The Dance Primer

Meet Kevin Wong, a swing dancer currently located in Portland, Oregon (although he’s hoping to leave and explore the world soon). I’ve always enjoyed Kevin’s unique style and fantastic footwork. We’ll feature parts of his interview throughout the week.

Kevin had some great things to say about dancing, and I especially love his respect for the music. Today, however, we’re going to touch on the “lighter” stuff so you get to know him a little bit. Are you ready? Read on:

Amberlynn: How did you get started dancing?
Kevin: I started in ‘99 or 2000, I don’t remember the exact year. That was during the swing explosion, and I actually got into it ’cause I really really enjoyed the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies. I mean, I was a huge fan of them, and so I went to one of their concerts. I remember dancing what I thought was really awesome. Really awesome swing stuff the whole night. I was probably just jumping around and kicking - wildly, and by myself too. That was my first like, swing band experience.

Kinda soon after that, I was in college at the time, a bunch of people from Memories (which was a big Lindy Hop club in California) came out to my college and they were dancing there. I saw them once and I was blown away. Like, OMG I HAVE to learn how to do this. This is the awesomest thing ever! It also helped that there was a swing dance club at my school. I mean, that definitely helped. But that’s how I got started really. That’s when the passion ignited. But I’d always been really kinda into the music.

A: What are your immediate dance goals?
K: I guess I’d like to be better at solo Charleston. Well, not really Charleston per se, but I guess vernacular jazz dancing.

A: Ok, what about your brag list?
K: You know, I’ve only competed like once, maybe twice. To me, competitions aren’t why I dance. I dance for enjoyment. And the music! And I really want to be a good social dancer. Which, often times, competitions aren’t necessarily about. Plus, I find them really stressful. So I don’t want to brag about… Well, I think you should ask other people…

A: For their brag list?
K: No, not for their brag list. I mean, I would be more impressed to hear other people say that I’m a good dancer than saying stuff about myself. Like, Oh I’m amazing, or whatever.

A: What’s your favorite style of dance? Lindy hop?
K: You know, it’s hard to say what my favorite “style” is, ’cause, I think anyone who’s ever captured the soul of the music and moves themselves in a natural way… you’ll see that with some of the California dancers, I mean the old dancers, and with Frankie Manning and Al Minns and Leon James. It’s just, they somehow capture the essence. It’s not about copying someone else so much, it’s figuring out how the music moves you and moving yourself in a natural way.

A: Do you have a favorite historical dancer? You know, Old Timer?
K: Al Minns.

A: And a favorite current dancer?
K: You know, I like a bunch of different people for different reasons. I don’t have a favorite.

A: What’s your favorite song to dance to?
K: I don’t have a favorite song, but I really like Duke Ellington. Which is a huge answer because he has such a huge array of songs.

read more tomorrow…

I plan to interview dancers of all styles and levels, so if you know a dancer you’d like me to interview, or would like to be interviewed yourself please send an email or leave a note in the comments. Also, feel free to share your love for Kevin in the comments. Thanks!

*Photo by Dennis Goetz.