New Generation Learns
Swing'.
Swing!
Swing!

By Elaine Waldorf Gewirtz
Correspondent

The joint will be jumping Saturday night when Harry Selvin's Orchestra presents "Swing! Swing! Swing!" at the Civic Arts Plaza in Thousand Oaks. For one evening only, the Scherr Forum Theatre will be transformed into a '40s nightclub with cocktail tables surrounding a dance floor and a silver ball suspended from the ceiling.

"We'll cull back the rug, take out some seats and a 2,000-square-foot wooden door just happens," said Selvin of Westlake Village, who is producing the show.

Devoted to swing dance and big band music, the event is sponsored by KKZZ and Southern California Lite 92.7. World champion swing dancers Gail and Jamie Arias, and The Rhythm Rockers, an amateur dance team from the California Dance Theatre in Agoura Hills, will also be appearing

"We'll be wearing our'40s attire, but people do not have to come in costume," Gail Arias said. "This is just a fun evening that involves active audience participation."

At 7 p.m., people will be invited on stage for swing dance lessons.

"We'll give a 45-minute workshop in basic swing," Arias said.

Depending upon the level of experience attendees already have, Arias hopes to teach four basic swing dance steps such as the arm slide and the swivel.

"If you're 16 or 80 years old, you can expect to have a wonderful time, even if you've never danced before," Arias said. "You don't even need a dance partner."

Twelve members of The Rhythm Rockers will also help dancers fine-tune their steps.

Harry Selvin's orchestra will play at 8 p.m. Attendees will be able to dance to such favorites as "Sing, Sing, Sing," ' Mr. Zoot Suit," "Jump, live and Wail" and "Sweet Georgia Brown."

"Then by 9:45 everyone will be ready to rest so Gail and Jaime and The Rhythm Rockers will present a dance exhibition," Selvin said.

Selvin interviewed downs of groups before inviting these teams to twirl, flip and boogie for the crowd.

"We've done similar shows all over the world, but this is an exciting one for us because it's close to home," said Arias, a Thousand Oaks resident.

"Swing! Swing! Swing!" was conceived by Selvin when his granddaughter came   home from college and attended one of his big band rehearsals.

"She loved in, MUSiC but didn't know how to swing dance," he said."I began showing her and pretty soon I realized them's a whole generation who have never done any synchronized dancing."

Selvin hopes children and teens will attend the event and is offering a $10 student discount.

"This is entertainment the whole family nor enjoy," Selvin said. "That's not always easy to find these days."

Tickets are $36.50 apiece, which includes swing lessons, the dance and exhibition.