Youngsters Getting Into Swing of Things on the Dance Scene : East Coast and jitterbug styles are catching on with teens and then leading them into line dancing.
Calling all Swing Kids. Swing dancing--especially East Coast, jitterbug and the elbow-breaking Aggie--is catching on with teen-agers and leading kids into line dancing, say area country-western dance instructors.
Many kids, like Julie, Jodie and Jarrett Baker of Simi Valley, are even going out dancing with their parents.
On Tuesdays, you’ll find the Baker clan at Simi Valley’s Splash Night Club in the Radisson Hotel, where teens 16 and older can stay until closing. And since Julie, who turns 21 next week, taught 14-year-old Jarrett some moves, the pair have become a familiar sight at country events around the county.
“She told me, ‘If you want to get the girls, you’ve got to learn to dance,’ ” Jarrett said.
Splash is at 999 Enchanted Way. Call 583-2000.
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The Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District has created the Camarillo Canteen, a swing dance for ages 12 and older. It will be held the first Friday of each month. The first dance is this Friday at the Freedom Center, 515 Eubanks St. at the Camarillo Airport. Melinda Comeau teaches at 8 p.m. and deejay Jack Zigray plays music until 11:30 p.m. There’s no smoking or alcohol and admission is $5. For more information, call 482-1996 or 482-0978.
To introduce children 10-16 to swing dancing, Comeau will offer a four-week course, beginning Tuesday, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Camarillo Community Center, 1605 E. Burnley St. The fee is $26.50 or $21 for Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District residents. To register, call 482-1996.
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Beginning Monday, Comeau will offer several four-week jitterbug, Lindy hop and West Coast swing courses in Camarillo and Ventura. For details, call 643-3114.
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The Borderline in Thousand Oaks has expanded its dance floor and tucked that imposing deejay booth in a corner. You can learn this month’s featured couple’s dance, Drifter, at 6 p.m. Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and also July 14, 18, 22, 27. And on Wednesday, country artist Philip Norris, of “My Old Dog Blue” fame, will appear in concert at no extra charge. It all happens at 99 Rolling Oaks Drive. For details, call 446-4435.
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That popular singing Santa Ynez cowboy, Art Green, is back from Nashville and returns to the Galleon Room on alternate weekends starting tonight. He’ll also play Friday, Saturday and July 13. Free Thursday dance lessons also resume tonight at the couples-dance oriented club. There’s no cover charge. The Galleon Room is inside the Orchid Bowl at 5925 Calle Real in Goleta. Call 967-0128.
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Cactus County will provide the music and Kathy Bailey the lessons for a monthly smoke-and-alcohol-free family dance at the Borchard Community Center, 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday. All ages are welcome. This center is located at 190 Reino Road in Newbury Park. Admission is $5. For information, call 498- 3124.
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Joe Hunsinger, past president of the California Old-Time Fiddlers and fiddler with Cletus Bumpus & the Other Guys, will offer a free workshop on the elements of bluegrass fiddling and bowing from 2:45 to 3:15 p.m. Sunday and Aug. 13 to help beginning fiddlers adapt from classical violin style. Stick around for the jam session at the club’s bimonthly meeting at Oak View Community Center, 18 Valley Road in Oak View. Call, 378-1495.
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Dance Courses: Starting tonight Jay Byam and Lori McGee will offer six-week classes in country-western line dancing at 6:30 p.m and partner dancing, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., at Moorpark Community Center Citrus Room, 799 Moorpark Ave. The cost is $35 per person or $45 per couple plus a $5 lab fee. Advance registration is required. Call 529-6864 extension 231.
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Starting Monday, from 6 to 7 p.m., Kathy Bailey will teach eight weeks of West Coast swing, California’s official state dance, at Learning Tree University, 1408 Thousand Oaks Blvd. in Thousand Oaks. Cost is $69 per person. To enroll, call 497-2292.
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The city of Ventura’s Music Under the Stars concert series continues Saturday with the KHAY Country Band playing at Olivas Adobe, 4200 Olivas Park Drive in Ventura. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for children. Call 658-4726.
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