From Mama Trang:
With dance classes recommencing this week, it’s a good time to reflect on my recent attendance at the Adelaide Lindy Exchange (ALX) – a first-time Lindy Hop dance event with 3 nights of social dancing to live bands, including 1 dedicated Blues night (for full weekend pass holders, or those like me who were lucky enough to get off the waitlist) – as a way of viewing the year ahead with a fresh lens.
This was the first interstate Lindy Hop dance exchange I’d attended since the global pandemic broke out, and the first thing I noticed upon my arrival was the number of familiar faces from all the previous dance exchanges I had attended over recent years. For me, the biggest highlight was simply seeing (and catching up with) swing dancers from Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Perth, and (of course) Adelaide – all coming together to share in this dance that we love.
It goes without saying that, aside from having the opportunity to dance in different venues and to different live bands (in slightly different ways), attending a dance exchange like this is a great way to meet and connect with swing dancers from all over Australia, to cement (or test) your social dancing skills, and to gain valuable experience dancing with a diverse group of people of varying abilities who have been shaped by different ideas. Plus, it’s just a whole lot of fun! Who knows what kind of welcoming and friendly faces you’ll meet, and if you’re lucky, what kind of life-long friendships you’ll make too. So, if you’ve been dancing for a while and need something to help inspire or challenge your dancing, then attending an interstate (or even an international) dance exchange may be just the boost you need. It’s definitely worth the travel.
Thanks again to the organisers (Swing That Thing), venues, musicians, volunteers, attendees, and my Brisbane crew for making this such a lovely event – it was a great way to start off the swing dancing year! Incidentally, this was also my first trip to Adelaide, so a special thank you must go out to my Adelaide dance family for inviting me into your spaces, for hanging out with me and showing me around, for your advice on places to go and things to see/do, and for simply being as you are - I appreciate you all so much, and will gladly return the favour if you’re ever in Brisbane. Thanks for all the dances, and here's hoping we see you all again at another dance event soon.
And on that note, with dance events starting to pop up all over Australia (and New Zealand) again, any time is a good time to gather your friends, inspect your calendars, and start planning your next dance adventure.
Remember to stay safe, look after each other, and happy dancing!
~ Mama Trang
