Rhythm City Productions

Blues is Black. Jazz is Black. Swing is Black. As swing dancers and lovers of jazz, we must emphatically acknowledge that the music we enjoy is deeply rooted in the culture and experience of African American communities. We cannot celebrate Black joy without recognizing Black pain and the systems of oppression that disproportionately continue to affect Black communities around the world. This February during Black History Month we encourage you to dig into the stories of your... favourite Black musicians and dancers - their legacy and achievements of course, but also their lives and the system they were up against - and to share the stories that inspire you in the comments. We also encourage you to support, connect with and establish partnerships with local and international Black-led organisations and businesses, such as: - Hogan's Alley Society https://www.hogansalleysociety.org/ - Black Lives Matter Vancouver https://blacklivesmattervancouver.com/ - The Black Lindy Hoppers Fund https://rb.gy/u57blp In the music we play, the classes we teach and the events we run, let's always remember where Jazz and Lindy Hop come from

Today at 4pm Pacific, free on facebook live... "Every genre of Black music, intrinsic to the growth of American popular music, informs the next generation of music listeners and performers about the black experience. From the way it sounds, to the way you move with it, and the way it continuously challenges the black social issues of today and yesteryear, Black music cannot be separated from its roots of oppression and celebration. Come learn the key threads of Black history that link the blues, soul, and funk genres together and how it forms the basis for future genres of Black music."

Looking for something *else* to do Tuesday night? Check out this this free livestreamed event on Jazz and Blues, Black culture and the history of Vancouver’s East End!

Jon Batiste's new single features Lindy hop! Congratulations, dancers Marielys Molina and Denzel Chisom Tatiana Barber and Tislarm Bouie... Nikki Klaus Marvin and Mikey Pedroza! See more

Happy 101 to the great Norma Miller, Queen of Swing! This past weekend at the Virtual International Lindy Hop Championships, her headstone at Woodlawn Cemetery was unveiled. It was a beautiful ceremony and tribute, featuring speeches, dancing, a second line procession to a live band, and more. We miss you, Norma, and your ability to cut to the heart of the matter, your quick wit, your sharp tongue, your dancing, and your stories.

5,6,7,8! It’s Bandcamp Friday! Here are some of our favorite albums from the local musicians that make the Vancouver jazz scene so special. Artists desperately need our help right now. Go support them today and get yourself some hot, hot music to dance to at home! Already have an album? Buy it for a friend! The Girl In The Groove - Jen Hodge. The latest opus from BC’s very own First Lady of Bass. Includes crowd favorites from Jen’s live gigs Here Lies Love and Up Above My He...ad. https://jenhodgebass.bandcamp.com/al/the-girl-in-the-groove Lloyd Arntzen Salutes Johnny Dodds. Just released today! A heartfelt tribute to New Orleans master clarinetist Johnny Dodds from Canada’s favorite grandpa and his sweet, sweet vibrato. https://lloydarntzen.bandcamp.com//lloyd-arntzen-salutes-j The Neighborhood - Milk Crate Bandits A stomping hommage to East Van from our favorite jazz thugs. https://milkcratebandits.bandcamp.com/alb/the-neighbourhood Between Then And Now - Bonnie Northgraves. Soulful trumpet and sultry vocals make Bonnie’s first album a treat for everyone. https://bonnienorthgraves.bandcamp.com//between-then-and-n Live At Lindy Bout - Brothers Arntzen. Close your eyes, dim the lights and turn up the volume - you’re back in time for one epic evening of jazz shenanigans! https://brothersarntzen.bandcamp.com//live-at-lindy-bout-f Keep Vancouver jazz alive and support your favorite artists before midnight today!

Today at 10am! Also accessible via their IGTV after at any time.

Ronnie and Robert Crump, famously known as "the Crump Twins", were two of the most recognisable performers in Vancouver. Active from the 1940s to the 1960s, the... Crump Twins performed as a creative duo acting, singing and playing music, tap dancing, and making crowds laugh. Though more of a Blue's duo, the Crump Twins have influenced much of Vancouver's music scene, making a particularly notable impact on Jazz. Having famously shared a stage with Sammy Davis Jr. and Louis Armstrong, the Crump Twins have left a shining mark on Vancouver's entertainment history. See more

I've taken two courses so far with Karida Griffith DANCE on the topic of racism and the dance world, and they were incredible: informative, inspiring, perspective shifting in all kinds of ways. This seminar will be offered tomorrow at 1pm Pacific and Wednesday at 10am Pacific, FREE!

Earlier this week we shared some great online events for connecting with Lindy hop's African American roots and the dynamics of racial injustice and cultural appropriation. Here's another event we're looking forward to, hosted by newly formed CVFC - Collective Voices For Change: Part. 1 - The Message. "We all take part in keeping racist structures, values and legacies in place, therefore we all need to be part of the solution. Our goal is to work towards and facilitate chan...ge, and we believe that we cannot do it separately. Historically, societal change has come through dialogue between disparate groups with those who challenge long-established viewpoints. We can only shift the paradigm of our modern scene hand in hand. In order to find a solution, we first need to recognise that there is a problem. First and foremost, we must listen to black voices. Next, we must take accountability for our actions. As individuals, we must reflect on how we are contributing to the problem starting with our own behavior, prejudices and bias. This webinar is designed to be a first step toward meeting those objectives" See more

Looking for events that connect you with... Lindy hoppers and Jazz enthusiasts? African American roots of Lindy hop and Jazz dance? Black experience in Lindy hop and Jazz dance communities? education and action on fostering explicitly anti-racist dance communities? ... So are we! Fortunately, there are many many Black people and other folks following their lead who are creating incredible content to help us all do just that. Here are a couple coming up this week: Starting today and running for 4 Tuesdays from 4-5pm Pacific (you can register and then have access to the recordings each week, to attend at your convenience), Mother Africa with Breai Mason-Campbell. Register in advance at this link: https://www.lindycentral.com//mother-africa-presented-and- And this Saturday, 10am-noon Pacific: Move Together ~ Dancing Towards An Inclusive Community & Global Social Justice https://www.facebook.com/events/564607791150108

Many people who are interested in Swing dancing either come to the dance through an interest in vintage culture (clothes, accessories, hair, cars, design,...) or subsequently develop an interest in all things vintage. This article is a great resource for accessing how vintage culture (and by extension all sub cultures) can be limiting, harmful, and discriminatory to non-white participants. If you ever read or hear of grievances and are inclined to diminish the speaker's exper...ience, like "Oh it can't be that bad." or "What's the big deal?" then reading perspectives like this one can help you see all the aspects of the experience that are opaque to you. If the culture is made by and for people like you, you have to take the care to look and listen and see how it affects people different from you. To recognize and honour the humanity of others when they share their experiences. It's a gift. We can accept it and use it to help us as we join the work for better outcomes for everyone.

Why Tena Morales-Armstrong day? Why not? Incredible, supportive, inspirational mentor, dancer, organizer and all around force to be reckoned with, Tena Morales-Armstrong is being celebrated and recognized by Lindy hoppers today. Learn more about her in this post from Wandering and Pondering.

Thanks to your support, we helped raise $950 for the Hogan's Alley Society last night at DJ Vee Connect in support of Hogan's Alley Society! Thanks to Vanessa for the great music and videos and for putting the focus on this local organization that helps with local housing initiatives, as well as providing history lessons and tours of this once thriving and vibrant Black neighbourhood.

Thank you everyone who attended and/or donated, and thank you Vanessa Tara for the crash course in jazz history, Black music and all those historical clips. We've raised over $950 for Hogan's Alley Society! Dancers and jazz lovers, please follow HAS and continue to support their work!

Join us tonight at DJ Vee Connect in support of Hogan's Alley Society! Send us a message when you donate, so we know when we've reached (or surpassed!) our $500 goal.