurpassed. Their mixture of the Cakewalk’s Strut, tap dancing, thrilling acrobatics, and amazing cane work was a winning and lasting formula. Click here to read more about them.

Here is the original:

The Killer Dillers: New Website

2010-01-03T12:59:00.000-08:00

The Killer Dillers now have a website at www.thekillerdillers.com!

Apart from information about the six of us, there's also info about the styles of dance we do, photos, videos and a bunch of other stuff!

Photos from Southern Belle Swing Bash 2009

2010-01-03T12:20:00.000-08:00

Photos taken at Southern Belle Swing Bash in Atlanta, in August 2009, where I was teaching and performing with Evita Arce. Click on the image to see a larger version.

The Killer Dillers 1st Place Team at International Lindy Hop Championships 2009

2010-01-03T11:48:00.000-08:00

Here's a video of my dance troupe, The Killer Dillers, winning the team division at the International Lindy Hop Championships 2009 in Washington DC. My fellow Killer Dillers are Evita Arce, Kevin St Laurent, Jo Hoffberg, Juan Villafane and Sharon Davis:

That's How Rhythm Was Born

2010-01-03T11:42:00.000-08:00

Performance of That's How Rhythm Was Born with Evita Arce, for the New York Swing Dance society in 2008...