I’m not the most decisive of people and am notorious for turning up to events just in time for the second encore. So it’s only fitting, in the swing setting, that I only JUST cottoned on to the Danish Club at its LAST gig ever as a public venue in Middle Park. It’s being turned into another beachside McMansion. Go figure.
The Club has been a social epicentre for the Danish community since 1938 and is known as a great venue for devoted jazz enthusiasts. Bands like the Pearly Shells Swing Orchestra have performed there for forever, drawing a regular set of jazz lovers and swing dancers.
So when I attended the Sunday farewell, with the Pearlies at the helm, I felt like a privileged witness to Melbourne jazz history.
It was pretty obvious that most of the dancers had been gathering here and at other venues for years, moving fluidly as they did, chatting, laughing at in-jokes from the band. They packed the dancefloor, with many more perched on barstools around the perimeter of the dining room.
It’s interesting noting the differences between a Swing Patrol gig and something like this.
For one thing, a lot of the SP crowd are babies in the business of swing dancing and live jazz; there are lots of newer dancers at level 2 or so giving it a good go. This translates into social dancing with a purpose. While they’re doing it because they enjoy it, the dancing also has an after-school revision session feel to it. Almost as though the dancefloor’s an examination venue and they feel the pressure to perform.
Not to say that they don’t enjoy the music and the dancing for the sake of it, but concentration appears to be everywhere but on their music and their partner… “What’s the next move, goddamnit, what’s the next move?”
The folk at the Club looked as though it was by-now second nature. Music and socialising first, worrying about getting the steps right second. By the same token, a lot of them DID have their serious ‘game face’ on, the sort you see in ballroom dancing.
And because the crowd at the Club were more established, there were a lot there as exclusive couples. Well, perhaps not so exclusive, but there’s an extra layer of protocol to observe. As one person noted (Jan), as a female follow approaching a male lead, you have to make sure that you ask their partner first for permission before continuing on. It’s basic courtesy in that setting, obviously.
Which brings me to another point of difference with SP. Because everyone attends an SP social with the purpose of learning and polishing skills, the opportunity to dance with as many different partners as possible comes first before that sort of decorum. Or at least there’s a less formal element to it. You don’t have to be as guarded when requesting a dance.
In an extreme example of partner possessiveness on Sunday, I bumped into a familiar face on the dancefloor and started chatting with him. He was standing on the edge of the dancefloor with a partner that he’d just danced with for four songs straight.
I had no intention of asking him for a dance as I was merely on my way for a breather out on the porch. But he seized on the chance, while his dance partner was there next to him, to ask if I wanted the next dance.
I thought that seemed a bit eager, not asking her first, so I turned to her with an unsure look and made to say, “Only if the both of you aren’t dancing to the next song. I’m quite happy to do the one after…”
And by golly she blew it right there and then.
She gave me a piercing glare and hissed, “Fine then, if that’s the way it is!” and off she stormed back to the tables, casting me another look or two, sneering to her friends.
He registered my shock but shrugged, “Ah, that’s ok, it’s fine, she’s been like that all night if I dance with any other women, any other friends.”
“Is she your partner-partner, not just your dance partner?”
“No, not at all! God forbid. She’s just weird, crazy, she acts like I’m hers.”
I watched over his shoulder as she tottered out the door in a red wiggle dress with a sweetheart neckline, swearing about how rude people could be.
I’d already done what I could to buffer the situation, so I can only assume that he’d been doing that to her all evening. Even if I was with someone on the dancefloor, I’d ask my current lead first if it was ok to take a break from each other and dance with someone else. If you’re still standing on the dancefloor, watching the band, the connection hasn’t been broken yet and it needs to be gently negotiated.
So yes, I don’t blame her for reacting the way she did. There must have been a lot brewing.
But if it was any consolation to her, I had my most embarassing dance of the night with that lead. I should have left it at that and walked away, but no. He grabbed my hand and led me straight into a spin, did all these double-arm ceroc moves that got me tangled, ending with an unexpected dip by the neck.
So unexpected, in fact, that I landed straight on my bum, in front of an amused table of six.
“You need a strong neck for that one,” he shrugged later.
Another lead who witnessed it told me that he shouldn’t have led that me into that dip, that it was a performance move and possibly very very inappropriate on a casual social floor.
Oh the dramas. And I thought ‘Dirty Dancing’ or ‘Take the Lead’ were works of fiction!
