The finale of the dancing year 2003

Now the dance year 2003 has ended. This means that it is five years since this site and it's dancing calendar was firstly published.

From February 1999 when the calendar started, there is a log of the dances we have visited. During 2003 we visited 61 dances, dance courses not included. Although that is a substantial number, in comparison with year 2000 when we visited 84 dances, it is still significantly less.

Perhaps this partly can be explained by increasing age, but at the same time I feel that there at least occasionally during this year the will to dance has been higher than the range. A notable and sad fact is also that 2003 was the year when the traditional Swedish dances - gammaldans - at Mälarsalen were brought to an end.

I feel also that the events with rock/swing/lindy dance during this year have been fewer compared with the previous years.

But at the same time there is no doubt that there are still numerous events with dance in Stockholm. During Christmas and the new year's eve we visited three dance events.

December 27,2003 there was dance with GDV Jakobsberg at Aspnässkolan, with music provided by Skarvarna. The dance was very good - many dancers, good music, nice and friendly atmosphere.

December 30, 2003 we visited the dance in Alvik, arranged by Örjansringen and with Leif-Billyz playing. This dance was as well very enjoyable. It is nice with a big audience at the dances, except when one is ending up at the tail of the coffee queue...

January 3, 2004 strictly belongs to the new year, but is any way included in this report. At that date we visited Mälarsalen, and it was then one year since the last visit. The reason for us visiting was that Leif Kronlunds orchestra were playing. We had previously danced to them at the Stockholm 750 year's jubilee. At that event we appreciated the orchestra and the dance very much.

And so we did this evening. There was plenty of dancers, but still room enough to be able to dance. The orchestra played very varied music. As one could expect there was much dance with foxtrot and bug, but also jive and swing. We got also opportunity to find out what we could remember from cha cha cha, modern waltz and wiener waltz.

We had planned to visit "Nattsudd" (a night on the tiles) at Mondo, but found that we were not in shape for that. While waiting for the dance to begin the eyelids became heavy. The habits are different, we normally want to leave the dance at a point of time when the dance at Nattsudd has not yet started. So we decided that the completion of the dance year was already a success and that Mondo probably would do fine without us.