On June 16, 2020, we e-mailed this update to all of our contributors: Thank You! Thanks to you and almost 1,000 other patrons, Pacific Swing Dance Foundation has collected just over $85,000 to aid full-time swing dance artists who’ve had their income affected by COVID-19. As far as we know, this is an unprecedented accomplishment in the modern swing dance scene and we could not have done it...
During today’s Rhythm Relief fundraiser, we aired an informational spot about PSDF and the Pacific Swing Dance Archive. You can support this effort right now by contributing to the Pacific Swing Dance Archive Living History project: HELP PSDF KEEP SWING DANCE LIVING In the past two years, we’ve collected oral history interviews from original swing dancer Roy Damron, second generation dancer and...
We were recently in touch with Roy Damron’s caretaker and learned of his death in early January, 2020. In 2018, PSDF sent Bobby White to Roy’s home in Hawaii where he, assisted by Deb Eason, spent three days interviewing Roy extensively. For CalBal 2020, Roy and Snookie featured prominently in our marketing. Here is Bobby’s obituary, cross-posted from his blog Swungover. R.I.P. ROY DAMRON...
At PSDF, we’ve been trying to find ways to help swing artists who’ve lost income.
So, a couple of weeks ago, Nick Williams approaches and says “I have an idea…”
We are thrilled to be able to support Nick with this fundraising and to provide administrative support. We have more information on the Rhythm Relief page, or…
donate!
The PSDF board of directors met about a week ago to discuss what, if anything, PSDF can do to help the swing dance scene during the necessary swing dance shutdowns related to COVID-19. PSDF is not wealthy enough to simply write checks to those whose swing dance income has dried up, but we do have a few internal competencies that might prove helpful. First, our mission of collecting and preserving...
PSDF is pleased to sponsor episode 43 of Ryan Swift’s The Track Podcast featuring SoCal swing dance legend Marge Takier! Some of the CalBal team played a small role in making this match, and it’s a delightful opportunity to hear Marge’s stories about herself and her late husband Hal Takier. The Track has a wonderful back catalog of episodes with other artists connected with swing dance including...