The 1980 Listening Post - The Blue Cats - The Blue Cats

 The Blue Cats - The Blue Cats

1980 Housekeeping

The Blue Cats

The Blue Cats

Genre: Rockabilly

4.25 out of 5

Did I ever mention that I used to be a Swing Dancer? 

It was in 1997 and I was sitting, alone, in a shitty apartment in the valley, smoking and reading The LA Weekly. 

In the back was an ad for “Swing Dance Lessons at The Derby!” 

I was the kind of person who would prefer to say no to putting myself in positions that would make me uncomfortable or looking foolish. Which is weird that I became an actor because I’m generally not the kind of guy who likes to look like a clown. (Incidentally, there is a meme of two clowns walking down a street about to walk into a pie cart. I’m the short clown in that viral meme.)

But that all changed when I saw that ad. 

This was at the time of Swingers but before that movie ever came out. 

And, at the time, I was very into linen pleated pants and vests. And Stacey Adams wing tipped shoes. Did it matter that they hurt my feet? Nope. They looked like they stepped out of 1945 and that was the look I wanted to emulate. 

And so, off I went on a Thursday night for Swing Dance classes. 

It was in the back room of the Derby. It was as basic as it comes. Simple East Coast swing steps. And then, practice. Onto the dance floor. 

Eventually I got the gumption to go on a Sunday night and join in with the Sophomores and Juniors. And I would ask women to dance, which was also anathema to me. 

But, the cool thing was that, if you asked nicely, the Juniors and Seniors would demonstrate certain moves. 

I could never learn to “pretzel” much as I tried over and over but I developed two signature moves. Actually, I stole them. 

One is when I stop the girl from moving and spin inside her right arm, holding it over my shoulder so it looks like she is doing the work to spin me. But it really doesn’t. It’s obvious that it’s my move. It’s designed to impress the onlookers and the partner. It works.

The other is my signature dip. It absolutely requires that the partner be able to follow. I’ve met a lot of women who just can’t. For whatever reason, there is a mental block when it comes to following. But, if you dance any kind of partner dance you know that there are rules. Tango. Disco. Swing. If you wanna just dance independent of each other, or mimic each other, that’s fine I guess but that’s not partner dancing. That’s just moving in front of or with each other, imo. 

You gotta follow. 

And for this dip, you really gotta follow. 

I’m gonna switch hands and hold right to right and then I’m going to turn your arm behind your back, like I’m a cop and you’re being arrested. And then I’m going to keep spinning you. 

Your arm is going to be behind your back and then I’ll lay you backwards and hold your head with my left hand. 

It looks amazing. It’s a blow them away move. I’m forever grateful to the guy who taught it to me. I do it all the time. 

That’s about my repertoire. I forgot most of my moves. I don’t dance that often. 

I would have danced to this record. Do I love it as much as say, Zoot Suit Riot by Cherry Poppin’ Daddies? No. But I’m the only person for whom that is his favorite album of the era.

I miss 1998. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb9NBR4q2EI