Swing Jam at the Rendezvous - 1938

I recently looked through some of my photo files, and found a cool photo I hadn't shown you!

This photo comes from the 1938 LOOK Magazine spread about the Rendezvous Ballroom (posted here), and it shows a dance jam. Roy Damron is the guy in the middle doing the splits, and a couple of his friends are in the crowd. And do you recognize the couple dancing in the upper right (white jacket, white dress)? That's none other than Hal & Betty Takier! Oh, what I'd give for a little video footage of this jam. :)

Photo from LOOK Magazine - August 30, 1938

"I'm Just A Jitterbug"

I've fallen off posting about dancing much in the last couple months, but a recent Facebook conversation reminded me that I've been meaning to post this article originally published in a 1939 Look Magazine. It shows some "behind the scenes" shots of LA swing dancers who were filmed as inspiration for the Walter Lantz cartoon short "I'm Just a Jitterbug".

The footage of dancing was rotoscoped for the cartoon (basically traced), which seems to be looked down on by animators, but it's fun for us dancers, because it's so true to life. Only 2 couples are shown in the Look article, but from watching the footage we know that Ray Hirsch and Patti Lacey were part of this project too, because we see their signature moves in it!

As was unfortunately common in this era, there are racist and derogatory images included in the article and cartoon. I have included them in this entry because I feel strongly that it is inappropriate to cut them and not recognize the bigotry present.

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Human Jitterbugs Are Models...

For Dancing Insects In an Animated Cartoon

Nobody ever knows what a jitterbug will do next. Even those masters of miracles, the Hollywood animated cartoonists, who cam make pigs dance and ducks talk, couldn't figure out the jitterbugs.

"When the jitterbug craze hit the country," says Cartoon Producer Walter Lantz, "we started out to make a jitterbug cartoon. But after making many hundreds of drawings, we realized it was impossible to follow the intricate steps conceived by these dizzy dancers unless we could work from actual jitterbugs in action."

So Lantz rounded up jitterbug teams, turned them loose in front of a camera, then had animators study them on the movie screen. Even then, the timing problem was too difficult. Finally, each frame of action was projected and a tracing was made of it. Animators then drew the cartoon bugs over the tracings of the dancing teams.

Some of the human models and the cartoon scenes they inspired for "I'm Just a Jitterbug" are shown here. The cartoon required 12,000 individual drawings, but it takes only seven minutes to show it on the screen.

Grandpa and Grandma Bug act as silly as human beings.

(Dancers are Roy Damron and Snookie Bishop)

The Bugs Get a Lesson in swing from Mary Herron and Jack Conlogue.

"Snookie" Bishop and Roy Damron demonstrate for the bug cartoonists.

This is the Way the bugs do it after Roy and "Snookie" have shown them how.

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And here's the final version of the cartoon! 

Funny thing is, I don't see any of the images from the magazine in the cartoon.

"I'm Just a Jitterbug" (1939)

Because I like to see the unedited version myself, I've included the complete magazine pages below.

LOOK Ma - More Dancing!

Here's the final installment from the Swing Issue of LOOK Magazine - September 27, 1938.

I wonder what happened with the photo contest - heck, I'd enter for $50 in today's money!

 [In the previous post] are the four basic movements in the LOOK Hop, a new swing dance created by vivacious Rita Rio, whose popular all-girl swing band has made a hit in movies, on the radio and in ballrooms.

Rita says much of the fun in dancing the LOOK Hop lies in working out additional steps after mastering the "L," double O" and the "K". [Below] she and her partner, Bill Furrow, demonstrate other steps.

LOOK will pay $50 to the amateur submitting the best set of pictures showing a couple doing the LOOK Hop.

"Gettin' in the mood," Rita calls this. So far, so good; it's easy.

"The cuddle and coo" is an easy one, too, but from here on the steps get more complicated.

Allee-oop, and hang on tight; if the boy friend is husky, this is all right.

This looks as if it takes practice, but it also looks like lot of fun.

The secret of success in this "step" is for the girl to hold on.

In the spirit of the dance, now both partners take a look. You may go on from here.

How to Do the LOOK Hop

Rita Rio is back! This time she teaches you to dance the LOOK Hop. 

I dare you to try this at the next dance you go to!

Band Leader Rita Rio Introduces the LOOK Hop - Try It

From Look Magazine, September 27, 1938

They Face, one arm overhead, one arm out, forming "L". For 8 counts continue basic step: Jump with toes in, knees together, slightly bent; jump on toes, feet apart, knees straight.

Continuing basic step, girl turns back to partner as feet are apart, and both form an "O" with arms, the man's to the right, the girl's to the left.

As Toes are turned in on basic step, man drops arm in circle over partner's head. Girl's arms form "O" in front. Continue, reversing arms from side to side 8 times.

Girl Continues with back to boy, both standing on right foot, left leg extended to side, knee straight, right arm over head, left arm extended diagonally from shoulder to form "K". Hop on right foot in circle for 8 counts.

Picture Definitions of Swing Terms Pt. 3

From Look Magazine, September 27, 1938

 Irene Daye makes a lovely canary (girl vocalist) for Gene Krupa. Even tin ears (persons who dislike swing) like Irene, and of course rug cutters (swing dancers) do.

 Speaking of swing, here's Jack Benny as a squeaker (violinist), Dick Powell at the plumbing (trumpet), Bing Crosby drumming, Tommy Dorsey, chief ridesman (ace musician) behind Bing, and Shirley Ross at the 88 (piano). Peeking over Bing's hat is Ken Murray. These spooks (white musicians) put out real gut-bucket (lowdown music) without groanbox (accordian) or grunt horn (tuba).

 Hot Man (a musician who can swing it) Bunny Berigan can send (arouse the alligators) on an iron horn (trumpet), even if he closes his eyes when he hits a lick (a hot phrase in rhythm).

When you think of Eddie Duchin, you think of a moth box (piano), but Eddie here shows he's at home on a woodpile (xylophone) too. He's also an ace monkey hurdler (organist).

When you place a cat (swing musician) beside a doghouse (bass fiddle), anything might happen, even barrel-house (where every man swings for himself). However, Jimmy Dorsey's ace drummer, Ray McKinley, sticks to his voodoo boilers (drums).

Picture Definitions of Swing Terms Pt. 2

From Look Magazine, September 27, 1938

Sliver-Sucker (clarinetist) Benny Goodman, and Skin-Beater (drummer) Gene Krupa get in the groove (hit their stride) at a jam session (musicians playing for their own amusement) after working hours. 

 Big Apple dancers will swing it anywhere, even if the music is nothing more than corn-on-the-cob (a harmonica) and a belly fiddle (guitar).

This is the Little Apple, a miniature version of the dance [above], and you don't even have to leave home to do it if you have a platter (a record) made by hepcats (swing musicians). 

There's nothing long-haired (symphonic) about it when Scat-Singer Leo Watson and Trumpeter Charlie Frankhouser swing it with Gene Krupa's band. 

Bogie men (critics who say what they think) call Herb Haymer of Jimmy Dorsey's band one of the world's best on a gobble pipe (saxophone).

Picture Definitions of Swing Terms Pt. 1

From Look Magazine, September 27, 1938

Alligators (swing fans) like these girls can't sit still when the swing (latest type of hot jazz music) band gets whacky (swings its wildest).

She savvies jive (understands the language of swing) and pleases the jitterbug (same as alligators). It's Ina Ray Hutton - as if you didn't know.

You never see dancing like this when paper men (musicians who play by note only) are reading the spots (notes) and schmaltzing it (playing sweet, sentimental music). These are shag dancers.

Paul Whiteman, the old man (leader), bends an ear as Jack Teagarden gets hot on the slush pump (trombone). Even ickies (persons who don't understand swing) can appreciate such a push-pipe player.

Do You Know These Swing Terms?

How many do you know? Picture definitions in the following posts.

From Look Magazine, September 27, 1938

ALLIGATORS

BARREL-HOUSE

BELLY FIDDLE

BOGIE MAN

CANARY

CATS

CHIEF RIDEMAN

CORN-ON-THE-COB

DOG HOUSE

EIGHTY-EIGHT (88)

GOBBLE PIPE

GROAN BOX

GRUNT HORN

GUT-BUCKET

HEPCAT

HOT MAN

ICKIES

IN THE GROOVE

IRON HORN

JAM SESSION

JITTERBUGS

JIVE

LICK

LONGHAIR

MONKEY HURDLER

MOTH BOX

OLD MAN

PAPER MEN

PLATTER

PLUMBING

RUG CUTTER

SCHMALTZ IT

SEND

SKIN BEATER

SLIVER SUCKER

SLUSH PUMP

SPOTS

SQUEAKER

SPOOK

SWING

TIN EARS

VOODOO BOILERS

WHACKY

WOODPILE

Give Swing a Chance Says Benny Goodman

Benny Goodman, $125,000-a-year "King of Swing", now 28, chose to play a clarinet when he was 9, because it was so pretty. Conductor Leopold Stokowski calls him one of the world's best clarinetists.

Give Swing a Chance Says Benny Goodman

by Benny Goodman

There is one thing swing critics cannot combat. That is, that the public approves of swing. So why not give it a chance to prove it is not a flash in the pan, but the only really truly American music we have? Every other form of musical expression portrayed as a dance form originated abroad. Swing, as it is now being written and created, originates solely in the minds of musicians who think in the American way.

Some persons object to modernizing old songs into swing tempo. The answer is that swing is still young and needs nourishment.

To educate the people to enjoy original swing creations, we must feed them something they know of, can understand and enjoy because the melody is familiar.

The present day swing artist is a pioneer, creating something that in the future will become the popular expression of the day. So the next time you hear swing, just figure to yourself that you are in on the birth of something your grandchildren will some day take for granted in the same manner as you take opera today, and you will feel as I always do - awed.

Look Magazine, September 27, 1938

Caprice XXIV - Adapted from Paganini's Caprice No. 24 in A minor

Look Magazine: Swing Issue, September 27, 1938

I've gone on a bit of a magazine collecting spree lately, and here is one of the spoils - the Swing Issue of Look Magazine from 1938. I'll be posting some of the goodies in the days to come - you can learn some new jive-talk and dance moves!

The cuties on the cover are Rita Rio and Bill Furrow. Rita Rio was the bandleader for an all-girl swing band, and went on to have an acting career under the name Dona Drake (Rita Rio is also a stage name, her real name is Eunice Westmoreland!).

Here are a couple of clips of Rita performing - Enjoy!

Rita Rio & Her Orchestra - Feed the Kitty

Rita Rio - My Margarita

6 A.M. Swing Party - Rendezvous Ballroom

In honor of last week's post about the Balboa Rendezvous, I thought I'd share a 1938 Look Magazine article with you about some of the incredible dancing that used to take place there! The Rendezvous Ballroom was huge, roughly 1 city block wide and 1 city block long - but I think 5,000 kids in there would still have been crowded! No wonder they could only dance chest to chest. :)

5,000 Young Californians Rise at Dawn for a... 

6 A.M. SWING PARTY

On June 18 in Balboa, Cal., the amazing swing music fad in the U.S. hit a new high. On that day some 5,000 "cats" and "alligators" rose at dawn to "cut rugs" and "kick out" at 6 o'clock in the morning. The occasion was a "jam session" or "swingaree" staged by radio station KEHE to celebrate the end of the school year.

The night before the party, "ickies" and "jitterbugs" started arriving. Many came in parties composed of members of local swing clubs. Most of them came by car, some by foot. One young man drove 396 miles from Tonopah, Nev. One came on crutches.

From 6 to 8 in the morning, the ballroom of the Balboa Rendezvous shook with their dancing of the Big Apple, the Varsity, the Suzie-Q while the orchestra and a phonograph "gave out" with "licks" and "solid senders."

Those shirts! Those ties! So terrible, and so AWESOME!

Dancing in a hat and gloves...but no stockings. Those wild jitterbugs!

This photo has been one of my personal favorites since I was 16 years old - 

I wanted to be her SO badly.

Still do. :)