Pacific Swing Dance Archive

The Pacific Swing Dance Archive is an effort to collect, preserve, and protect original materials related to the history of swing dancing in the Western United States, and to make those resources accessible to enthusiasts and researchers.

If you have a collection of swing-dance related materials, PSDF may be interested in acquiring it and preserving it. We can accept your gift as a tax-deductible donation and you do not have to give up your rights as the original owner.

The Archive is in its infancy but we are actively pursuing additions to the collection and developing the facilities to preserve collected materials. A few recent projects include:

  • Collecting oral history from original California Swing Dancer Roy Damron.
  • Collecting oral history from Southern California swing dance enthusiast, collector, and chronicler Dwight Lupardis.
  • Preserving the orginal film of the Soundie Maharaja.

If you have materials to contribute to the Pacific Swing Dance Archive, we are interested in video, audio, memorabilia, costumes, and ephemera related to swing dancing in the Western United States including LA Swing, Collegiate Shag, Balboa, and West Coast Swing. Materials may include items such as:

  • Clothing, awards, trophies, scrapbooks, and clippings related to swing dancing.
  • Pertinent video and film footage.
  • Period photographic records.
  • Period audio records.
  • Your personal experiences recorded.

To tell us about your collection and get more information, please get in touch: