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Bunny M." is a sixteen year old Dallas resident who plays drums, piano and clarinet.  Her passion for jazz and the challenges she faces as a youthful fan of it is the focus of her Jerry Jazz Musician column, "Accent on Youth." Listen to Dinah Washington sing Accent On Youth ___________________________ Accent on Youth by Bunny M. Swing is Back in Style ______________________________      To most young people, the words "swing dancing" probably bring to mind thoughts of their grandparents' generation. However, if they were to look up local swing dance events in their area, they will probably find many geared toward the young adult and "all ages" crowd. Attending such an event, they might be surprised to find that swing is no longer just the territory of old folks, history buffs, or squares; indeed, at the swing dance I attended a few weeks ago, the majority group was that of young adults from all walks of life, and a number of teens as well. Is it the fast, freewheeling motion, catchy rhythm, or the fun, (for the most part) up-tempo music that attracts these modern-day youth?          Perhaps the prime reason for its youthful appeal is the same when it first appealed to the original hepcats of the thirties: swing music and dancing presented to the days' youth a giant step away from the traditions of their parents. If any one trait is common among all generations of teens -- especially of the last century -- it is the desire to get as far away as possible from the tastes and attitudes of the previous generation. Some would argue this teenage defiance of things associated with their parents is as present in today's youth as ever. Coming out of the last few decades of heavily rock and pop-influenced music, could this be one explanation for the revival of swing -- especially among young people -- of the last few years?       That's right -- swing is back in style. Michael Feinstein sang it in the song of the same title, and indeed this is what is happening in the recent years of entertainment. Film is paying factual and fictional tributes to the past (Down with Love, Seabiscuit, Chicago); fifties cocktail culture is riding strong again, and musical artists such as the Cherry Poppin' Daddies, Brian Setzer, and Harry Connick are bringing back the sounds of swing, often with a modern twist. And in the midst of all this, a growing number of nightclubs, parties, and other social events are playing host to regular swing dance events, often accompanied by a live band or DJ.      A night out swing dancing can be a refreshing change of pace from today's music and dancing, even for a young person who does not normally listen to swing. While most young people might balk at the idea of listening to swing, my experience is virtually always the same: once a listener begins to listen to it, he quickly takes to the rhythm, which is different from that found in most music today. The same holds true with dancing swing: the steps are ridiculously simple to learn. For example, I had never seriously danced before the event, but found myself swing dancing after only one basic hour lesson prior to the dance. The real fun begins when you take to the dance floor with a partner and start setting it in motion. As I learned, swing dancing is all about momentum, and once this momentum is attained, the dance takes on its fun carefree feeling, and -- if you dare -- the music may just take hold of you to "bust a move"! Cherry Poppin Daddies Zoot Suit Riot * Brian Setzer Mack the Knife          Aside from the obvious visual and physical excitement of swing dancing, the most enjoyable aspect of my dancing initiation was the chance to "time travel" with other young people to the music and sounds of days long gone by. The Sons of Hermann Hall in Dallas -- where the dancing takes place on Wednesdays -- was built in 1914.  The dance floor is the building's original hardwood floor, which adds to the thrill of the experience. Standing silently in the dance hall alone before the event began, my imagination easily ran rampant, almost feeling the energy the room had contained over the years -- seasoned flappers with their bobbed haircuts, jitterbuggers on their first night out, a big band rockin' the house onstage.      The crowd was an inviting, friendly group of dancers at all levels of expertise, and the atmosphere was comfortable and relaxed, with beginners working together to learn new steps, and more advanced dancers who were always gracious and willing to dance with a novice. Stepping out onto the floor for the first dance, the spirit of swing instantly overtook me.  From the first beat, it is impossible to not have fun with this music. The beaming smiles of the other dancers were seen around the room during the entire dance. Swing is a most infectious virus -- once you get started it's not hard to dance for hours on end, as I soon found out!  A bit weary and sore (as three hours straight of dancing will do), I was nonetheless sorry to see the lights come on and the experience draw to a close. The entire evening seemed truly out of a dream, where the past lived on in the microcosm of this historic old hall. Opening the door to leave was to wake up and find myself back in the present. Michael Feinstein  Swing is Back in Style      Swing dancing is an activity I would highly encourage more young people to explore. It is fun, fast-paced, and different (which should appeal to young people), as well as safe, friendly, and suitable for all ages (which should appeal to parents). Attending a swing dance event could prove to be the turning point of a young hepcat's life! Imagine the splash you could make at a party when you crank out the Big Bad Voodoo Daddies and, as everyone sits out, grab the hand of the first girl or guy you see (nothing wrong with a girl asking a guy to swing!), and take them on a swingin' adventure they won't soon forget! Michael Feinstein summed it up perfectly when he sang the battle hymn of old souls like me, "Swing is Back in Style":  "I don't want to knock the music called rock/ but it's been around for a while/ and life, like a ring, it's a circular thing/ now swing is back in style.  To heck with new age, let's turn back the page/ to music that makes me smile/ I kinda like Sting, but Sting's had his fling/ it's time to bring back Basie and Bing.  So swing it Jack, 'cause swing is back/ Yeah, swing is back in style".       Peace is the word, Bunny * "Bunny M." is a sixteen year old Dallas resident who plays drums, piano and clarinet.  Her passion for jazz and the challenges she faces as a youthful fan of it is the focus of her Jerry Jazz Musician column, "Accent on Youth." You can contact Bunny at: lotusflower1922@hotmail.com * Accent on Youth archive

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