Friday, September 13, 2002 was anything BUT a bad luck day. The evening began at the Kennedy Center when the La Salle Dance Orchestra drew over 1,400 people(!) to an evening of dancing on the Terrace. Ellen and Marc taught a lesson to the assembled multitude and spent the rest of the evening mingling with the crowd. At the end of a long evening, we needed something to eat, so we set out for Columbia Pike and the Rockin' Bones gig at the Cowboy Cafe. Ellen made quite a splash in her evening gown...

The Rockin' Bones at Work



Ellen and Marc



Ellen was Wearing a Flower in Her Hair
This fact was Noticed by only 2 of the 1400 people at the Kennedy Center...

We had a wonderful end to Summer (and labor Day Holiday) when we joined the Tom Cunningham Orchestra for the final concert of the season at Orkney Springs on September 1, 2002. We had a touch-and-go day with the weather, but by the time the Big Guy raised his baton, the skies had cleared and the mountain resort had a temperature in the mid 70s. I really think that TCO played one of their finest concerts that night!

Angela and Craig at Sal's in Edinburgh, Va



Karyn and Angela



Local Dancers Lynne Crumpacker and Ted Miller



Craig Belts One Out!



Last Day for Straw Hats and White Shoes...

Most of you know Cameron Sellers, shag dancer extraordinaire. Normally, Cameron is a mild-mannered Hill Staffer, but in times of dire national emergency, he is transformed into Reservist Man --- and becomes Captain Cameron Sellers of the US Army, Paratrooper and Civil Affairs specialist. Cameron has left his job to serve his country not once, but twice -- first in Bosnia and now in Afghanistan. I, for one, am glad that Cameron is pitching in to put the Kibosh on terrorism.

Captain Sellers Enters Kabul



Kabul, Garden Spot of the Universe



Captain Sellers On Duty



Captain Sellers at Bamiyan

We are pleased to publish these photos of Cameron teaching swing dancing in the heart of Kabul. Who says that Americans don't bring cultural advantages with them wherever they go? This must absolutely infuriate the Imams! I am no cultural relativist --- fundamentalists there (and here!) can use a good healthy dose of BOTH Lindy Hop and American Democracy! There is nothing like good old Swing and Rock'n'Roll to take the ferment out of foam-at-the-mouth extremists! Go Cameron!!!

Cameron Sellers teaches Swing in Kabul!


The Kabul Swing Club, formed 08-25-02

Cameron writes,"There are many pivotal events at OMC-A, but Sunday, August 25 will be remember as the day swing dancing came to Kabul. SFC Perkins and Amy Wilson, the AGSO, wanted me to teach swing dancing. I told them that I would if they could find an interest among the Embassy men. I doubted that they would be able to recruit any. I was wrong. They recruited Marines, Navy Seals, Annex people, Army, and Special Forces men to learn how to dance. I had more men than women. That was a first. As the night passed on, I thought the interest would wane, but more and more people showed up and soon an hour activity turned into dancing until midnight. SFC Perkin’s had wine and food layout with candle light and wine."

On Sunday, August 25, 202, we made our first trip to Pen-Mar Park, north of Frederick, near Thurmont, high up in the Catoctin Mountains. This is a wonderful relic from the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) days of the Great Depression. It is a very lovely rustic park with a very nice bandstand and dance floor. It derives its name because it lies almost squarely on the Mason-Dixon Line, the boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania. ("Penn-Mar", get it?)

This was a very refreshing break from the scorching heat of DC --- the temperature was quite moderate up in the mountains... Although the crowd was older, they were very nice and friendly. To our good fortune, they were also having a vintage car show. The band was free, they played a reasonable number of swing tunes, and the food at the snack bar was good and inexpensive. This was definitely worth the 75 minutes that it took to get there from my house in Chevy Chase. They have bands every Sunday, May through October.

A Nice Festive Day


The Bandstand --- great acoustics


The View


These folks won the Jitterbug Contest


Don and Peg


A '52 Chevy in the Car Show

August 10, 2002
Gary Caley's Birthday Party
At Bob and Edith's Diner
We move only in the Finest Circles!


August 11, 2002
Dana Ott's Birthday Party
(Brian Whaley on the left, the birthday girl on the right...)
Showing off our new kitchen...!


August 3, 2002, Ellen Engle
Ellen and Marc

July 27, Tracy Pilkerton
Happy Birthday Tracy!

The Eight Week Wonders at Swing Fling


Sonia and Lee

Congratulations to the following:

• Lee Robertson, first place, intermediate Jack and Jill
• Sonia Offord and Lee Robertson, second place, intermediate Strictly Lindy
• Tracey Pilkerton and Hilary Cairnie, third place, Rising Star, Lindy and fourth place, Strictly Lindy
• Randy Morrow, second place, intermediate Jack and Jill
• Tom Grecco, third place, intermediate Jack and Jill
• Anne Strauss and Matt Parowski, third place, intermediate Strictly Lindy
• Theresa Werner and Tom Webster, first place, novice Strictly Lindy and second place, Rising Star, Lindy

On May 6, the Harry James Orchestra played at Orkney Springs in the Shenandoah Valley. This is a remarkable old resort up in the mountains, and we had a wonderful time. The Tom Cunningham Orchestra will play there on September 1, 2002. This would be a wonderful road trip! Check out our Guide to the Shenandoah Valley for a list of all the wonderful things to do on the way!

Karyn, Libby, Keith, Ellen and Marc


Keith and Ellen


Ellen and Marc


karyn and Ellen on the Hotel Balcony


Libby and Keith with Libby's mom


Karyn and Frank

The Tom Cunningham Orchestra played a very nice gig on Memorial Day at Fort Ward Park in Alexandria. It was just a bit warm, but a good time was had by all. We were glad to see marie and Dave Quidas (and their son, Nicky) --- they were in Tom and Deb's 1994 Lindy Classes.

Marie, Nicky, and Dave
at Fort Ward Park on Memorial Day, 2002

Catherine and David


Karyn and Frank

This was a joint project of the Swing Shift big band and the Fairfax High School music program. The bands played individual and combined numbers. It was really an exciting evening --- andit looks like there are a lot of promising young swing musicians in the pipeline.

Here's a picture of the gang who came to the event

The Swedish Performace team Shout'n'Feel it came to town in mid-June for a whirlwind of events. Arriving early on Friday afternoon, they performed at the Kennedy Center Millenium stage, and then made a trip to Chevy Chase Ballroom. On Saturday, they taught workshops all day and still found time to give a dynamite performance at Peaches O'Dell's June dance; they taught workshops all Sunday night and flew out to New York. Wow....

Here's a picture of Shout'n'Feel It

Click Here for more pictures from the dance, courtesy of Stan Weinstein

We spent the Fourth of July with a gang of crazies at the Reston Town center. Sue and Gary Caley decorated the bar of the Reston Hyatt with appropriate patriotic memorabilia. We alternated between refreshing beverages inthe air-conditioned bar and dancing to the T-Birds. It was a surprisingly sophisticated evening....

The Patriotic decorations

We really enjoyed this!

Here's a picture of Tom and Thomas
Photo Credit: Larry MacDonald

Larry writes: "Muscles Koerner and his Dad fend off advances from Baywatch Babes at Dewey Beach.".

Here's a picture of Chrissy Hall-Reis and Friends in NYC
Photo credit: Chrissy Hall-Reis

Chrissy writes: "Our fun & fabulous NY weekend included a foray to the Adrian exhibit, the Broadway musical 42nd Street, drinks at the Paramount Hotel, and a screening of the restored silent film Metropolis!"

Click here to view more photos from Chrissy's trip.

Thanks to Larry for sending in these pictures from the July 20 wedding of Christy Etcher and John Harrison. Mazel Tov, kids.

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