New Years Eve Dance Party – Swing, Salsa, Tango, & More !

New Years Eve Party

Please Join Us !

Tuesday, 31 December 2019

 

Many, many of you have joined us for our last few New Years Eve parties and they have been amazing!

Ring in the New Year in Style – with Music and Friends!

The Avalon Ballroom in Boulder, Colorado.

The LARGEST Social Dance Event of the year!

Tickets available in advance at www.dancelaughlove.com

Click Here to Buy Your Tickets!

Or purchase in advance at AVD or Snowhawk events

Or at the door by cash or credit card.

$45 in advance through 30 December. On our website.

$55 at the door on the day of the dance. Cash or credit/debit card.

No advance reservations needed.

No discounts, no refunds, but…..

Free admission for volunteers!

Some paid positions available. Inquire to Snowhawk Productions or American Vernacular Dance.

You can buy tickets in advance by cash or check at AVD events at Avalon.

All ages; minors will be carded.

 

Doors open at 6:45 PM. Halls open at 7:00 PM. No advance admission.

Waltzing and ballroom dance in the ballroom starting at 7 PM with live music on the grand piano by Art Bragg.

Bob Harris and “The Bringers of Swing” with Suzannah Harris will play the Ballroom 7:30 to 9:40.

The “After Midnight Jazz Sextet” will play the Ballroom from 10:00 PM to 1:00 AM.

 

Salsa and Bachata in Sodal Hall until 1:30 AM.

DJ Nelson

Salsa Lesson with Tom Oguribido at 7:15 PM

Bachata Lesson with Alexandra and Reni at 7:15 PM

 

Hot Fusion Night of Tango and Blues in the Northeast Studio until 1:00 AM.

DJ John Miller with Jessica Cutler

 

Dance performances in the Ballroom at 8:30 and 9:40 PM.

There will be at least one totally amazing dance performance that you will not see anywhere else, nor will you want to miss!!!

 

Amazing food and snacks organized by Halina Palmer and lots of volunteers.
Homemade cider by Craig Kontny.
Champagne/Cider toast at midnight in the Ballroom, included.
Cash bar hosted by Radu Popescu of the non-profit organization, the Romanian American Freedom Alliance.
Proceeds to RAFA.
Wine, beer and short menu of cocktails. Cash or credit.

Dress to Impress!

Details:
We are often asked “Is this primarily an event for couples?”
No. This is a mixed crowd; plenty of couples, plenty of singles, plenty of groups of friends.

Due to our liquor license there can be no BYOB for this event.
(Don’t even think about trying to sneak booze in to this event!)

Minors will be carded.

Food will be provided primarily before midnight; only light snacks after midnight.

The two dance performances will be in the Ballroom.

The midnight champagne and cider toast will be in the Ballroom, starting just before midnight.

Parking:
Even the expanded parking lot at The Avalon cannot hold all the cars that will arrive. Drivers may want to drop off passengers at the Front Entrance (the only entrance to this event) on the south side of the building. We will have parking assistants that can direct you to the most convenient parking spots. Overflow parking will include on-street parking on the east and north sides of the building, the north lot at Naropa (there is a pedestrian bridge from there to The Avalon), Black Roofing to the northeast of the building, and Shacht Spindle to the northwest of the building. The small parking area directly to the west of The Avalon building will be reserved for parking by our musicans, performers and staff.

Entrance:
There is only one entrance for this event, which is on the south side of The Avalon building.
The Boulder Tango Studio entrance will be locked.

Volunteers wanted. There are still projects for volunteers in exchange for free admission. Contact Jim Borzym or Joseph Snowhawk.
There are some paid work positions.

There is a coat room and coat hooks in the Salsa studio. Protect your valuables. (Leave them home.)

Drink responsibly!

Don’t leave anything behind!

Have fun!

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Notes about some of our performers:

The After Midnight Jazz Band

This is a remarkable band in many ways. Led by clarinetist Roger Campbell, in the mold of the Bennie Goodman sextet, with the same instrumentation. Rick Weingarten on vibraphone. Mike McCullough on guitar and a sensuous voice. Jerry Weiss providing delicious solo licks on the grand piano. Sensitive Jim Moore on the traps. And newest member, Dwight Thompson on bass viol. I found it fascinating to read the biographies of all six players and their tremendously varied and wide-ranging careers as professional musicians. These men are not hobbyists.

The small group format allows every instrument and voice to be clearly heard. Their orchestrations and presentations are top notch. They have been playing to tremendous acclaim by local dancers, including a wonderful show with singer Lannie Garrett, and frequent appearances at the Evergreen Jazz Festival. Many of our dancers go out of their way to put appearances by After Midnight on their social dance calendar.

The After Midnight Line-Up will be:

Roger Campbell – clarinet
Mike McCullough – guitar and vocal
Rick Weingarten – vibraphone and vocal
Jerry Weiss – grand piano
Jim Moore -percussion
Dwight Thompson – bass viol

Here is something written by Roger Campbell: “We have a wonderful time playing The Avalon Ballroom and truly appreciate all your support of our music. You are a special community and very near and dear to each of us. I think as musicians our goal is to connect with our listeners on a deeper, emotional level. The money and the accolades are great, but even more important and gratifying is seeing that we touched you in some way. Maybe it is through a little bit of joy, or creating a new memory together, or just experiencing the soul of music in a new and special way. I can’t really explain it, but you are why we do what we do.”

After Midnight is our headlining orchestra for the big New Years Eve party at The Avalon. A terrific band that totally enjoys playing our dances at the Avalon. Don’t miss them!

Here is a blurb I wrote after hearing After Midnight at Café Sole then the next night for a full concert performance. (Neither of these were dance events.)

I heard the quartet on Friday, and the full-on sextet Saturday. To use a colloquialism, I was blown away!

With a big band, all the voices blend. With a small ensemble, every note shines through. I know a lot about stage instrumental performances; there was not a single flub all night.

I love the drumming of Jim Moore. Powerful and also subtly attuned to every tune in its character. It is a joy for me to watch him play and hear the complexity of his rhythms.

Dwight Thompson was spot on in his solos, and in a special tune penned for him. A bassist that is wonderful to hear, and hear so clearly.

Substituting for Jerry Weiss was Eric Moon, who plays for our Tea Dances with Susan Rogers’ Exuberant Quartet. Eric is simply amazing. Truly amazing. Inventive, powerful at the right moments, adding trinklets at lovely quiet moments. And doubling on folk accordion. Wow!

I simply love guitarist Mike McCullough’s voice on so many thrilling songs. He sung tonight in Spanish, in falsetto, in scat, in loving ways. Such a master! Hard to say enough about him.

Rick Weingarten continues to amaze me. I knew he doubled on bongos, but tonight he played congas and last night the piano. And sang a song that he wrote and then adapted tonight for two specific circumstances – to recognize certain persons in the audience. How many musicians do you know who paly vibraphone!

Roger Campbell is a hard-working bandleader, a very fine man, and is phenomenal on that clarinet. Funny stories between tunes and ultra-smooth stage presence. If we could have Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman or Jimmy Dorsey now in Colorado, any of them would have a hard run for their money. Roger is awesome on that reed.

Just sayin’. The After Midnight Jazz and Swing Sextet is a rare combo, and a gem for music in Colorado. Check out their web site for future gigs, both for sittin’ and listenin’, and for our dances at The Avalon Ballroom. Catch them next for our New Years Eve party, and beyond.

I feel so darned lucky. You know, we have terrific music here in Colorado, and some of the very best in the world. Join us.

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Bob Harris and the Bringers of Swing

Bob Harris and his band are a favorite for swing dance at the Avalon, and man, can that guy sing! I like the way they are described on one web site:

“Bob Harris is a professional singer whose recording and touring credits include Frank Zappa, Warren Zevon, Steve Vai, Jock Bartley of Firefall, AXE, Edge of Forever (a group based in Italy), several Denver-based groups, and vocals on numerous studio projects. “Bob Harris & the Bringers of Swing” features Bob on vocals supported by a combo of top jazz musicians. They perform danceable jazz with exciting delivery and incredible vocals. Bob brings an edge to his jazz performances that make him not your typical crooner. Bob Harris & The Bringers of Swing bring to life the hits of great artists such as Tony Bennett, Etta James, Michael Buble, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, to name a few, as well as the classic standards that audiences love.”

The “Bringers of Swing” include guitar, sax, bass and drums supporting Bob’s fantastic vocals. This is one of our top bands and Bob is definitely the best male vocalist found in any of our swing bands at Avalon. Don’t miss him!

And for this New Years Eve Dance Party at The Avalon, Bob will be joined by his equally talented and inspiring wife, Suzannah Harris, singing in their terrific duet style! Suzannah’s band is “Dixie Leadfoot”, who we also feature at the live music swing series at The Avalon.

Their line-up this year will be:

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Watch Your Step!

Watch Your Step! is a vintage dance group formed in 2008 that performs American social dances of the early twentieth century. This troupe amuses and informs the public through the presentation of dances from the past, some of which—like the Foxtrot—evolved into the ballroom dances we know today. The group has a serious mission—to authentically recreate social dances from America’s past with costumes, music and historical information.

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John Miller and Jesica Cutler

John Miller and Jesica Cutler have been teaching tango together for seven years. In that time they have developed a class style that they describe as fun, clear, and connected. They have taught at festivals across North America and are a very popular couple teaching tango in Colorado. I am eager to see their performance live here in the Avalon Ballroom.