Swing Concert & Dance (plus lessons!)
- laurie0485
- Jul 24
- 4 min read
Piotr Barcz Trio with special guest Ralph Lane play SWING!
Tuesday July 29, 2025 - lessons start at 6p - live music starts at 7p.
We are bringing the center back to the 1920s for a night of swing! Gwen & Chad Vogel make learning the steps easy and fun (lessons from 6p - 7p). At 7pm, the Piotr Barcz Trio (with special guest Ralph Lane) perform. Come dance or listen. Try some 1920s inspired mocktails. Bring your kids - we'll have adults on hand to hang out with them in for a separate dance party and craft activities. The dance will be indoors, but kids can also run around on the yard and playground outside.
This is a great chance to get to know and support amazing local performers!
Chad & Gwen Vogel reside in Essex, NY, and have been swing dancing together since 2012. Gwen is a freelance graphic designer, Gwen Jamison Vogel Design. Chad breeds Suffolk Punch draft horses and offers draft-horse-powered logging & restorative forestry services. They are both partner farmers of Reber Rock Farm. They recently taught a sold-out swing dance series at the Social Center.
Piotr Barcz Trio with Special Guest Ralph Lane
Piotr leads on piano, joined by Russ on drums, Chris on bass, and guest guitarist Ralph Lane
Piotr Barcz, originally from Poland and now residing in Essex, NY, is the young band leader of the trio. Immersed in music for as long as he can remember, he was especially enamored with early American jazz and blues vinyl records, vintage music equipment and recording techniques. His mentors include veteran bluesman Russ Bailey and ragtime marvel Joan Crane. Piotr was quickly recognized as a musical prodigy, eventually choosing piano as his main instrument. His playing style and arrangements remain unique, as he plays by ear, which in turn, has allowed him to become an exhilarating improvisor.
Piotr is also a music archivist, audio engineer, and piano collector, as well as the owner of Ivory Music company, a piano roll cutting and recording business. He runs a popular and appreciated YouTube channel dedicated to player piano roll scan archiving, publishing music by ragtime composers, and transcribing tunes into midi files.
Russell Bleecker Bailey, a lifetime resident of the Bouquet Valley, has been painting the North-East music scene with his guitar for over three decades. Russ started drumming for the Piotr Barcz Trio in 2022. A passionate but reclusive artist, these days Russ splits his time between forging heirloom quality iron work in his blacksmith shop in Essex, NY, and continuing his musical path as a guitarist and drummer.
As a child, Chris Stokes took classical music training on the cello and guitar. He discovered bluegrass music when he was a teen and has been a big part of his life since. After a career as an airline pilot, he discovered Nashville, where he was able to play with many celebrated musicians. In 2022 Chris joined the Piotr Barcz Trio. Chris compares playing with Piotr to flying in the Air Force: you must always pay attention!
Ralph Lane a guitar legend in the Eastern Adirondacks. Ralph started playing at the age of 4 from a musical family. “From that day I never looked back, and I turned into a horrible guitar addict.”
Eras of Swing
Early 1920s - 1930s
Swing dancing, particularly Lindy Hop, emerged from African American communities in Harlem, New York, evolving from earlier jazz dances.
1930s - 1940s
The "Swing Era" took hold, fueled by the popularity of big band swing music and the emergence of iconic dancers like Frankie Manning and Whitey's Lindy Hoppers
1950s - Present
While swing dance popularity waned with the rise of rock and roll, it experienced revivals in the 1980s and 1990, and continues to be enjoyed today.
Fun Facts about Swing
Swing Was Born to Dance Swing music emerged in the 1920s as part of the jazz era, and it was all about getting people moving. Its upbeat, syncopated rhythm practically begs you to hit the dance floor!
The Lindy Hop Was the Original Swing Dance Named after aviator Charles Lindbergh (“Lucky Lindy”), the Lindy Hop originated in Harlem in the late 1920s and became the foundation for many swing dance styles.
Big Bands, Big Sound Swing music was often played by big bands, ensembles of 12–25 musicians that included horns, rhythm sections, and vocalists. Think Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Benny Goodman.
Social Dance, Not Just Performance Unlike ballet or ballroom competitions, swing dancing was a social activity, danced at clubs, community centers, and ballrooms. It was a way for everyone to let loose.
It’s Improvised and Interactive Swing dancing is known for its improvisation and playful connection between partners. Each dance is a conversation, led by the music and the moment.
It Brought People Together During the Great Depression and World War II, swing dancing was a joyful escape and a way for communities to stay connected, uplifted, and energized.
It’s Still Evolving Today Swing never went out of style, it just keeps evolving! Today’s dancers mix vintage moves with modern flair, and the swing community is active worldwide.
