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Two years of Step into Swing at Hua Lamphong Railway Station drew hundreds of dancers under the old station's arches, and Jelly Roll Jazz Club has decided it's time for a bigger room. This August the club transforms Lumphini Hall into a classic swing ballroom, with live jazz from international artists and a proper swing-era atmosphere. 'Swing Partout: Lumpini Grand Ball' takes place on August 23, starting from 4pm.
It's free, it's open to everyone and it opens with a beginner class run by actual instructors, so nobody has to stand by the wall pretending to check their phone. Wear something with a bit of swish, flat shoes you can actually move in, and turn up early.
The music does a lot of the heavy lifting. Yusu Jazz Band flies the Thai flag before a genuinely international line-up takes over: Clap Stomp Swingin' from Japan, Eyal Vilner from the States, The Brothers Arntzen out of Canada and Steven Coombe representing the UK. The Swing Era Cadet closes the night. That's a serious amount of talent for a room that costs nothing to enter.
The centrepiece is the Lumpini Grand Ball, a competition modelled on the Harvest Moon Ball, the contest that crowned America's finest swing dancers between 1935 and 1970. This year marks the ninetieth anniversary of that original, and the professionals turn up to honour it with lifts, spins and footwork worth watching even if you never leave your seat.
Here's how the afternoon runs:
- 3.45pm: Doors open, DJ spinning swing records
- 4pm: Beginner class, no experience or partner needed
- 4.15pm: Live music from Yusu Jazz Band and guests from Japan, the US and the UK
- 5pm: Dance performances and the Lumpini Grand Ball competition
- 6.15pm: The Swing Era Cadet
- 7pm: Curtains
One catch. Entry works on a first come, first served basis, and once the hall fills up that's that. Don't dawdle.
Swing Partout takes place on August 23 at Lumphini Hall, 4pm-7pm. Register here.