So how was Orlando’s exchange any different from all of the rest? Well for starters the price began at $40 was capped at $55 making it one of the cheapest events that I’ve been to thus far. How did they do it? They put the focus on djs instead of bands. I for one am a big proponent of this. Djs offer a wider variety than even the best band can. Also, I don’t know a single dj who isn’t a dancer; even if I don’t like a djs style I know that they’re playing for dancers too.
Freedom
Included in this event were two free dances. While out-of-towners probably didn’t see a direct benefit from this, it is a direct service to the community. Anyone who didn’t have enough time or money to pay for the entire weekend, ie poor college kids or someone with a weird work schedule, had a chance to make it out and join the party. Both free dances were held at beautiful locations. The free dance on Saturday was held at Lago and included an uphill shim sham-off. The dance on Sunday was at an outdoor amphitheater on Lake Eola.
Lake Eola didn’t have a hill or an uphill shim sham-off but it did have a farmer’s market where you can get some fresh squeezed lemonade.
Main Dance
The Saturday night dance featured DJ Natch and DJ Amy in between the sets of Terry Myers and the Swingsations. I mostly enjoyed the band with the exception of a few songs they played that were long and fast. I don’t have a lot of good things to say about most bands so I will just say that their music was danceable and I enjoyed myself. Around 10′oclock SHOUTSwing performed two quick routines to Apple Bottom Jeans by FloRida and Do Your Thing by The Basement Jaxx. In the video are: Ember, Hurley, Sheila and Austin. The first was a slow lindy and the second one was a rework of the original “Big Apple” dance.
Late Nights
Pretty much every self respecting exchange has some sort of late night food service. ORLX brought Gourmet pizza the first night and tiny quiches the second. Both nights they had plenty of sandwich making materials and enough gatorade to hydrate a few hundred people. Apart from food on Saturday ORLX boasted a sing room, a blues room, and a contemporary room.
A friend of mine once told me that when he goes to big events he often wonders where it is that his money goes. At the orlando exchange every dime you spend comes back to you somehow.
Swing and Lindy- An excellent way to get great excercise, listen to fantastic old and new music, meet cool folks and ususally not have to come up with much $$ to do it.
As an avid swing dance and lindy hop enthusiast, I can’t help but say- it is excellent. A fantastic way to get really good excercise, listen to excellent old and new music, meet cool folks and ususally not have to come up with much $$ to do it.