Local Swing Dancing
Free social swing dancing every third Saturday of the month at Kope Kope Espresso Cafe in the Hilo Shopping Center. The fun starts at 6pm and continues till 9pm. No partner or experience needed, just come have fun. The Hilo Hep Cats provide the music and a mini-lesson. Kope Kope's restaurant is also open so you can get your favorite coffee drink or other beverage, and a good selection of light meals. Bring friends! See the Calendar page for current dates.
Check out www.dancekona.com for information on ballroom, Latin, West Coast Swing, zydeko and other dance forms. They post a calendar, list of entertainers, dance venues, dance clips, and more.
For a calendar of ballroom dancing events on the Big Island, check out www.bigislanddancing.com. Besides ballroom in the Hilo area, the calendar lists West Coast Swing, Tango and other regular instruction and socials.
Lessons and opportunities for social dancing are available from the Hawaii Ballroom Dance Association, Waiakea Chapter. You can also e-mail them at HBDAWaiakea@hotmail.com. HBDA Waiakea offers 10-week lessons in three ballroom styles each quarter, with instruction on Tuesdays from 7-9 p.m. at Auntie Sally’s Luau Hale in Hilo. They also practice one day a week.
The HBDA Hilo Chapter also offers 10-week lessons in three ballroom styles each quarter, generally different styles than the ones offered by the Waiakea Chapter. The Hilo Chapter offers instruction Wednesdays from 7-9 p.m. at Auntie Sally’s Luau Hale in Hilo, and practices on Thursday nights, same times and same place. Contact Violet Oliver for information.
The Orchid Island Ballroom Dance Club meets Monday evenings from 7:30 p.m. at the Hawaii Island YWCA in Hilo to practice dancing; they also sponsor monthly socials. They can be contacted at OrchidIsleBallroom@yahoo.com
Odette Rickert and Rachelle Abel teach West Coast Swing classes at EHCC in Hilo every Monday 7-8:30 pm, and give private lessons. For information, contact Odette@OdetteRickert. com or Rachelle at rkstorm@yahoo.com or check out their website, including videos of the dance at http://www.OdetteRickert.com/Dance.htm .
For information on ballroom instruction in Waimea and on the Kona side of the island, contact instructor Michelle Suber. Michelle and co-instructor Warren d’Aquin specialize in West Coast Swing and Nightclub Two-Step. For information on West Coast Swing on the Big Island, contact Michelle Suber (see above) or check out the following website: http://www.wcs-dancer.com/DancingBigIslandWCS.html
For more information on ballroom dance on the Big Island, monthly international ballroom lessons, Oahu ballroom dance venues, and other topics, check out Norman Yee's website, http://niteowlito.googlepages.com/Home.
Isla Ritmo Dance Co. hosts salsa nights at the MIXX BISTRO every Thursday night featuring DJ Tiger, with a complimentary class from 8:30-9:00. Music is from 9:00-12:30. There is no cover, but you must be 21 to enter.
To get Gordon Motta's 'Salsa Speed' emails, with information on Latin classes and social dancing opportunities, contact Gordon at mottarts@hialoha.net.
Angel Prince is teaching salsa in Waimea on Monday nights. Beginners classes are 5:30-6:30 p.m., and intermediate/advanced classes are 6:30-7:30 p.m. After classes, join the party at Daniel Thiebaut Restaurant at 8:30! No partner is needed for these ongoing classes, held at Uilani Plaza (between the Shell station and HPM.) The cost is $48 per class for a month, or $15-$17 per class for drop-ins. Angel Prince has been dancing for 25 years, and teaching for over 15 years. Trained in New York, she holds a B.A. in dance. Her advanced salsa dancers frequently perform across the island. Contact Angel at amprince2000@yahoo.com
Among the live bands that love to play for swing and ballroom parties is Jazz Mele iamion@cuhawaii.net. Book them for your next event! The Hilo Hep Cats often book Jazz Mele for our dance parties.
Many ballroom dancers like to gather at the Hilo Hawaiian Hotel on Friday evenings to dance to live music in the bar. Note: the floor is quite small!
The Olliephonic Horns, Hawaii's "Little Big Band," will be playing weekly at the Blue Dragon. Check out their website, www.olliephonics.com.
The Good Times Jazz Band is a New Orleans style jazz band that specializes in hot jazz, swing, and blues. Also included are popular favorites for ballroom and swing dancing. A perfect band for parties, wedding receptions, and celebrations. Contact Rex at 883-0159.
The Kona Dance Band is a 5-piece combo that performs a variety of ballroom and social dance music - Swing, Fox Trot, Waltz, Rumba, Cha-Cha, Tango, Nightclub Two-Step, Salsa, Mambo, Merengue, Samba, Hora and Polka. They play many of the timeless melodies that will never go out of style, and which are delightful for both dancing and listening. You will enjoy their beautiful acoustic blend of melodies and rhythms. Please contact Sue Garrod at (808) 329-1705, or susangarrod@yahoo.com.
International Folk Dance Group
Join the Maui lindyhoppers at their Socials and Events in North Kihei. Visit www.swingmaui.org for more information.
Swing Dancing on Oahu! For the swinging action in Honolulu: The Hawaii Jitterbugs teach classes, perform, and provide social dancing opportunities, as well as sponsoring workshops and special events. Their website has cool links to other sites and Lindy dancers on the mainland and internationally. There’s also an online forum for Lindy action on Oahu. You can get info on upcoming workshops and events and post or respond to messages from around the world.
You must understand the whole of life, not just one little part of it. That is why you must read, that is why you must look at the skies, that is why you must sing, and dance, and write poems, and suffer, and understand, for all that is life.
--Krishnamurti