Play in the City : Jump, Jive an' Wail

Last Tuesday, Milwaukee felt Mother Nature’s wrath as temperatures fell to an all-time low causing record low attendance for Swing Night at the Milwaukee Ale House. Despite the chilly weather and small crowd, the brewpub was definitely raising temperatures as we danced the winter night away.

On any given Tuesday night, whether it’s a smoldering 90 degrees or subzero outside, you’ll find the Ale House bustling with sneaker-wearing swingers ready to learn the basics in East Coast jumping and jiving.

Returning from a six month hiatus, Eric and I bundled up and raced over to the Third Ward for lessons at 8 p.m. We found parking unusually fast and scurried toward the warm glow radiating off the enormous copper vats in the Ale House lobby. Inside the brick and timber warehouse bar was a good mix of people: some young, some old; some flying solo, some with a group of friends and others as couples. They all were a welcoming bunch.

Since we didn’t recognize anyone, we grabbed a table for two, though most tables and chairs were stacked and moved off the wooden floor to make room around the small stage for dancers. Once we found a waitress, we ordered a pitcher of my favorite Ale House craft brew Louie’s Demise, and then patiently waited for the instructor to get us moving.

Maureen Majeski, Jumpin’ Jive Club Instructor, teaches weekly Swing dance lessons at several Greater Milwaukee area locations. Maureen has been teaching classes at the Ale House for about eight years and in that time has taught nearly 15,000 people at the brewpub.

Promptly at 8 p.m. we were summoned to the makeshift dance floor. We peeled off our coats and followed suit, ready to learn some new moves or at least brush up on those we remembered. At first, men and women were split up. It was like a grade school dance as the guys stood on one side and the gals stood across from them. At this time, we were taught the basic step – triple step, triple step, rock step – which can be a little tough at first, but it’s pretty easy to catch on.

As I scanned the bar, I noticed that everyone seemed to be at a different skill level. That made the class a bit challenging at times but it also gave everyone a boost of confidence knowing that they weren't the only person struggling with a particular move. Since Eric and I had taken classes at the Ale House a handful of times before, we already had a good feel for how to dance together. Meanwhile, everyone else looked fairly comfortable regardless of their skill level since experience isn’t necessary and newcomers are always welcome.

After learning each step in individual groups, we then practiced those moves together as couples. First, all of the guys were instructed to line up in a single file line (usually there are multiple lines that create rows all the way back to the main bar). Then, they were paired up with a lady who would dance with them for a few counts, and then rotate to her left to meet the next guy and dance with him for a couple more counts. It’s a great way to meet new people, especially for singles. For those coming as a couple, though, it puts a damper on the romance. Thus, Eric and I snuck off to a secluded corner near our table to dance together. When others would rotate, we’d sip on our beer to remain under radar. Yeah, I know, we're rebels! Actually, the only reason we chose to break away from the group was because we came to dance with each other, not because we were being antisocial. So, we got to learn together and we had a blast doing so!

Maureen and her assistant stayed on stage, which made it easy to see the steps since the stage is held up by dozens of beer kegs (suitable for the bar room). The stage also made it easy for Maureen to point out those who were falling behind or looking confused. She would count for us and gave extra instructions to those who needed it.

I was able to pick up most of the steps quite easily and Eric wasn’t too shabby either. Once we got the swing of it (pardon the pun) we were able to goof around a bit since the dance itself isn’t terribly structured. It’s a lot like learning to jump rope: initially it’s a bit awkward, but it eventually becomes smooth and nearly effortless.

Swing steps are a combination of rock steps and triple steps and since it’s a quick dance, the steps should be small and tight, especially on the “rock step,” which we learned after witnessing couples stomp on each other’s feet. Eric and I would mess up a little here and there – it took us a while to figure out when to let go of our hands to spin and sometimes the directional changes were confusing – but we never stepped on each other’s toes. Not even once!

We learned how to do the basic footwork – it’s almost entirely danced on the balls of your feet – and soon learned how to rotate, and then how to do a turn. After several reps, we added some kicks to add a little flair. We lingered on those moves for most of the class, but at the end we got to combine them into a full routine as we danced to jumpy blues and big band music.

I really appreciated the organization and instruction of the class. I liked how the moves were broken down step by step and how we learned them individually first, and then with a partner – it made me feel more in control and comfortable with the steps.

I wish the hour class was longer, it moved by too quickly. But after the class the Ale House opened the floor to anyone willing to test their Swing skills. Even though I almost always forget the steps once I get home, the free Open Swing Dance is a great way to practice what we learned during class in hopes of retaining something.

Eric and I paid our $12 fee for the class and then decided to try a couple combinations we learned that night. We also mixed in some of the steps we remembered from previous classes, but it was very repetitive since we haven’t built a vast catalog of moves yet. For most of the Open Swing Dance we just chilled and watched other people dance, which was quite inspiring. Most dancers were like us and just reviewed the material from class; still there were some people who looked like pros! Because my photos came out blurry and you can’t get a feel for how the dancers looked, I took some video footage and put it up on YouTube here and here. I hope Eric and I can move together like that someday. Until then, we will keep brushing up on the basics and will try to make it to more of Maureen’s Tuesday night Swing classes to continue improving.

Swing night at the Ale House is a ton of fun and certainly provides the perfect way to warm-up on a cold winter night. Check it out tonight!

If you can’t make it to the Ale House, Maureen also teaches basic Swing lessons from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. or easy Lindy Hop lessons from 7 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. on Monday nights at Rooters Nightclub in Waukesha. It’s only six bucks!

Jumpin’ Jive Club features Swing lessons and a dance the first and third Friday of each month. Locations vary, so take a look here for details.

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Milwaukee Ale House
233 N. Water Street, Milwaukee’s Third Ward
Swing Lessons/Open Dance
By Maureen Majeski
$6 per person
Every Tuesday from 8 p.m. until 9 p.m.
Free Open Swing Dance after 9 p.m.