What is Revival Day?
Revival Day Weekend is a Lindy workshop weekend in May designed to give us a sense of revival. Just as the trees and flowers are coming alive due to the warmer weather, we too come alive with Lindy Hop due to some great instruction and fantastic music! A holiday worth celebrating...oh and bring your mom!
Who runs this thing anyway?
Revival Day Weekend is organized by Boston Swing Central, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to the preservation of the Lindy Hop and Jazz Music from the 1920's, 30's, and 40's. In 2010, Boston Swing Central moved into the Crosby Whistle Stop, the first dance venue and studio in Boston created for the Lindy Hop. Boston Swing Central runs dances every Friday night, and is obsessed with providing the best dance experience possible. The organization also supports numerous other dance groups through the use of its facilities, performs community outreach through several channels, and runs special events throughout the year....like Dirty Water, and hopefully more very soon!
Why Revival Day?
Revival Day is a Bessie Smith gospel song that she liked to call a rhythmic spirirual, it was recorded in 1930. We've taken the uplifting spirit of this song as inspiration for our weekend of learning, Lindy Hop, great music and social dancing. You might be more likely to hear the Laverne Baker version at a swing dance. Which you can hear below. It was recorded in 1958 and swings a little bit more than the original.
For some contrast, you can hear the glorious voice of Bessie Smith doing her version here:
