About SwingIn' the New Year

The idea for SwingIn' the New Year was really conceived about 9 years ago when I spent New Year's Eve at a dance camp (in another state). While the dance camp was great and was fun, I thought that spending New Year's Eve with my friends at home probably would've been more fun (as well as less expensive). I thought that someone in Chicago should really do a swing dance event, but since everyone wants to charge exhorbitant amounts of money for the evening, I could understand why no one was jumping on it.

After a couple of New Year's Eves with “swing bands” that really didn't swing, crowded dance floors, and dodging more than slightly inebriated “dancers”, I thought about it again while I was at the Paris Exchange in 2004 (which started on New Year's Eve 2003). It seemed really nice to be at a nice venue, dancing with my fellow swing dancers on New Year's Eve.

Then, by chance, after the collaboration with the DANK-Haus for the Swing for New Orleans benefit, the DANK-Haus mentioned that they weren't doing anything for NYE, gave us a good deal, and SwingIn' the New Year was born. We wanted to have a dance event that was fun and affordable.

It was a lot of work and I had a 102 temperature, but it seemed like everyone had fun. The following year the event was moved over to Images, and past two years were held at the Galaxie.

So, I hope you can join us at FDM this year. The event will feature some of Chicago's finest musicians with Lesley Byers and the Jazz Cats. If dancing into the New Year is what you're hoping for, I hope you'll join us at SwingIn' the New Year V - 2009!

- Harry