I have just read that Swing Patrol has been invited to participate in the very popular TV dance program – Dancing with the Stars! Scott Cupit will partner Emily Gassner, who are R&R champions in their own right, doing a demo Lindy Hop dance on the dance final night of 28th November. It seems the final participants will also be doing a Lindy Hop dance that night.

I saw Scott and Emily winning the “non lift” Seniors title at the Vic R & R Championship 3 or 4 years ago although Scott also has won numerous R&R plus Lindy Hop Swing titles over the years. Scott, as you may know, is also the co founder of Swing Patrol with Claudia Funder, who is my favourite Lindy Hop teacher when I was taking classes with Swing Patrol.

It never ceases to amaze me what wonderful stuff Swing Patrol has achieved over the years. Not only are they the biggest Swing group in Australia with a very youthful following but they also have managed to get Melbourne recognized as a “Swing” city amongst the Lindy Hop international community.

From what I have observed in the last few years, it sounds quite a contradiction in itself but nonetheless a credit to Swing Patrol in terms of general public recognition that it regularly gets invited to do demos of R&R dance even though its focus is Swing & Lindy Hop. For example, it was Swing Patrol that was invited to do demos and teach R&R dance during the celebration of 50 years of Australian R&R music held at the Melbourne Museum. And their involvement, year in year out, with the summer music festivals at the Zoo and various public parks around Melbourne. And doing what? At times, teaching R&R dance to the public.

Swing Patrol has done a great service in promoting R&R dance over the years with their high public profile even though it is strictly not a R&R dance school. I sincerely hope a few of our traditional R&R dance schools can perhaps pick up on their formula and help spread the “gospel” far and wide too.

I would also hope VRRDA could get them to again participate in dance competitions in the years ahead. It will be good to see the huge contingent of Swing Patrol dancers and supporters at such R&R events. Competition will be good for everyone.