He’s called Fabrizio and he has a hot military tie tuck

She’s from Florence and she ties a mean headscarf…

We were dancing in some pretty wierd costumes at the Secret Garden Party but nothing as strange as this 1942 Soundie….Jewel McGowan and Dean Collins swinging out in wierd white wigs to a nonsense song by the Kingsmen. You got to love it.

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Now I love Youtube, but if you’ve ever fancied owning some classic swing clips the Ithaca Swing Dance have three on their site for download. Grab  yourself Hellzapoppin’, After Seben and Killer Diller all for free. Visit the Ithaca Swing Dance site here.

I spend more time than I’d like to admit on The Satorialist. Maybe it’s too many years as a secret Sex and the City watcher, maybe it’s just the amazing photos, who knows. But as the sunshine dwindles here in London I stumled accross photos from the Jazz-Age Dance Party in New York. If only all picnics were this stylish…

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I remember watching this clip of the The Nicholas Brothers as a child and I can’t say I  have EVER got bored of it. Enjoy

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If you haven’t seen this footage, I recommend you watch it! It’s the team form Swing Patrol London compteing on the Dance Off stage at this years Secret Garden Party. Swing Dancing in a boxing ring…yes, you heard me.

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It’s fair to say that the Andrew’s Sisters can do no wrong in my eyes, which is probably why this clip from the 1941 movie Buck Privates is one of my favourites. The Andrews Sisters perform four songs in this film: You’re a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,  [I'll Be With You When It's] Apple Blossom Time and this one – Bounce Me Brother with a Solid Four. The Lindy hop sequence features Dean Collins, Jewel McGowan, Ray Hirsch and Patty Lacey – which is amazing in itself…but not as amazing as the super daggy Shim Sham by the Andrew Sisters in the middle, I just love those flippy legs and the wierd sideways shuffles! My Shim Sham suddenly feels less comic…. next Swing Pit anyone? See you in the middle