The Track Podcast

Each month on The Track, join host Ryan Swift as he sits down for an in-depth & candid conversation with swing dancers, musicians, DJs, competitors, and instructors from the world of Lindy Hop.

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The Track 052 - Giselle Anguizola — The Track Podcast

Dancer, instructor, and musician Giselle Anguizola joins host Ryan Swift

Season Six of The Track starts today! In episode 52, I am joined by dancer, instructor, and musician, Giselle Anguizola. Giselle has been swing dancing for over 20 years, and is founder of Girl Jam, an organization honoring women in swing music and dance through weekend festivals around the globe. Widely renowned for her creativity and individuality as a performer and instructor, Giselle spends most of her days singing and dancing with her band in New Orleans and San Diego.

Giselle joined me by video chat from her home in San Diego to talk about finding swing dancing thanks to a middle school music teacher, the importance of recognizing followers in their own right, and what it means when she says she hears music in shapes.

We also discussed her 10 years working as a performer in New Orleans, how both Amy Winehouse and Cab Calloway influence her performances, and how the pandemic is affecting her dancing and her mental health.

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The Track 047 - Dr. Christi Jay Wells — The Track Podcast

Swing dancer and musicologist Dr. Christi Jay Wells joins host Ryan Swift

Episode 47 is out today! In this episode, I am joined by swing dancer and musicologist, Dr. Christi Jay Wells. Christi Jay started dancing in 2003 and earned a PhD in musicology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2014. They conduct research on a range of jazz music and dance history topics, regularly present their work at national & international conferences and major universities, and has received multiple prestigious national academic awards. Christi Jay is a member of the musicology faculty at Arizona State University, where they teach a range of courses on music, dance, and how issues of race impact practices of sound and movement. Christi Jay is also a dance teacher and competitor, having taught at events including Korea Blues Camp and BluesShout!

We sat down at Lindy Focus 2019, where Christi Jay presented on Duke Ellington’s “Jump for Joy,” exploring the layers of political and social meaning found in the groundbreaking revue show and its title song. In our conversation we not only talk about that presentation, but also how their passion for swing music & dancing evolved into an academic career, writing their dissertation on Chick Webb and his relationship with his audience, and what they learned in class and in conversation with Frankie Manning and Norma Miller.

We also discuss their close relationship with Dawn Hampton, gender & heteronormativity in the Lindy Hop scene, what drew them to the Blues and Fusion communities, and their experiences coming out as transgender in those communities.

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The Track 046 - Marie N'diaye — The Track Podcast

Instructor, performer, and choreographer Marie N'diaye joins host Ryan Swift

Episode 46 is out today! In this episode, I am joined by instructor, performer, and choreographer, Marie N'diaye. Marie has been dancing almost as long as she has been walking, but she fell in love with Lindy Hop and Vernacular Jazz in 2007. Since that time, Marie has taught in her home scenes of Montréal & Stockholm, and at workshops & camps around the globe. She has won competitions at ILHC and Snowball, is choreographer and director of the Herräng Dance Camp daily meeting chorus line, and leads her own dance troupe, HotCha Chorus Line.

Marie joined me at ILHC 2019 to talk about her experience growing up in France in an Afro-Caribbean family where music and dance were a part of life, finding her Lindy Hop home at Cat’s Corner while studying biochemistry in Montréal, and how her PhD studies led her to Sweden and the creation of the Herräng Chorus Line.

We also discuss the importance of understanding rhythm instead of simply focusing on patterns, the legacy of colonialism and slavery in the evolution of dance, and the significance that videos of other black dancers played in discovering her connection with Lindy Hop and swing music.

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The Track 041 - Sing Lim

Dancer and instructor Sing Lim joins host Ryan Swift.

Episode 41 is out today! In this episode, I am joined by dancer and instructor, Sing Lim.  Sing has been part of the global swing dance community for over 30 years - learning in London under the tutelage of Ryan Francois and Frankie Manning and spreading Lindy Hop to Asia when she returned to her native Singapore in 1996.  She was a member of the Frankie100 organizing committee and has been invited to teach, perform and judge at numerous events around the world, including Herräng Dance Camp, Swingtime Ball Beijing, and the Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown in New Orleans.

Sing joined me in New York City to talk about our memories of Norma Miller, learning from — and then competing alongside — Ryan Francois in the early 90s, her friendship with Frankie Manning, and founding Jitterbugs Swingapore and SEA Jam, the first Lindy Hop weekend in Asia.

We also discuss the early days of Herräng, how Lindy Hop has grown throughout Asia, both learning and teaching the history of Lindy Hop, and the importance of respecting the community of Harlem from which it came.

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Doodle: How do you get notified of new episodes of The Track Podcast?

I've heard recently that some folks aren't aware of when a new episode of the podcast is released (typically the 4th Tuesday of every month). Help me help you find new episodes with this quick poll!

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The Track - 039 - Nick Williams

Singer, dancer, and choreographer Nick Williams sits down with host Ryan Swift.

Episode 39 is out today! In this episode, I am joined by dancer, instructor, and choreographer, Nick Williams.  Since his first swing dance lesson in LA in 1998, Nick has studied Lindy Hop, Balboa, and Collegiate Shag with its original dancers and spent countless hours studying vintage dance clips. He has won titles at virtually every top-tier event, including the World Lindy Hop Championships, US Open, ALHC, National Jitterbug Championships, ILHC, Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown, and American Classic Balboa Championships. Nick’s choreography has been featured on So You Think You Can Dance, and he has been inducted into the California Swing Dance Hall of Fame.

Nick and I sat down at Lindyfest 2019 to talk about his early years of dancing - where he experienced bullying in the late-90’s LA swing dance scene, his challenging first experience at ALHC, and how dancing with Sylvia Sykes became a gateway for opportunity in the larger swing dance scene.We also discuss his obsession with loafers and how that shapes his dancing, finding opportunities to dance in film & television, and how he pushes his creativity through song & dance, like recreating Gene Kelly’s iconic “Singin’ in the Rain” routine for a live audience.

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The Track - 036 - Tena Morales-Armstrong

Host Ryan Swift sits down with Tena Morales-Armstrong, an organizer, instructor, and guiding figure of the modern Lindy Hop scene.

Episode 36 is out today! I am thrilled to be joined by one of my most requested guests, Tena Morales-Armstrong. Tena is a renowned dancer, instructor, judge, choreographer, and organizer.  She has been a guiding figure for the global swing scene for over twenty years - from winning the inaugural American Lindy Hop Championships with her partner Carnell Pipkin in 1998, to her roles as co-founder of the International Lindy Hop Championships, co-organizer of Lindyfest and  Lone Star Championships, and architect of the International Swing Dance Championships and Houston Jazz Dance Festival.

Tena and I sat down in Rochester, NY during Stompology 2018 and talked about teaching hip-hop as a single mom, how a glimpse of tandem Charleston at the Glen Echo Ballroom inspired her to instantly dive headlong into the world of Lindy Hop, and how her eye for talent helped develop of some of today’s most recognized dancers.

We also discussed what it means to her to work with kids on and off the dance floor, her role in the Frankie Manning Foundation, the importance of black history and culture in Lindy Hop, and building a bridge between African-American partner dances like DFW Swingout and Chicago Stepping and the modern Lindy Hop scene.

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The Track - 035 - Sommer Gentry

Host Ryan Swift sits down with dancer, competitor, and U.S. Naval Academy professor of mathematics , Sommer Gentry .

The Track makes its triumphant return today with Episode 35! My guest this month is dancer, competitor, and U.S. Naval Academy professor of mathematics, Sommer Gentry.  Sommer has won competitions at countless events, including Boston Tea Party, the Virginia State Open, and Swingin’ New England, and became a cornerstone of the Baltimore swing community as co-founder of Charm City Swing. Off the dance floor, her research with her husband Dorry Segev in organ transplant optimization has landed her profiles in Science and TIME magazines.

Sommer and I sat down a year ago at Lindy Focus and talked about country two-stepping, the joy she finds in learning as many dances as possible, her experiences as a competitor and social dancer, and how she prefers learning by doing — in both dance and math.We also discussed her love of pop music, what it’s like both dancing and researching with her husband, performing superhuman feats of mathematics on television, and how exactly one can embody Zeno’s Paradox on the dance floor.

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The Track - 033 - Christian Frommelt

Host Ryan Swift sits down with dancer, instructor, St Louis Shagger, and co-organizer of the Nevermore Jazz Ball , Christian Frommelt

Episode 33 is out! My guest this month is swing dance instructor, performer and social dancer, Christian Frommelt. Christian is widely known as a devotee of St. Louis Shag, which he learned in his hometown from some of the original jitterbugs, and which has taught around the world with his partner Jenny Shirar.  Together with Jenny, he was won competitions at Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown 2014 & 2015, and at ILHC in 2015. Christian also does tremendous work as a scene leader in St. Louis, including co-organizing the Nevermore Jazz Ball and cultivating a strong community of dance through the St. Louis Jitterbugs.

Christian and I sat down in New York City to talk about how learning swing and Shag from local legends like John Bedrosian cemented his ties to St. Louis, how he adapts his teaching style to encourage individual expression, and what it takes to grow both a local scene and a large national event.

We also discussed what motivates him to take on a leadership role in his local dance community, getting destroyed in head-to-head battles before winning the final two battles of ULHS, and how that event provided inspiration for making the Nevermore Jazz Ball a celebration of St. Louis.

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The Track - 032 - Valerie Salstrom

Host Ryan Swift is joined by Valerie Salstrom, founder of All Balboa Weekend and the Cleveland Junior Jitterbugs.

Episode 32 is out today! My guest this month is instructor and founder of the All Balboa Weekend, Valerie Salstrom. Valerie has a long list of Lindy Hop and Balboa competition titles to her name, including from events like the National Jitterbug Championships and the American Lindy Hop Championships, and is also well-known as the founder of the Cleveland Junior Jitterbugs after-school swing dance program.

Val and I sat down at ILHC 2017 to talk about what it was like learning her first Balboa steps directly from legends Maxie Dorf and Sylvia Sykes, the thrill of competition, and the incredible impact the Junior Jitterbug program has on its participants and our scene.

We also discussed her inspiration for the first weekend event dedicated solely to Balboa, what it took to build a scene from scratch in Cleveland, and both got a little choked up talking about how much we love the Juniors division at ILHC.

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The Track - 030 - Mikey Pedroza

Host Ryan Swift sits down with competitor, instructor, and co-host of The Brightside with Mikey and Rachel, Mikey Pedroza.

We missed a month in October due to a whirlwind of circumstances, but we’re back on track (har!) here in November with a brand-new episode!

My guest this month, Mikey Pedroza, is one of the most versatile dancers in the modern swing dance scene, having competed, performed, and taught Lindy Hop, Charleston, Balboa, Blues, and Solo Jazz around the world.  He is a fixture on the international swing dance scene and co-hosts the podcast “The Brightside with Mikey and Rachel.”

Mikey and I sat down at ILHC 2017 to talk about his changing approach to choreography and competition, and his memories of dancing as a teenager in Southern California among old-timers like Maxie Dorf and Hal Takier.

We also discussed his personal experience with an event’s safe space policy, the injury that took him out of this year's competitions, and how these events brought him to reflect on what the dance means to him and his place in the swing dance community.

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The Track - 029 - Moe Sakan

Host Ryan Swift sits down with Moe Sakan

Episode 29 is out today! This month, I am joined by Moe Sakan. Moe discovered Lindy Hop as a teenager in her native Osaka, Japan, and continued social dancing after moving to London in 2000 to pursue a dream in the performing arts. Injury changed her path and Moe has since become an active competitive swing dancer and instructor. She has won several competition titles, including the 2017 Open Classic Lindy title and four consecutive Jack & Jill titles at Camp Hollywood’s National Jitterbug Championships, and has taught swing dance around the world.

Moe joined me at ILHC to talk about her early training and dreams of becoming a professional broadway dancer, swing dance and vintage culture in both Japan and England, and how video tapes of Southern California dancers drew her to to become a fixture at Camp Hollywood and a 2017 inductee into their Hall of Fame.

We also discussed the unique perspective of learning an American World War II-era dance in modern Japan, and some of her thoughts on what makes a rewarding experience in social swing dance contests like the Luck of the Draw.

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The Track - 026 - Paul Cosentino

Ryan sits down with clarinetist and bandleader for the Boilermaker Jazz Band, Paul Cosentino

Episode 26 is out today! This month, I am joined by one of the swing world’s most popular bandleaders and sought-after clarinetists, Paul Cosentino. 

Paul founded the Boilermaker Jazz Band in 1988 at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, and quickly became a mainstay at traditional jazz and Dixieland festivals for over a decade. Then in 2001, the Boilermakers first played specifically for Lindy Hoppers at the inaugural PittStop Lindy Hop and have been a fixture in the swing dance scene ever since, playing around the world at countless exchanges and events like ILHC and DCLX.

Paul and I got together at Stompology in Rochester NY, where we spoke about his extended family of musicians, his immersion in the Great American songbook at an early age, some of his early gigs playing clarinet with George Gee’s Make Believe Ballroom Orchestra in the 80's, and the Boilermakers' transition from Trad Jazz festivals to Lindy Hop events.

We also discussed the differences between being a sideman and a bandleader, touched on some of the great jazz clarinetists, explored the magic of improvisation both on the bandstand and the dance floor, and wondered if popular music will ever again see another Cole Porter.

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Episode 25 of The Track Podcast is out today!

Episode 25 of The Track Podcast is out today! This month is the 10th anniversary of the publication of the autobiography Frankie Manning: Ambassador of Lindy Hop, and I am thrilled to be joined by its co-author, Cynthia Millman. A long-time Lindy Hopper in her own right, Cynthia first met Frankie Manning in 1986.  She performed with the Big Apple Lindy Hoppers for five years under his artistic direction, and later studied, taught, partnered, and lectured with Frankie.  She is Library Director at The Town School in Manhattan, has contributed articles to Dance Magazine, The International Encyclopedia of Dance, and African American National Biography, and has served on the board of directors of the Frankie Manning Foundation since its inception.

I joined Cynthia at her home in New York City to talk about her own discovery of Lindy Hop, the NYC swing dance scene of the 1980s & 1990s, and how the modern Lindy Hop world compares to that period, commonly referred to as the “swing revival."

We also discussed what it was like writing the book with Frankie, some of her favorite stories that did and didn’t make it into the book, and reflected on Frankie’s legacy, including the work done by the Frankie Manning Foundation.

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The Track - 024 - Gordon Webster

Episode 24 of The Track Podcast is out today!

Episode 24 of The Track Podcast is out today! This month, I am joined by pianist and bandleader Gordon Webster.  A piano player since age four, Gordon had his first gig playing for swing dancers in 2001 and he caught the Lindy Hop bug soon after.  His passion, diversity, and musicianship have made him one of the most sought-after musicians in the Lindy hop world, becoming a fixture at events like The Snowball, Lindy Shock, Swing Camp Oz, and Beantown Camp.  His seventh album, entitled “This.” was released this month, and he is currently wrapping up an ambitious Indiegogo campaign supporting that album and an upcoming digital single-of-the-month club.

Gordon and I sat down at his home in New Jersey to talk about his development as a musician, the moment at Swing Out New Hampshire when he realized playing for dancers is what he was meant to do, and how his approach to band leading is different than some other swing bands today.

We also discussed what goes into recording an album, how Mona’s Tuesday night jam session has become the go-to late night destination for early jazz musicians in NYC, and why he finds the ever-changing tastes of the Lindy Hop scene the greatest inspiration for him as an artist today.

Gordon also speaks candidly about Steven Mitchell, the allegations against him, and how that news impacted him personally and professionally.

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I'm catching up on some past show notes that had fallen by the wayside and I came across this clip of LaTasha Barnes that, while it didn't fit in the show notes, was far too awesome not to highlight.  Thanks to Rikomatic for highlighting this in his blog late last year.  Enjoy LaTasha tearing it up at the 2016 Bay Area House Dance Festival as you pour over the show notes from Episode 022!

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It was an honor and absolute delight to have the priviledge of interviewing the legendary Jean Veloz at Lindyfest this year for their Inside the Dancer's Studio series. Many thanks to Tena, Scott, and the Lindyfest team for giving me the opportunity to sit with Jean for an hour, and to Brett Dahlenburg for getting the video online so quickly! 

 If you're interested in the clips we showed during the interview, I've created a YouTube playlist, which can be found here.