Portland Swing Dance Club

Hi Everyone,

Bridgetown Swing is moving along rapidly… check out the BTS website for updates. My next focus is going to be advertising, promotion and public relations, so I want to talk with you about the Portland Dance Festival (PDF). That’s right, the Portland Dance Festival held at the Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel on July 11, 12, and 13.

The swing room is a historical joint venture between PDF and PSDC. Portland’s country and swing communities collaborated on the idea for a swing room because many of us have our roots in country western dancing. Subsequently, both communities benefit from this effort. This will be the best opportunity all year to promote our club and west coast swing for an entire crowd of people who already like to dance but are not yet club members. At PDF several hundred people will be moving through the swing room all weekend long. I plan to be there on Friday and Saturday night to promote our club and Bridgetown Swing. Since the theme for this year’s swing room is “under construction”, I’m going to jump into my Carhartts, strap on a tool belt and who knows what else. I see a real possibility that we could have another legendary swing party at PDF.

When I think back on past swing room themes like “jungle boogie” and “biker party”, there is no doubt in my mind that those were our best promotional and public relation efforts. The enthusiasm and energy that club members put into decorations and promotions paid off for several years afterwards. The pay off was an increase in membership and a steady rise in the attendance at BTS. It is in our best interest as club members to help energize the swing room in every way possible, and to create another memorable theme.

The other aspect of PDF that is important to us as swing dancers is Sunday. It’s almost entirely a swing contest. Let’s flood the competitions with as many swing dancers as possible. In fact I plan to toss myself, happily, into that pool as well. How about you? The way I see it, the swing room and Sunday’s contests are a dress rehearsal for Bridgetown Swing. Let’s work together on this party at PDF and lay a solid foundation for BTS.

Thanks to everyone who’s helping on BTS. It really is a team effort.

Greg Krolicki
Bridgetown Swing Chairperson