club dance – The History of St. Louis Imperial Swing Dancing

Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 12:47 pm

There are a total of eight swing dance clubs located in and around the St. Louis area (including M.U.S.I.C. in Collinsville, Illinois) that are members of the Midwest Swing Dance Federation, and all of these clubs are descended from the St. Louis Imperial Dance Club that was founded in 1973. The largest of these sister clubs, the West County Swing Dance Club, has the distinction of being one of the largest swing clubs in the United States with an active membership that totals more than a thousand dancers.

Imperial Swing got its name from the Club Imperial located at Goodfellow Boulevard and West Florissant Avenue. The building, originally called Imperial Hall, was built in 1928 as a dance hall, bowling alley and restaurant/bar complex. In the 1930s and 1940s, it was the dance spot of Northwest St. Louis, just as Arcadia (later called Tune Town), the Admiral Showboat in Midtown, and the Casa Loma on the Southside, were the most popular dance halls in their respective areas. In 1952, George Edick Enterprises purchased Imperial Hall and George Edick renamed it the Club Imperial. During the early part of that decade, he operated the club as a ballroom with the theme of "a nice place for nice people." He played "big band" music and catered primarily to private parties. He was able to regularly book guest appearances with popular performers like Stan Kenton and Louis Prima because Robert Hyland, of CBS and KMOX radio, broadcast his weekly "Coast To Coast with Bob Hyland" program from the Imperial Ballroom.

During the late 1950s and early 1960s, Edick realized that the country's taste in music had shifted to "Rock 'n Roll" and he used his advertising-public relations firm, to aggressively promote the Club Imperial on KWK, KXOK, WIL and WGNU. The Joe Bozzi Quintet, Jimmie (Night Train) Forrest, Chuck Berry, Dolly Parton, the Monkeys, Glen Campbell, Ike and Tina Turner and a small vocal group now called the "Fifth Dimension" are among the many artists who began their careers at his club. He promoted a "Jitterbug" contest where a couple from the Club Imperial (Teddy Cole and Kathy Burke) won the National Jitterbug Championship. During the "Rock 'n Roll" craze, Edick held Tuesday "Teen Night" dances, and it was during these weekly dances that a jitterbug variation that became known as the "Imperial Style" of St. Louis swing was born. As the 60s progressed, music trends were changing again. The 'roll' started dropping out of "Rock 'n Roll," the 'rock' got harder, and the teenagers increasingly attended loud, psychedelic music concerts. Because the freak-out beats of their acid rock music was almost impossible to dance to, Edick gradually discontinued all public dances at his club.

In the 1970s, George Edick wanted to reintroduce more listenable and danceable music at Club Imperial and he found that hosting swing contests was just the ticket! He got together with Teddy Cole, the Jitterbug champion who was also a dance promoter in his own right, and they decided to sponsor a yearly St. Louis Jitterbug Contest "Imperial Style" to pick a "City Champion." These widely publicized contests prompted many of the older, experienced dancers to come around the club again, and Edick sponsored a number of "Salute Dances" to introduce these old timers to the newer dancers. As more and more people began learning the Imperial, they began organizing into small dance groups that met in apartment complexes around the St. Louis area, and George Edick kept in touch with many of their leaders.

In 1973 Al Morris conceived the idea of forming a club, and it was his group that first met at the San Miguel apartments in St. Charles which became the St. Louis Imperial Dance Club. The founders are: Dave Cheshire, Jan Cheshire, Rick McQueen, Joan Fritz, Debbie Dustman (Wheelis) and Veronica Lynch. The new club alternated their dances between Lynch's apartment complex in South County and the Wood Hollow apartments in West County. Edick contacted the Board and he told them that he was very interested in helping their club to fulfill their mission to keep swing dancing alive. The great promoter convinced them, with a persuasive new adaptation of his original 1950s theme, that their growing club should hold their future dances at his Club Imperial ballroom because it's "a nice place for nice people who like to swing dance!"

Good mottos never die but unfortunately people do, and on June 11, 2002 George Edick passed away. The building is silent now but it stands, not only as a landmark where Imperial Swing all began, but also as a tribute to a man who, over his colorful, eighty-six-year lifetime, was able to convert his dreams into reality . . . not a bad epitaph!

Henry H. "Skip" Culver, Jr. is a member of the West County Swing Dance Club in St. Louis Missouri. He is a Gold Seal Instrument Flight Instructor and the author of the bestselling book on navigation titled: IFR 'Pocket Simulator' Procedures. In 2000 Skip turned his attention from aviation towards the dance floor. He became a Certified Swing Dance Instructor in 2004, and then with over seven years of detailed notes from various classes and workshops in hand, he began assembling the Imperial Swing Dancing manual which he published in June of 2007. Skip is a frequent contributor of articles on swing dancing to different club newsletters throughout the United States.

Pubs And Clubs In Berlin Article

Berlin is famous for its nightlife, and with good reason. There are loads of great places to go for a drink in Berlin, but here are a few of the very best.

Jazz fans should make a bee line for the A trane, on the corner of Bleibtreustrasse and Pestalozzistrasse. This smoky, atmospheric jazz haunt is packed to the gills with jazz fanatics on a nightly basis, and has played host to such greats as Wynton Marsalis and Herbie Hancock.

If you have ever wanted to go to a bar that has a really, really long bar in it, then Bar Am Lutzowplatz on Lutzowplatz is the one for you. Although it can get a bit crowded in here at night time, it is worth it just to sample one of their legendary cocktails.

If you are looking for a nice place to go for a quiet drink, you should check out E and M Leydicke on Mansteinstrasse, which is one of the very oldest pubs in the city. Built in the 1800s, this pub is popular with all ages thanks to its relaxed atmosphere and excellent selection of drinks.

If you are keen on trying a little salsa dancing, you should give Havanna on?Hauptstrasse a whirl. Every night, the young and fashionable crowd go wild for the live Latino music, and if you fancy learning some steps, there are dance classes here every day.

The Knaack Klub?on Greifswalder Strasse is a giant club and bar complex set over four floors, with a games room, a live venue, and a choice of bars and disco areas, so whatever your taste, you will probably find something to enjoy here.

If you are a fan of the iconic photography of the legendary Helmut Newton, you will love the Newton Bar on Charlottenstrasse. The walls are covered from floor to ceiling with nude photos by the man himself, and there is a cigar lounge upstairs with one of the finest selection of imported cigars you will find anywhere.

Overlooking the Spree river and Oberhaum bridge, the glass fronted Watergate club on?Falckensteinstrasse offers one of the most visually appealing clubbing experiences you will find anywhere. Music policy ranges from minimalist techno to house, and the hipster crowd are generally very well dressed indeed.

By: Milissa Brusser

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Milissa Brusser is the author of this article. To find out more about saving money on airport transfers visit easybus.co.uk. With services direct to and from the city centre to Gatwick, Luton and Stansted airport, Easybus is the cheapest solution.

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Destinations Articles Via RSS!
Additional Articles From - Home | Travel & Leisure | Destinations

Wildlife Tour with Golden Triangle – Add New Experience of Rare Birds & Animals
Holiday Experience through Direct flights to Harare
Cruising to Antarctica - Excellent Tips to Maximize Your Travels
Fairs and Festivals - A Colorful Glimpse of Rajasthan
South India Temples- Imbued With Life!
Working Holidays- Holidaying with a difference!
The Highlights of Prague
What to See in Rome
What to See in London
What to See in Berlin

Uncover Powerful Insider Secrets That Will Make Wonderful Women Beg You To Date Them – Even If You Are Bald, Fat Or Ugly!