Saratoga News
News
Residents to dance night away at the second Saratoga Swings
By Shannon Burkey
It's time for dancing in the streets of Saratoga--or the Bank of America parking lot anyway--at the second Saratoga Swings community dance party of the summer, hosted by the Saratoga Village Development Council on July 28.
The event, the idea of Saratoga resident Donna Guldimann, was first conceived last year but didn't get off the ground until after the summer. This year, though, Guldimann enlisted friends Lynda Anderson, Saundra Hill and Connie Mitchell to help get the party going.
The four women have been meeting regularly for several months to plan the event and bring a little liveliness to the downtown Village.
"We're trying to make Saratoga a place where people say, 'This is a fun place to live,'" Anderson said. "This is a community event that a lot of people can participate in."
The first event, held in the Bank of America parking lot on Big Basin Way on July 14, featured the music of the Classics, a local band that plays rock 'n' roll oldies from the '50s and '60s. Nearly 100 people turned out for the inaugural event and night of dancing.
"It took just a few songs, well sung by their lead singer, before several couples ventured out onto the parking lot dance floor and began to swing," Mitchell said. "Before long other people joined them, with many people enjoying the music from their seats in the shade and the sidewalk."
Organizers are hoping to get at least the same number of people, if not more, at the upcoming dance, which will feature a salsa dance theme with Latin music provided by a local DJ.
"We thought salsa would be something that would be fun and appeal to a lot of people," Anderson said. "After all, it is called Saratoga Swings."
For those a little rusty on their salsa moves, organizers are bringing in a professional to help out. Agnes Gregorian, a dance instructor who teaches Latin rhythm dance classes at the Saratoga Recreation Department, will teach dancers the basic steps of salsa to get them moving on the dance floor.
Saratoga Swings is one of about a dozen events sponsored by the SVDC each year to bring people to the Village and more traffic into its shops and restaurants.
"This is like a town block party and a way for people to come out of their houses, see their neighbors and friends and build community," said Jill Hunter, chairwoman of the SVDC and a member of the Saratoga City Council.
"After the two this year, we'll evaluate and see how people felt about the event and if it's something we could grow for next year," Anderson said.
Saratoga Swings will take place on July 28 in the Bank of America parking lot at 14476 Big Basin Way from 5 to 7 p.m. The event is free.
