Rhythm Relief Fund

In May of 2020, Rhythm Relief was created by Nick Williams in cooperation with PSDF to provide financial support to members of the swing dance community affected by COVID-19. In May of 2021, we decided to make the Rhythm Relief Fund a permanent program of Pacific Swing Dance Foundation—it’s clear to us that our community needs ways to raise and distribute financial support when disaster strikes. When you contribute to Rhythm Relief, your money is used to make grants to members of the swing dance community when they need financial help and to maintain the capability to respond in special circumstances. A portion of the funds—between 10% and 30%—are also used to help PSDF pay for the administrative expenses of a non-profit business. Those expenses cover things like accounting and financial compliance, paying administrative staff, IT expenses, etc.

69.53% Raised
$104,299.29 donated of $150,000.00 goal
1045 Donors

Nick Williams, in partnership with the Pacific Swing Dance Foundation, is throwing a spectacular live-stream swing show coming straight to your home. The purpose of the benefit show is to raise money for full-time swing dance instructors and full-time musicians who have been financially hit by Covid-19. The money raised in the show will compensate the performers for their time, and all additional funds raised will go to a fund for dancers and musicians. Any full-time dancer or musician will be able to apply for the funds we raise through PSDF.

Complete details are available at our Rhythm Relief page.

Patrons at or above the $50 level will receive an enamel pin from Pacific Swing Dance Foundation.

318 Comments

  1. This community is so important to facilitate global relationships and a shared love of swing. Keep dancing!

  2. Round 2 :-). Let’s cross fingers that the situation calmes down on the other side of the ocean and things stay stable here. All the best from Switzerland!

  3. I love watching all of you ! I’m now 70 years old and can only wish I had the energy and talent you all have. Keep on dancing !

  4. This is for all joy that the swing dance instructors and musicians have brought to the lives of their students and listeners over the years. I am truly grateful.

  5. I joined my local swing dance community just three years ago. I knew for some time that it existed but was afraid to try it. Today, I could not imagine life without swing. This is a temporary transition and I hope my donation helps those who like me are passionate about this art to continue to create, grow and survive.

  6. Appreciate all the fabulous dancers, musicians, teachers, artists etc. Many of us are struggling right now and your on-line performances are A wonderful gift. Thank you.

  7. Loved the Swingtacular idea! And really enjoyed watching. Thanks for leaving it up; I couldn’t catch it live.

  8. Thank you for organising this fundraiser and for all the great work you do for the dancing community! Much love and best wishes to everyone out there who has been hit by this crisis

  9. Thanks for organizing this! Keeping all our talented dancers afloat has been on my mind a lot lately.

  10. Great work with the swingtacular show. Amazed that the band can play from their separate locations. A nice mix of interviews, dance shows and music!

  11. Enjoyed the show very, very much! Was so happy to see so many faces I know from Atomic Ballroom! Thank you to everyone involved, both on screen and behind the scenes. Looking forward to dancing again!

  12. To our colleagues and friends, we’ll get through this! Chin up! -Fancy & Albert

  13. Wonderful music and dancing!
    I hope you raise a lot of money through this relief event and hope you’ll all host another again soon (maybe twice a year or even quarterly?).

    The host/ MC was gracious and had a very welcoming presence (Nick?) – it helped set a great tone for many of us who are new to these virtual dance / music events.

  14. Thank you so much for putting together a spectacular show and for keeping the swing dance community going even when we can’t be together.

  15. Lindy Hop and vernacular jazz dance has been a social, artistic, athletic, and creative outlet for me for me since 2003 and I can not quantify the ways these dances and communities have changed and enriched my life. Thank you to all of you who make this community so special.

  16. so grateful to the organizers for doing this, thank you thank you thank you. ’till we dance again!

  17. Thank you all for striving to make swing dance community such a joyful place to be

  18. Dancing is what usually keeps me sane, so I need you guys even more once life gets back to normal! Just imagine the atmosphere of that first post-lockdown social dance…

  19. I’m thinking of all of you and missing you during the usual Camp Jitterbug weekend…it was lovely to see so many wonderful faces that I adore on this benefit. Take care and will see you all soon:-) Love you all.

  20. Together we are stronger!
    Let’s keep the spirit high & alive!
    Let’s keep swinging!
    Love from Singapore

  21. Thanks Nick and everyone for putting this together. Enjoying it from Australia! Best wishes , Claire

  22. Donating because A lot of these dancers are my friends!!! And swing dancing these past 10 years has been one of the greatest joys in my life.
    Thanks for organizing this!!!

  23. Thank you so much for this wonderful performance! Swing dancing has been life changing for me and I so appreciate all of the wonderful instructors, musicians, and many contributors who make the swing dance community accessible to people all over the world.

  24. I only watched an hour, to date, but the music and dancing was fantastic. I don’t get around much anymore, but it was so good to see old friends perform. It was delightful to see how dancers and musicians incorporated technology to share the art form with the world. Well done, everyone, stay safe and healthy and thank you for keeping the music and the dance alive!

  25. I absolutely love the swing dance community. If everyone could swing dance, the whole world would be smiling! Let’s hope we can all get back to dancing soon.

  26. I am donating because I have received and shared such joy with many of you dancers and musicians. I wish to keep you all hopping and helping others. For those of you who know….love Mari’s Mom

  27. I am donating because I have such a love of swing music and swing dancing, and I am eternally grateful that I have had the opportunity all these years to be a part of the swing dance community. It has made a tremendous difference in my life. I have ta huge respect and admiration for all the talented instructors, dancers and musicians. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
    Nancy Meade

  28. Sending love and support from Brooklyn. Thank you for all you have done for our community and I hope we can keep it strong throughout this crisis.
    ❤️❤️❤️

  29. Sending lots of love and support to our beloved instructors, historians, and musicians!💕
    -The Peppers

  30. I have enjoyed swing dancing for the past year. My heart goes out to all those whose livelihood has been affected by the pandemic, and I hope the day comes soon when we can all dance together again. Until then, I hope this helps those who have dedicated themselves to keeping this amazing dance alive.

  31. Thank you all to make this happen. Keep on swinging 🙂
    Manny greetings from Germany/ Münster … DJane Swingable

  32. I miss dancing with a partner so much. I miss events with live music. I knew the swing dance world was a big part of my life but I don’t think I realized just how much not having it in my life would impact me. As a medical provider working everyday still, I’m lucky to still have work and a paycheck. But I don’t know when it will be safe for me to put others at risk by dancing with me. For those who have someone at home to dance with, keep dancing and ENJOY IT for those of us who aren’t as fortunate.
    Thank you for putting this online event on. If you’re thinking of doing this again in the future, especially the band playing live, please do!

  33. Truly grateful for all of the hardworking instructors and musicians keeping Lindy Hop alive.

  34. Wonderful show! Want to support all our friends, dance teachers, and musicians. My husband, Dave Parry, and I met doing this dance after my grandparents did this dance…which we are going to teach our daughter! Thank you for putting this on and taking care of our community.

  35. Thank you all for creating this awesome show filled with high quality, joy and love! It truly gave inspiration and hope for us all!

  36. Hope to give a little help to a big and incredible community! Stay strong and keep dancing!

  37. God Bless All of You for your love, support and passion for keeping the love of jazz music and swing/lindy dance alive and thriving.

  38. Thank you so so much for making all of this happen! I enjoyed every second of the show. High quality, joy and love! It really gave inspiration and hope. Thank you!!!

  39. Amazing show! Hope to see everyone again soon on a dance floor. Stay safe and healthy!

  40. Rhythm Relief was a much-needed distraction. Thanks to everyone who helped put this together and – Happy Birthday, Nick!

  41. Thats was so amazing !! Well done all of you, hope you enjoy the after show party cos you all deserve a whisky mac!

  42. The swing dance community has brought me so much joy over the past four years. Thanks for all you do!

  43. Many Thanks from across the pond for the years of fun and enjoyment all the teachers have brought us

  44. Thank you for bringing such great instructors, dancers, & various musicians together for an awesome cause.

  45. Great show. Love the music and dance. Thanks for helping out the musicians and dance instructors during the pandemic.

  46. This is the last one, I promise! I really can’t afford more! But this show has been so wonderful, and y’all are dears for putting it together and investing all this time and effort. Please don’t send me a pin. D:

  47. Thank you so much! So many of these artists have been instrumental in inspiring me to dance for the past 20 years. What a treat.
    Xoxo,
    -Christy (from Omaha)

  48. Congrats on an amazing show with all the talented line ups! Can’t wait to see you all in person again soon!

  49. WOW!!!! A M A Z I N G!!!!! WELL DONE!!!!….. and …… Happy Birthday Nick!!! 😁👍👍

  50. Good luck y’all. I miss dancing so much and I’m happy you’re able to continue doing it. I look forward to seeing y’all on the other side of this pandemic.

  51. I started swing dancing in 1997 & danced often with Peter back in the day at Disneyland. Much love to you all!!

  52. I miss dancing so much it hurts, and I want to make sure everyone can make it through this time so we can dance again!

  53. So much talent! Thank you to all the fabulous dancers and musicians! Loved every second!

  54. It made my ears happy to hear such good music again and see the dancing. I stumbled across it on Facebook when it was more than halfway through. Didn’t receive any info on it from my dance community.

  55. Thank you for keeping the swing dance community alive during this challenging time.

  56. Hope to see you again on my side of the Atlantic in the near future.
    Stay healthy be cauzious – keep distance!

  57. I love these dances and this community so very much. I cried through so much of this show

  58. Sorry, I’m donating a third time. This is weird now. I’m being weird. Don’t send me three pins. Don’t even send me a pin, I think I already have one. Just….just take my money. <3

  59. Thank you all! So inspiring to see musicians and dancers/teachers we love coming together – the nearest we’ll get to an international festival for now. Also, thanks for giving me my dance mojo back 🙂

  60. Thanks for everything you all do. My life has been made so much richer by everything you’ve offered to me.

  61. We love the dance, we love the music, we love the people, we miss it all. Thank you for doing this. Good luck!

    Martin, Suzanne, and Magalie

  62. When I came back home to Glasgow, Scotland 5years ago I discovered Lindy Hop. I love dancing and now have the pleasure to play washboard with The Background Sounds. We play for social dancing as well as anywhere. I love it all and being part of a smiling, dancing international community. Thanks and we’ll done for this video. It’s amazing-even though we are cut off we are also more connected. 👏🏻❤️😃

  63. Sending love to the professional dancers and musicians. Looking forward to sharing the music and the floor with you soon. I too am one of the millions who was laid off due to Covid-19. Let’s all paddle our boats together through this storm.

  64. Senting love to the swing dance instructor community, and gratitude for all the value you’ve added to my life!

  65. Thank you all for sharing your passions and crafts with this community. It brings us so much joy!

  66. Love what you are doing

    We started our journey 2 years ago and it’s fantastic how the community comes together for the benefit of all

  67. My love to all the musicians. I would be paying to see you live if I could, and I hope we all can see each other again, soon.

  68. I am an out of work dance instructor, but I want to give whatever I can to everyone out there who keeps this dance alive, because I have dedicated my life to it!

  69. Finally! Something to blow my stimulus check on. Thank you for sharing such a special event!

  70. Thank you for sharing your love for music and dance and giving me so much joy over the years. Really miss this community.

  71. We value the work of all the teachers in our community. Thanks for the lovely show, take care and prevent the spread of misinformation!

  72. Dance and music are art forms which are uplifting for the human spirit! I admire those who devote their lives to this pursuit and their devotion to perfectIon of their craft. Preserving this art form is so important to carry on for future generations.

  73. Just one of Rob and Diane’s old performance group members who fondly remembers a social dance with Jenny at Swing 46 while she was performing on Broadway

  74. I usually make bow ties, but now I am making masks! Any money I make from them gets donated to covid relief. This event is amazing and I look forward to dancing again!

  75. Thankful for what dance has brought to my life, which would not have happened if not for all the instructors, dancers, music makers, and all those working behind the scenes in this community.

  76. Thank you to all the dancers and musicians keeping swing alive, even during this unprecedented time! You are appreciated!!

  77. What a wonderful way to support one another and remind us of the loving and joyful community we are a part of! Thanks for keeping us connected.

  78. The swing dance community has meant so much to me and my life… just happy to be able to repay a little of the love <3

  79. Thank you for everyone’s support and organizing this relief fund. I miss dancing and miss being with my dance family. Please stay safe and keep the dance and music alive, we’ll get through this. Love to all!! 🙂
    Tise

  80. I first started Lindy Hop in 1998 (I’m “Old Skool” LOL). I dance to honor Frankie Manning and all the original Lindy Hoppers, to keep this American vernacular improvisational jazz dance alive, and to honor the African-American history and cultural heritage of this dance! And I dance because it is so much FUN! I have also made thousands of friends around the world. SOOO forever grateful for this. Thanks to Nick Williams and everyone who made this happen today! Love to all <3 Lisa

  81. Love the music, love to lindy hop….when somethings make you happy, you cannot NOT contribute.

  82. Good point: We’re all in the same storm, but we’re not all in the same boat.

  83. Friends and family are involved in this style of dance.
    Love watching and listening to the music.

  84. Thank you so much to the organizers and all of the musicians, dancers and anyone who helped on the technical side. I can’t wait until we can get together again.

  85. Sending love and hope and strength. Also money hah. Stay safe and healthy. The show is amazing!!

  86. Cannot wait to be able to see everyone in persin again! Thank y’all for the wonderful virtual lessons y’all have been making available.

  87. Thank you to all the amazing teachers who have shaped my dance journey. May you continue to thrive and do what you do best. Love Lisa (Nottm, UK)

  88. Swing dance & jazz music have given so much to me, and helped me build friendships & community in a new city at a time when I was very lonely in. I’m glad you’re doing this to help see the community this crisis & time of separation.

  89. So many old friends that I have not been in touch with in a long while… stay safe and hang in there!

  90. It is so wonderful to see so many dancers and musicians! I appreciate their keeping us inspired and motivated. Thank you for all of the work that has gone into this.

  91. Thank you for putting together such a wonderful live show with people from all over!

  92. I appreciate the musicians and dance teachers so much. I hope you will all be able to make it through this period fully healthy and able to start again.

  93. I am proud to be part of the swing dance community and look forward to dancing with friends all over the world again once this is over. Stay strong and keep dancing x

  94. Much love from Buffalo, NY – thank you so much for putting this on! We’re so grateful to have a way to support you all

  95. I’m sorry I can’t give more, but I am incredibly grateful to you for producing this show and keeping jazz and jazz dance in our eyes and hearts! Thank you, and keep swinging!

  96. Thank you to all the amazing contributors to our dance community! We value the opportunity to support you!

  97. The international swing dance community has been my family for many years. Happy to donate today to help out family.
    Stay healthy!

  98. Thank you for all the inspiration and for continually sharing the joy, love and magic of music and dance with so many of us.

  99. Thank you everyone for your talent, time and effort to keep swing dancing alive more than ever!

  100. I’m doing my modest bit to support all the dancers and musicians whose lives and livelihoods have been turned upside down. I miss you – Stay safe and healthy! We will be back together eventually!

  101. When I first heard of this endeavor and incredible collaborative effort to help aid the wondedul dancers i was completely on board. I first saw Swing Dancing watching “A League of Their Own”and i was floored and so motivated to learn. We didn’t have that outlet to seek it out in the desert devoid of instructors. Now living in Riverside I see how important it is to keep the movement going, and ive never been happier dancing, the freedom and the good people out there.

  102. We’re donated because this is a marvellous idea aimed at support others that are struggling during this time.

  103. Great project, great crew, I’m sure will be amazing… look forward to see in person all of you again.. somewhere on the dance floor!

    Love and respect from Italy

  104. Thank you for putting this together–can’t wait to watch! Also, thanks for all the jitterblasts, Nick–best dance workout online!

  105. As a small swing dance society we feel a strong need to support those we admire and appreciate and who have given us so much these past years. Thank you!

  106. As we used to say affectionately back home – “Show me something!”

    Thanks for organizing this, Nick and the Rhythm Relief team. Rip it up!

  107. Thank you for organizing such a fantastic event. Looking forward for the today’s show! We hope the situation will get better soon.
    With Love,
    Krystal & Alex

  108. – thank you for continually growing and sharing your magic in music and dance with so many of us.

  109. Cause we’re all in the same boat here. Sorry I can’t do more, being a half-time dance instructor my income has been reduced by 60% now too =)

  110. For the love of jazz, lindy-hop, and the instructors as well as musicians who are the pillars of our global swing community.

  111. Thank you to the wonderful teachers, musicians and performers but bringing joy into our lives

  112. This is a fantastic idea!! Sending love and best wishes to all of the dance instructors, musicians and performers at this time, hope this helps 🙂 ❤️

  113. This is such an incredible effort, and so indicative of the dance community as a whole. Always there to do their best to support one another. <3

  114. The opportunity to learn swing dancing came to me late in middle age and if it hadn’t been for the encouragement and dedication for my first teacher I wouldn’t still be doing it at age 85 (and he’s still my teacher!).

  115. Looking forward to seeing all the talented musicians and dancers create wonderful art!

  116. Because the dance community is my community, and it wouldn’t be here without the tireless efforts of these incredible instructors. Stay strong all.

  117. I love this idea. I can’t wait for my mind to be blown away with this show! I miss dancing with people!

  118. Good luck, guys, thank you for keeping alive our hope for a swing world as it used to be!

  119. I miss swing dancing so much and the way it connects people. Thank you for putting on this show. It brings more brightness and happiness during this hard time.

  120. All the instructors here are so wonderful and generous to share their art and joy with us all. I’m glad that you continue to in this time. Cheers to a successful show and fundraiser!

  121. I want to help support the dance community plus every person in this program is an amazing dancer!

  122. Love from both Krister and I. Hugs to you all during this tough time. I look forward to the show!

  123. With heartfelt wishes to the many balboa/swing instructors/performers who have brought unending joy to my life.

  124. The swing dancing community is here because of your love for the dance and the people you teach. You are not only an inspiration to learn, but you performances are captivating and fun to watch. Thank you all for all that you do and looking forward to the performance. Jeff

  125. Thank you for helping unite swing dancers and musicians around the world during this time. I’m patiently looking forward to dancing with you all next in person. Love from Fresno, CA!

  126. Swing dance has changed my life for the better. I’m glad you are doing this for this amazing community.

  127. Swing dance and music makes the world go round….. at least mine and I’m so happy to be a part of this awesome community. Love you all!!

  128. Sitting in the same boat – running http://www.downtownswing.ch dance school as full-time job with 15 part-time local instructors. From one day to the other all work from the last 5 years … gone …
    However, we need an international swing dance scene and I hope that the Swiss system will be more successful in coping with the enormous economic damage. Stay strong during these strange and tough times. The future can only improve!
    Cheers from Zurich,
    Stefan

  129. I have seen a lot of the performers in the last decade from dancing and have learned from them or listen to them make music. This is my way of thanking them for bringing joy to my life.

  130. I am so happy to be a part of such an incredible community of artists who continue to inspire and are finding creative ways to share themselves with the world!

  131. I usually sew and sell bow ties at local dance events, but lately all my leftover fabric and sewing time has gone into making masks! Anyone that asks about cost is told to donate to a COVID relief fund, but some insist on giving me cash to donate. This money is from an older gentleman that runs the volunteer program at the local animal shelter! He is a kind soul and I am thankful I was able to help him stay safe and help keep the dance alive!

  132. This donation is from @Pinhawk and the support of the Balboa dancers from around the world. Thank you!

  133. Thank you for what all professional swing dancers do for swing dancing communities. It is YOU who keep swing dancing alive. Thanks again! <3

  134. Thank you for organizing this important event and supporting all the artists! Will there be a schedule posted for those outside America timezones? Thank you!

  135. This amount represents proceeds from “The Rent Party” benefit plus additional private funds. I always bragged to non-dancers that, thanks to swing dancing, I was happier than almost any adult I knew. Now, when I don’t have access to it, I realize that helping our community survive means more to me than I even realized. I know that so many others feel the same. You musicians and dancers have made our lives better, and I look forward to the day when we can all get out there and be the luckiest people in the world again.

  136. Dancing has brought so much light into the lives of many. The dancing community can overcome any obstacle by putting our hearts and minds together while supporting one another.

    This is where we shine! Plus, why not do something awesome?

  137. Whilst my Mum, has no real interest in my wonderful Balboa Community, I have converted her into an armchair Lindy Hop,-and specifically Nils and Bianca fan, so this donation is on her behalf, and so that everyone can keep her entertained, long into the future! Best wishes to everyone at this time.

  138. Just beginning swing dancing, looking forward to being dazzled by these performances

  139. Thank you for doing this! I’m constantly in awe about what a supportive community we are all a part of <3

  140. Thank you so much for doing this! I’m proud to be a part of such a supportive community <3

  141. Swing dancing literally saved my life when I was suicidal and alone in a new city. I have met so many wonderful people through dance who have encouraged me and lifted me up time and time again.

  142. Julia and I miss you all! Great to see this event put together. Happy to help our friends in the swing community.

  143. In support of all of the listed instructors from whom I’ve taken so many classes and gained so much in my Lindy hop education. More than happy to donate and give back.

  144. This scene is my family, my joy and even though I’m in NYC now, Cali is where it began for me – my swing dance home! Sending love too!

  145. I’ve been very fortunate to attend workshops with many of the instructors, and I hope that my small contribution can help them to survive during this pandemic.

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