Dancing Wednesdays: Swing! at Mundo with Cait & the Critters

Fall Swing Dance Party with CAIT & THE CRITTERS with a special guest SHAWN HERSHEY!! On September 21st, Wednesday, Swing Dance Astoria will host a Fall dance party at Mundo New York in Long Island City, Queens!! Never danced before? No worries. Come to the full hour of Beginner Dance Lesson with Lewi Gilamichael & Akemi Kinukawa, the friendly and experienced instructors of Swing Dance Astoria. No partners or experience necessary. We switch partners often and you will make lots of new friends instantly!! Then enjoy dancing to amazing live music by Cait & the Critters with a special guest, Shawn Hershey!! During the band break, we will have a performance by Nathan Bugh's dance troupe, Yeah Man! Enjoy dancing at Mundo's beautiful space and also delicious meals and drinks!! Come join us!! For questions, feel free to contact us at [email protected]. Date: September 21st, Wednesday Location: Mundo New York at Paper Factory Hotel 37-06 36 St Astoria, NY (718) 706-8636 (RIGHT IN FRONT of M and R 36th st. station. A few short blocks away from N and Q 39th Ave station). SCHEDULE: 7:30 to 8:30 Beginner Lesson 8:45 to 10:30 Live Music by Cait & the Critters with a special guest Shawn Harsey 9:40 Yeah Man performance 10:30 to 11:00 DJ Music COVER: Dance Lesson and Dance Party with Live Music: $17 Dance Party only: $13 At Door, Cash Only BAND LINE UP: Vocal: Caitlin Allen Trumpet: Shawn Hershey Bass: Ian Hutchison Drums: Kevin Congelton Guitar: Pete Matthiesen Cait and the Critters is a New York City based traditional jazz band that gives old swing new flare. Their tunes span the American Songbook from the turn of the century through the 1960s. Band leader, Cait, is a lindy hopper who loves to keep the tempos exciting for swing dancers and listeners alike. Shawn Hershey started playing the trumpet at age 9. Originally taught by his father, Lowell Hershey, a successful NY musician, Shawn went to the “Fame” high school, attended Manhattan and Juilliard Pre-college, and eventually went to Eastman School of Music to study classical trumpet. Forced to quit the trumpet for three years as a result of an injury to his lip, Shawn moved to Boston to work as a software developer. Slowly Shawn regained his ability to play the trumpet at the same time as he developed an interest in swing and blues dancing. Instead of going back to classical music, he began studying jazz more intensely. In 2006 he created his first swing band, The Fried Bananas. Since then he has played almost all of the Boston swing dance venues as well as dances in NYC, Connecticut, and Montreal. SDA INSTRUCTORS: Akemi Kinukawa and Lewi Gilamichael are experienced dancers, instructors and performers specialized in Lindy Hop, the original form of Swing Dancing created to the sound of big band music in late 20s to early 30s in Harlem, NY. They have been teaching Lindy Hop at some of the major dance studios in the city, including Brooklyn Swings, You Should Be Dancing Dance Studios, and Swing Dance Astoria which was founded by Akemi. Both of them are active members of a Lindy Hop performance team called Yeah Man led by Nathan Bugh and Gaby Cook.