The University of Idaho Argonaut

Swing dance and ballet come together on stage

Cindy Barnhart, executive director of the Festival Dance and Performing Arts Association, said there’s a new phenomenon going on in the world of performing arts. Show like “The Swing Kings” are bringing people in the dance and arts community to come to shows in unconventional way.

“I went to an arts conference in Tacoma back in September of last year and I saw these recurring crossover shows,” Barnhart said. “One half would feature traditional ballet that would keep the traditionalists happy, and the other half of the show would feature something new that would keep new attendees happy.”

Sunday, Festival Dance is bringing a crossover event to the Palouse that features one half ballet, and one half swing dancing.
That event is the Eugene Ballet Company’s performance of “The Swing Kings,” taking place at 3 p.m. in the Beasley Coliseum at WSU.

“The nice thing about this particular performance is that it’s joyous, infectious and enthusiastic. If you go you will have a good time, and you’ll definitely see something you haven’t seen before. You’ll leave with a smile, which is especially nice during this time of year when the weather is cold and snowy,” said Riley Grannan, managing director of the Eugene Ballet Company.

“The Swing Kings” has actually been around for the past three years, and has been performed in four different states.

Grannan said the event has had a great touring life, and that’s mainly because it’s enjoyable for all ages and people can relate to the energy the dancers bring to the stage.
“For me, the best part is the dance of the swing era. It’s not like ballet where technique and focus are very important. There are lots of wild movements and these dancers do a good job of capturing the era,” Grannan said.

Rob Bean from the Eugene Ballet Company said that “The Swing Kings” was first created when their Artistic Director, Toni Pimble, took her love for swing music and decided to meld it with ballet

“The show is based on swing music and swing dancing, but at the same time features the classic ballet that people love,” Bean said.

Grannan agrees that Pimble had an interesting idea when she created “The Swing Kings” and that she did a good job of creating a theatrical way of introducing people to big band.
“We come from a place (Eugene) where big band is pretty popular and swing dancing is a lot of our social dance traditions,” Grannan said.

“The Swing Kings” features 21 dancers dancing classical ballet, which Barnhart says is spectacular on its own, and then swing dancing to big band music.
“It’s so much fun and such a great experience. First you have this gorgeous ballet, and then this swing dancing, complete with roller skates and poodle skirts. It’s unlike anything else, not to mention this is a professional ballet company with extremely talented dancers,” Barnhart said.

Barnhart said she is most looking forward to the audience’s reactions.
“I want to see the older audience members as they reminisce about their memories. A lot of the older subscribers grew up during or around this time, so it should be a lot of fun for them,” Barnhart said.

She is also excited for the Festival Dance students who will attend, because when the students see a real performance from professionals it really cements their interest in dance.
“When they see dances performed by the pros, they really appreciate it more,” she said. “It makes them feel credible, and like they’re part of something big. I remember when the Eugene Ballet came two years ago and performed ‘Cinderella’ we had to do a Cinderella-themed recital because of it. It’s a really valuable experience for these students.”