The Military is Coming Out Swinging and Dancing!!
This week, in honor of last week’s Armed Forces Day and this coming Memorial Day Weekend, we’re going to offer up our 7 favorite swing dance clips with guys and gals in uniforms. Swing dancing (music and jazz dancing) saw its heyday in the midst of war time. By the time the US entered WWII, most of America was listening to swing, jazz and big band music, and many young kids and adults were jitterbuggin’ about dancehalls. Swing music and social dancing were forms of entertainment soldiers and military personnel could count on when they had time to cut loose. There were military bands, USO shows and dances for socializing. Even for civilians, the war was everywhere you looked and everyone was doing their part. Young swing dancers joined up. Thankfully many made it home, but I’d like to dedicate these clips to any of those dancers who never made it home…We appreciate every military persons’ service to their country, and we remember those we lost this Memorial Weekend.
7 Amazing Swing Clips Featuring Men & Women in Military Uniform
1. Buck Privates – Classic Dean & Jewel whip around to the Andrew Sisters “Bounce Me Brother with a Solid Four“
2. Swing Fever – It’s the Army vs Navy with Don Gallagher, Lenny Smith and Jean Veloz in, “One Girl & Two Boys“
3. The Gangs All Here – Benny Goodman swings it in this war time Hollywood hit with, “Minnie’s in the Money“
4. The Stage Door Canteen – CA lindy hoppers are featured in this story of the real Stage Door Canteen in NYC
5. Groovie Movie – This lindy hop classic “how to” clip features has our favorite CA leads in uniform
6. Sailors Swing on Deck – Jitterbugin’ on the front lines…sometimes you just got to dance!
7. WWII and Swing Dancing – This clip and picture mash up may come from the Ken Burns Jazz Series
*this clip has some great flashes of African American lindy hoppers (perhaps Whitey’s) in uniform…if anyone knows where that excerpt is from please leave a comment!
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