DJ Ryan Swift

I’ll be DJing and MCing a big-time dance contest down in Atlantic City on January 13th!  The music should be really great with both the Boilermakers and Michael Arenella’s Dreamland Orchestra on the bill.  Here’s the press release:

BALLY’S CELEBRATES ATLANTIC CITY’S HISTORIC ROOTS WITH SWING DANCE-OFF ON THURS. JAN. 13
*Live Performances by Michael Arenella and His Dreamland Orchestra
and The Boilermaker Jazz Band *
*$5,000 in Cash Prizes Awarded for Style and Stamina*
*Event Co-Sponsored By International Swing Site Yehoodi.com*

December 27, 2010 (Atlantic City, NJ) — No better time than the New Year to improve your dance moves or simply show them off…high-style jazz and swing moves, that is. Caesars Entertainment Atlantic City will continue its ongoing commemoration of the city’s rich history during the 1920s this winter at Bally’s when they kick off the very first Swing Era Dance-Off, featuring the music and dance styles of the 20s-40s, on Thursday January 13 from 6pm-12am. Co-sponsored by the leading international website for all things swing, Yehoodi.com, The Dance-Off, which will take place at the appropriately swing-inspired Grand Ballroom, will invite couples to participate in this six-hour competition to show off their signature dance moves and stamina to keep the swingin’ going. Couples can register for one of two events: a stamina event, spanning the better part of six hours of straight dancing, and a true-to-form, swing dance skills competition. All dancers participating in the competition will be asked to dress in 1920’s-inspired styles as well. A half-hour special instructional lesson will also be offered from 5:30pm-6:00pm in the Grand Ballroom. The winning couple from each category will earn themselves a handsome reward of $2,500 and a 1920s-inspired weekend at Bally’s, as well as bragging rights! Judges will include Jill Sternheimer of Lincoln Center’s Midsummer Night Swing series, renowned NY swing dancer/instructor Roddy Caravella and Kristine Powell, founder and director of NJ Swing (www.njswing.com).

“Dating back to the 1920’s, Atlantic City has long been known as one of America’s coveted seaside destination, recently brought forth by Judge Nelson’s book and the newly-minted HBO series “BOARDWALK EMPIRE,” said Don Marrandino, Eastern Division President of Caesars Entertainment. “With the addition of the ‘Reflections of AC’ self-guided tour, the ‘Prohibition Era’ pricing at our food and beverage outlets and the ‘Swing Era Dance-Off’ at Bally’s, Atlantic City continues to evolve as a sought-after resort destination and leader of diverse entertainment offerings.”

The hot sounds of the jazz age will come alive for dancers with sizzling live performances by two of the swing scene’s leading orchestras: The Boilermaker Jazz Band, the Pittsburgh-based 7-piece group who have been wowing fans since bandleader Paul Consentino formed the band at Carnegie Mellon University in 1988, and NYC’s popular Michael Arenella and His Dreamland Orchestra, whose authentic 1920’s sounds and styles draw thousands to their events each year. The evening will be hosted by acclaimed swing DJ Ryan Swift, which hosts the popular FRIM FRAM JAM every Thursday in NYC and is a host on Yehoodi.com, one of the most frequented swing dance community websites online today and named for the Cab Calloway song “Who’s Yehoodi?” and subtitled “The website for the hardcore hep-cat swinger!”

http://www.dreamlandorchestra.com/
http://www.boilermakerjazzband.com/
http://yehoodi.com/

**Event rules and details can be found at www.ballysac.com AFTER December 28, 2010. Dancers interested in pre-registering can send an email starting MON. JAN. 3 to: BallysSwing@harrahs.com