When dancers from around the Midwest descend upon Madison this weekend, it will only go to prove one thing: swing is alive and well at the University of Wisconsin.
Student-run Jumptown plays host to the Minnigrant Invasion this weekend, the third in their highly successful Invasion events. The event is two days of swing dancing bliss, with free dances Friday and Saturday night and workshops during the day.
For each Invasion, Jumptown brings in instructors from around the country to teach their own style of swing dancing. Past Invasions include the Ithaca Invasion, with instructors from Ithaca, New York, and Invasion Orange, with instructors from Orange, Calif. This weekend’s Minnigrant Invasion features six instructors, including three who have recently immigrated to Minneapolis, Minn., and one from Denver, Colo.
It might be surprising for some to hear that swing dancing is still popular enough to support events like this. After all, didn’t the swing thing die in 1999?
“Not at all,” says Jumptown president Leah Hart. “We’ve been growing every year since we started, and the Invasions draw people from as far as Los Angeles. We have quite a reputation for great events. They’re always inexpensive and incredibly fun.”
Maybe it’s the University of Wisconsin-ness that appeals so much to out-of-towners. During a recent night at J.T. Whitney’s on the near-west side, Jumptown’s weekly Wednesday night venue, the DJ refused to continue playing music until everyone dancing drank the shots he had just lined up across the bar. In another instance, dancers climbed up on top of each other’s shoulders to dance what they affectionately called “Chicken Lindy Hop.” Stories of blindfolded contests, jam circles and performances by White Chocolate, Jumptown’s performance team, quickly spout from dancers’ lips. This weekend’s Invasion includes a bar crawl and after hours.
“It can get a little crazy at times,” Hart explains. “It’s a very social and very athletic dance. We’re not afraid to just let go and have fun. That’s the best part about Lindy Hop and swing dancing in general. It can be fast and furious, it can be slow and sexy, but it’s always fun, it’s always laid back.”
Jumptown alum Jake Lundwall agreed.
“It’s like ballroom, without the broomstick.”
Whatever it is, it’s popular. Jumptown boasts membership of more than 1,200 people.
“That may be a little skewed, though,” Hart admits. “We don’t charge for membership. Just sign up on the mailing list and attend classes or dances and you’re a member.”
But with J.T. Whitney’s packed with dancers just about every Wednesday, successful monthly dances at Union South and classes that have been well-attended since the beginning, it’s hard to imagine the numbers being too inaccurate.
While there is no one thing that explains Jumptown’s success, the concentration of talent found in Madison has to be part of it. Jumptown’s founders and instructors are nationally recognized champion dancers. The talent the group has brought in to teach in Madison would turn the heads of any swing dancer the country. The Ithaca Invasion in spring 2003 brought four of the most dynamic and innovative dancers in the country, while the Invasion Orange that fall invited Jenn Salvadori and Justin Zillman, whose 2001 American Lindy Hop Championship performance was a pivotal point in modern Lindy Hop development.
“Dancers benefit from seeing good dancing,” Hart explains. “We have a lot of tremendously good dancers, tremendously talented people around. Seeing good dancing will make you a better dancer. But even better, we all joke around, challenge each other and have a nice back-and-forth going that keeps the atmosphere friendly. That helps a lot, too.”
Whether it’s the talent level, the laid back feel or just the innate pleasure of social dancing, Jumptown has found the right mix. With this weekend’s Minnigrant Invasion, they look to continue pushing the boundaries, having fun and influence swing dancing at both a regional and national level.
Jumptown’s Minnigrant Invasion features dances at Guild Hall, Grace Church on Friday night and at Union South on Saturday night. Both dances are free and open to the public. More information can be found at www.uwswing.com/invasion.
