Betty's Ultra Swing NYC Weekender

THE FINAL LOWDOWN cont'd

Slept in cause I was feeling really gross (bad cold had now set in), but made it Paolo's Shim Sham class at Dance Manhattan on Sunday afternoon. That was fun! Now I just need to teach it to everyone in Montreal... Met up with Leslie Rosenberg, intrepid editor of Atomic, after class and we walked over to the East Side and found her some curlers to be used for a 40's hair odyssey later that evening. We parted ways at Union Square, and I headed over to Screaming Mimi's for what would be a fruitful journey, resulting in the purchase of a fab 50's tiki swing dress. On my back to Merideth's I stopped at the Astor Place Starbucks only to realize that hey, it was Swingin' at Starbucks with Lord Sledge. Didn't stay long cause I didn't recognize everyone but it was cool to see the dancers in action. Got my Mocha Frappucino as usual and went on my way. Was distracted momentarily by a sale at Payless and stopped in to find a great pair of $12 sandals. Gotta love that store.

Returned to a fantastic dinner at Merideth's, whipped up by her and sister Jen. So good -- made me feel much better as we prepared to head out to the Intrepid for another great evening of swing. Wore my new dress, too. Walking up to the Intrepid, docked just off of West 46th, and hearing the faint sounds of Bill Elliott, made us all giddy. Here we were, ready to walk back in time for a night! Getting up to the flight deck we were overcome with the sight of soldiers everywhere: army, navy, sailors decked out in their round hats, officers in full dress...Girls had carefully hairnetted 'dos, beautiful dresses and bright red lipstick. BESO and George Gee and His Make-Believe Ballroom Orchestra were set up side by side and ready to wow us all with their musicality and showmanship.

I quickly found Lenny, Kit Kat, Kate and yes, Betty! I finally met Betty! Lots of photos were taken and I was quick to grab a drink and a slush puppy to sooth my aching throat. I almost had as much fun just watching the goings-on as I did dancing, but I have to say I got in several memorable dances, including ones with Gary, Fred, Steve and the dashing Dean, whose military uniform was crisp and cool, and whose dancing was even more impressive (hey, you gotta respect a guy who will dance to tempos most Lindy Hoppers shy away from).

The evening was truly one to remember: against the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline on a clear night, seeing hundreds of people out paying tribute to a unique era in American history which brought us such great music and dancing. BESO and GG brought the house down and filled the night with toe-tapping tunes and big band gusto. As the evening drew to a close, we were treated to a dance-off between Eric and Sylvia and Janice and Paolo, whose technique and style made us clap for more. Then musicians from each of the bands gave duelling solos which showcased their extraordinary talent, to be followed by the final showdown: a stirring rendition of "Flying Home" that had everyone on the deck dancing, with the exception of a few of us who just wanted to sit back and let the moment all sink in.

The finale met with a great ovation and then, suddenly, it was all over. Almost too suddenly. Everyone lingered on deck for the next half-an-hour, taking their last photos and saying goodbyes. I congratulated Bill and George on their amazing performances and promised everyone I would be back again in October (if not before), and encouraged people to come up to Montreal and check out the scene here. Leaving the Intrepid, I got a sense that I wouldn't ever be at such a special event again, and that boy, was I happy to have been able to take part. Congrats to Janice Wilson on a super job and for providing us with so many great memories. Wow...what a weekend!

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