SFLX '09

Wednesday night I headed down to the South Bay to stay with some lindy hopper friends, Alex and Katie. This area, also known as Silicon Valley, is essentially where computers as we know them started, and where corporate giants such as Google, Yahoo and Microsoft call home. It feels just like you would expect, a lot of office buildings, suburban homes and no night life whatsoever. We did, however, enjoy a great band at the weekly dance venue, the Wednesday Night hop. And, if you refer to the photos, you will see a wildlife conservation area that entertained us for a sunny afternoon.

*warning: the following paragraph may contain opinions relating to lindy hop that do reflect the views of the writer*
The San Francisco Lindy Exchange was unofficially kicked off with the 920 special on Thursday night, featuring Kim Nalley. She is a phenomenal singer and it was a great night, but this is where I discovered what “groove swing” is all about, and how it somewhat defines the San Fran lindy scene. It essentially means that unlike Seattle, which features Savoy style lindy hop, and lots of swinging out, San Fran tends towards a mix, which includes more soulful music and blues. Friday night I found myself in a lindy hop room that was smaller than the blues/jump blues room. It was a little odd, being at a lindy exchange, not a blues exchange, but it was loads of fun and the separation allowed me to meet more people in a smaller setting. The music throughout the weekend balanced out in the end, and don’t tell anyone, but Sunday night I blues danced till 6am and had a great time.

Although it was a very follow heavy exchange, and the level of dancing overall wasn’t quite what I expected, it was a great weekend. Again, the people I met were definitely a highlight, as were the dances we had and the food! I found myself eating real Mexican in the Mission area, Arabic Fusion (just try to imagine spicy, creamy, mango, mushroom and spinach ravioli) and of course all you can eat sushi.
My host was lovely, but since she lived all the way out in Birkeley and had some non dance commitments, I ended up hanging out with other people during down time to avoid the commute. Sunday I hung out with a group of dancers from SLO (San Luis Obispo, Califiornia) who were super welcoming and great fun to be with. Some of my favorite dances were with Hurley, who is always smiling and makes you feel on top of the world. A jam circle formed late Saturday night, where we somehow managed to do a slow motion pancake, only I was the one flipping him!

Again, it was a fun weekend filled with wonderful people in an absolutely gorgeous city.