Swing Dancing To Feed A Community

Couples dancing and twirling in fancy clothes while a hard driving rocking band belts out dance music with a heavy beat. These images of the young and the young at heart, makes one think of a fun evening from a time long past. Of course, there are events today from both the existing "retro swing dance scene" and the "rockabilly culture", subcultures of folks who may be college students, professional artists, or tech professionals by day, but dress in 1940's and 1950's vintage attire by night, to relive the more enjoyable aspects of a time period from America's past, reflect that image.

However, once in a while, this sort of "fun event" has a very real serious purpose that benefits and helps the surrounding community.

Such is the case for Saturday, June 11's "Rockin' N' A Swingin' On A Saturday Night" at St. Jerome's Catholic Church, located at 308 Carmel Ave, in El Cerrito (94530).

This yearly event features the Bay Area's own Hot Rod Jukebox, a rising combo in the vintage dance scene, playing a variety of high energy 1950's style Jump rhythm and blues and rockabilly dance music.

With doors opening at 6:00 p.m. and a quick beginner's "Strolling" and "Jitterbugging" dance lesson provided by Bay Area instructor Mike Quebec at 6:30 p.m., this annual event lasting from that start time to 10:00 p.m. is now going on it's 7th year.

All of the event's earnings will go towards feeding less fortunate members of the El Cerrito community through St. Vincent De Paul's charity program.

"The program needs more non-perishable foods, in the form of canned or packaged goods," says Christine Aguilar, one of the lead vocalists and musicians from Hot Rod Jukebox, who are actually donating their time to not only perform, but to also help decorate the church hall where the dance event is being held.

"Admission for entry is in the form of a grocery bag of non perishables, canned beans, canned soups, canned vegetables, packed pastas, packaged cereals, that sort of thing. Any combination of those items are desired and needed. Of course, we also ask that patrons make sure that the foods aren't expired and that we would like the foods to be healthy," she says with a quiet, easy going laughter that shows her soft spoken and approachable personality, which interestingly, contrasts with her hard driving, energetic, and aggressive vocal and playing style, when on stage.

"If patrons don't want to bring foods, a $10 cash admission will be accepted, with all monies again, going towards feeding the less-fortunate."

The event has drawn large numbers of patrons in the past and with the new addition of vintage swing dance instruction, it promises to be a packed house.

If interested in participating, attending and joining in the festivities for the night, or simply donating, the organizers, volunteers all, have a Facebook event page up at https://www.facebook.com/events/131350153943614/.

Click on it or copy and paste it, and join. It's for a worthy cause. And in the words of Christine Aguilar, "It'll be fun!"