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Giving a home to many a swing dance enthusiast in Columbia County, Swing Night At Helsinki is a local community collaboration of musicians, dancers and dance enthusiasts. It is open to the public.
The evening starts with a lesson for all levels of dancers, no partner necessary, followed by musicians playing classic swing tunes.
A little about some of the players:
The Everyman: Jazz, tango and classical violinist Jonathan Talbot, founder of the Music Coalition of Columbia County, the music director of Walking the Dog Theater, and member of local Ska outfit Mother Fletcher.
The Bassist: Sauerkraut Seth Travins. Seth tours with the Wiyos and is the leader of the Blue Ribbon Boys, a dance band who played four New Years Eve's in a row at Club Helsinki. His other musical projects include the Minivans, Chops and Sauerkraut, and the Russet Trio. When not playing music Seth makes a line of organic fresh sauerkrauts at Hawthorne Valley Farm in Harlemville, NY.
The Guitarist: Jon Suters is a Berkshire legend. He grew up in a musical family and began studying the violin and piano at age 9. Jon's studied privately with the greats: Ed Flower, Richard Provost and Ben Verdery.
An in-demand bass player, he recently worked with Charles Neville (The Neville Brothers), Ed Mann (Frank Zappa), Eugene Friesen (the Paul Winter Consort) and Paul Halley (Paul Winter Consort). He has appeared on numerous albums, played
on Broadway and off Broadway musicals and toured the U.S. and Germany.
The Drummer: Rick Leab, who has played with Dooley Austin, the Minivans, Bobby Sweet, Todd Mack and Sky Smeed.
The Instructor: Paul Rix has been swing dancing since 2003. He began dancing in Phoenix, then relocated to San Diego where he danced with Radioland Rugcutters Dance Troupe. Recently moved to the Berkshires, Paul is dedicated to establishing a thriving Swing Dance Community. He teaches private lessons, small groups, progressive workshops, and weekend intensives in East Coast, Lindy Hop, Charleston and Balboa.
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