Swing Dance with Eight to the Bar & The Love Dogs

This Saturday, the Boston Swing Dance Network will celebrate nearly 25 years of monthly swing dances. The gatherings have been run by Roger Weiss since the event’s inception in 1987.

More than 200 people regularly attend, he says.  Before each show, Weiss often teaches a beginner’s lesson that starts with some simple swing moves and ends with an intermediate move. On most nights, “over 50 new dancers come to the lessons,” he says.

The network is Boston’s longest-running swing dance that includes live music. Dances have been held at the St. James Armenian Apostolic Church in Watertown for the last 16 years. Even with the passing of time, the popularity of swing remains high, Weiss says, “because swing music is timeless, and so is dancing. What better way for men and women to get together?”

Two of the area’s most popular swing bands will perform this Saturday night in what the network promises to be “a very special night ... not to be missed!” One band, Eight to the Bar, is known for its outstanding instrumentalists and sophisticated musical and vocal arrangements. The other band, The Love Dogs, wows its audiences by combining elements of jump blues, New Orleans R&B, and early rock 'n' roll to create their own sound. Each band will play 2 sets, ending with a double-band finale.

The actual 25^th anniversary of the Boston Swing Dance Network will take place May 12, 2012. According to Weiss, this weekend’s show “is just the warm-up!” 

Admission for the evening is $20 for adults, and $15 for students.  For more information, visit the Boston Swing Dance Network's website.