Integrated Rhythm (Chisomo & Bobby)

Chisomo Selemani is a US Citizen now! (One of us... one of us... one of us...) So, for funsies, Bobby takes the citizenship test.

Chisomo & Bobby dive into a discussion on body types and the swing scene.

Huge thanks to our Patreon patrons!

Cassandra Filios

Kaydee Tower

Sasha K

Justnigel

Ann Sofie van Enis

Katja Alexandria

July Belber

Rebecca BurWei

Dee Mathews

Brooks Prumo

Jessie Brooks

Aryn Kelly

Audrey Bui

Ian Dawson

Karen Compos McCormack

Amy Sorenson

Nika Jin

Emily Benze

Angel Jenio

Nick Cruickshank

Taylor Stender

Leila Gass

Selena Kruse

Ryan Lemar

Cal

Tara Sliwinski

Rebecca Harris

Lori Taniguchi

Christian Frommelt

Allison Frey

Lucie Q Mazzanti

Gary Chyi

Laura Windley

Lynn Maslen

And huge thanks to

Lawrence Kalantari

Karen Shrieber

Who donated big in order to help us pay for the work!

Chisomo & Bobby break down breakdancing at the 2024 Olympics and what Lindy Hoppers can take away from it. The answers are often just more questions. But some of the topics they hit upon are... accessibility in sports/arts, doo rags and zoot suits, trying to take politics out of a political dance, Lindy Hop at the Harvest Moon Ball, and the introduction of Caitlin Clark into the WNBA.

We don't blame you if you're tired of this conversation, we won't be upset if you skip this one. But if you haven't watched them yet, PLEASE watch some of the great breakdancing battles of the Olympics, not just the notorious one. We think we owe our fellow Black American dance forms that much. :)

No video for this one, audio only. (RECORDED AT POLICORO IN SWING!)

Huge thanks to our Patreon patrons!

Cassandra Filios

Kaydee Tower

Sasha K

Justnigel

Ann Sofie van Enis

Katja Alexandria

July Belber

Rebecca BurWei

Dee Mathews

Brooks Prumo

Jessie Brooks

Aryn Kelly

Audrey Bui

Ian Dawson

Karen Compos

McCormack

Amy Sorenson

Nika Jin

Emily Benze

Angel Jenio

Nick Cruickshank

Taylor Stender

Leila Gass

Selena Kruse

Ryan Lemar

Cal

Tara Sliwinski

Rebecca Harris

Lori Taniguchi

Christian Frommelt

Allison Frey

Lucie Q Mazzanti

Gary Chyi

Laura Windley

Lynn Maslen

And huge thanks to

Lawrence Kalantari

Karen Shrieber

Who donated big in

order to help us pay for the work!

LIVE! at Beantown Lindy Hop Camp 2022, outside of Boston. Join ANTHONY CHEN & LAUREL RYAN as we discuss dance and healing, including a Q&A from audience members.

Please note: This was recorded just as the world seemed to be emerging from the Pandemic.

As many of you know our beloved Michelle Stokes unexpectedly passed away in early February. This is just a brief episode about that regarding our Integrated Rhythm family, our season 2 start date, and how we all might honor Michelle in the IR spirit. It includes a clip of Michelle from a conversation following a recent episode recording.  

Also, if you haven't already, please listen to Michelle's two-part interview: Season 1, episodes 13 and 14.

We love you Michelle. 

In this episode, Chisomo & Bobby discuss White people complimenting Black people, and many of the layers involved.

(0:00) The setup. (4:00) compliments & microaggressions. (8:30) talking with the other person? It gets tricky. (10:30) looking at the context. (19:00) Black women's hair. (22:00) The exaggeration of Black people as a tool of oppression. (23:30) Black People and being suspicious of compliments. (28:30) It's just not a Black/White binary. (32:00) Game: Yay or Nay! Chisomo gets compliments and judges them. (35:30) Relationships and context.

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Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. In this episode...

Our music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our "We're back! song" was an improvisation by Steffanie AK Schilling, and the background drumming is by Bobby White

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

In our Season 2 debut, Michelle Stokes, Laurel Ryan, Andrea Gordon, and Julia Loving join Chisomo & Bobby to listen to Norma Miller's 1970s stand up album and discuss it and what makes humor of its time. Btw, ALL THE CONTENT WARNINGS.  

 If you are able, please consider donating to our patreon!  

https://www.patreon.com/integratedrhythm 

And huge thanks to our Patreon patrons: Jessica Brooks, Aryn Kelly, Audrey Bui, Ian Dawson, Amy Sorenson, Nika Jin, Angel Jenio, Taylor Stender, Ryan Lemar, Rebecca Harris, Lori Taniguchi, Christian Frommelt, Allison Frey, Gary Chyi, Laura Windley, Lynn Maslen  As well as special thanks to patrons Lawrence Kalantari and Karen Schreiber.  Without which, this project would not be possible!

Holding on.

That seems to be a theme as we discuss Black American English, Southerners traveling North, and, of course, jazz dance. 

0:00 Black American English: It's a language!

11:30 Bobby experiences a TINY bit of language discrimination, compared to how much Black Americans experience.     

16:30 Discrimination of language is discrimination of people

20:00 Chisomo's speaking as an unintended role model for Black students

24:00 Code switching, both conscious and subconscious

33:00 The Great Migration and soul food

40:00 Cleveland vs Australia

41:00 Gullah culture and Jazz Dance

45:30 The Carribean & New Orleans

--------------------------

Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing.

Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. Our podcast music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our intro music this week is by Barron Ryan, Laurel Ryan's brother (check out firstofitskind.net, and www.barronryan.com.) And, the background drumming is by Bobby White.

Find us at your local podcast app, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover (Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

It's a Chisomo & Bobby episode, where we discuss a few topics.  

0:00 A possible guest politely declined to be on our show, and we talk about it. It's all good, but we wanted to explore some things that brings up.  

12:30 The art of not talking over Follower teachers, and what that tells us about inclusion.  

28:30 We discuss Odysseus Bailer's great "How to Apologize" post, recently published on his professional FB page.

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Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. 

Our music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes.  

Find us at your local podcast app, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm   

Please donate to help keep us in business:  

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm  

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com  

Venmo: @bobbyswungover   

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

Chisomo & Bobby discuss the "You're Wrong About" podcast's fantastic "Ebonics Controversy" episode. We discuss what makes a language a language, code switching, and authenticity. 

If you are able, please consider donating to our patreon!

https://www.patreon.com/integratedrhythm

(or one time donations to paypal.me/bobbywhite3)

And huge thanks to our Patreon patrons: Jessica Brooks, Aryn Kelly, Audrey Bui, Ian Dawson, Amy Sorenson, Nika Jin, Angel Jenio, Taylor Stender, Ryan Lemar, Rebecca Harris, Lori Taniguchi, Christian Frommelt, Allison Frey, Gary Chyi, Laura Windley, Lynn Maslen. As well as special thanks to Lawrence Kalantari  and Karen Schreiber.  Without which, this project would not be possible!

**Please note: an important life situation has come up that will most likely keep us from being able to do an episode or two in the near future. Please bare with us and enjoy a previous episode for your weekly fix of IR!**

This week, a reading of the article, "A Gaze into a Day at the Races" that dives into the background and context of the famous Whitey's Lindy Hoppers dance clip.

0:00 Whitey's Teirs

9:00 About the Clip 

13:00 The Circle

17:30 "Right" and "Wrong"

21:30 A Day at the Racists?

31:00 The Smile

38:00 Notes

-------------------

Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing.

Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. Our podcast music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our intro and ad music this week is by Barron Ryan, Laurel Ryan's brother (check out firstofitskind.net, and www.barronryan.com.) And, the background drumming is by Bobby White.

Find us at your local podcast app, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover (Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

50 EPISODES!! Oh, geeze. Recorded at HERRANG 2024. We joined with one of our great friends URSULA HICKS to discuss SO MUCH GOOD STUFF.

First, she tells us about Herrang's NEXT GENERATION PROJECT. Then, we play a little game where key words trigger Ursula to share some fun/enlightening/not-so-fun/hilarious dance situations that have taught us some important things.

Recently we have been using computer software to cut out background noise and help make the episode clear and easy and professional sounding. Sometimes it might sound weird or garbled, please forgive us as we learn this new skill.

THANKS SO MUCH TO OUR PATRONS! (You can find us on patreon!)

Sasha K

Justnigel

Ann Sofie van Enis

Katja Alexandria

July Belber

Rebecca BurWei

Dee Mathews

Brooks Prumo

Jessie Brooks

Aryn Kelly

Audrey Bui

Ian Dawson

Karen Compos McCormack

Amy Sorenson

Nika Jin

Emily Benze

Angel Jenio

Nick Cruickshank

Taylor Stender

Leila Gass

Selena Kruse

Ryan Lemar

Cal

Tara Sliwinski

Rebecca Harris

Lori Taniguchi

Christian Frommelt

Allison Frey

Lucie Q Mazzanti

Gary Chyi

Laura Windley

Lynn Maslen

Ariane Proteau

Stephanie Kawalski 

Tove Lundström 

Charlotte

Laurel Ryan

Paul Graf

Cassandra Filios

And huge thanks to

Lawrence Kalantari

Karen Shrieber

Who donated big in order to help us pay for the work!

Was this one a good idea? We think so?

Following a long red-eye flight and a certain Olympic break dancer's excuse for their performance, Bobby gives Chisomo a theoretical schpeel on values in Lindy Hop, and the problems of choosing one Black American value higher than others. Then they discuss. Shout-out to Shelby Johnson for inspirational posts. We're still learning, keep the conversation going!

And of course, huge thanks to our patrons! (You can find us on patreon!)

Sasha K

Justnigel

Ann Sofie van Enis

Katja Alexandria

July Belber

Rebecca BurWei

Dee Mathews

Brooks Prumo

Jessie Brooks

Aryn Kelly

Audrey Bui

Ian Dawson

Karen Compos
McCormack

Amy Sorenson

Nika Jin

Emily Benze

Angel Jenio

Nick Cruickshank

Taylor Stender

Leila Gass

Selena Kruse

Ryan Lemar

Cal

Tara Sliwinski

Rebecca Harris

Lori Taniguchi

Christian Frommelt

Allison Frey

Lucie Q Mazzanti

Gary Chyi

Laura Windley

Lynn Maslen

Ariane Proteau

Stephanie Kawalski

Tove Lundström

Charlotte

Laurel
Ryan

Paul Graf

Cassandra Filios

And huge thanks to

Lawrence Kalantari and Karen Shrieber

Who donated big in order to help us pay for the work!

We're back, with STEFFANIE AK SCHILLING! Fun times discussing Juneteenth, European racism, colorism, the Balboa scene, and more!

If you are able, please consider donating to our patreon!

https://www.patreon.com/integratedrhythm

(or one time donations to paypal.me/bobbywhite3)

And huge thanks to our Patreon patrons: Jessica Brooks, Aryn Kelly, Audrey Bui, Ian Dawson, Amy Sorenson, Nika Jin, Angel Jenio, Taylor Stender, Ryan Lemar, Rebecca Harris, Lori Taniguchi, Christian Frommelt, Allison Frey, Gary Chyi, Laura Windley, Lynn Maslen. As well as special thanks to Lawrence Kalantari  and Karen Schreiber.  Without which, this project would not be possible!

A room with a door...

Not just a great thing to have in a instructor contract, it's also a great thing to have in the swing dance scene as a whole.

In part 2 of 2, instructor, MC, and Lindy Focus meeting co-host LAUREL RYAN shares with us how the standards of Black Excellence give a warped door for Black instructors to enter the Instructor room, how the swing scene is designed like FaceBook, and how the women's bathroom is the secret to good allyship.      

0:00 The standard of Black excellence 

5:30 Every bad experience leads to a better rider

11:00 Lindy Hop is a folk dance

19:00 There's a huge difference in how Black men are treated in the scene, and how Black women are treated in the scene

22:00 Promoters and their Black teachers and follower privilege and leader privilege and children

28:00 The threat of marginalized people being edged out

33:00 The intersection of opposing ideas

39:00 How FB and the Swing Scene are designed similarly

45:30 Awkward Allyship

49:00 Women's bathrooms: The secret to Allyship

1:00:00 What do I like about the way that I dance?

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Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things.

Special in this episode, our starting music is Barron Ryan. All other music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes.

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

Another Chisomo & Bobby episode! This week, the parable of the Three Little Black Girls. What would you do? Let us know at Intrhythm@gmail.com

0:00 Three Little Black Girls come up to us in the park…

6:00 "Too woke, Chisomo"

9:30 No one will see our dance if it's not out in the world…

20:00 Crucibles of talent

29:00 Independence vs interdependence

In this episode of Integrated Rhythm, we speak with Swing Dancer, instructor, performer, social justice panelist, MC, and Cyber Security Expert STEFFANIE AK SCHILLING. After quite possibly the greatest intro we will ever create, we discuss…

(4:00) Being 80 years old, (6:20) ADHD… (7:30) and medication …(11:30) ADHD in following and leading … (13:00) defining ADHD…(18:00) being a woman with ADHD…(24:00) dancing and choreography with ADHD, (41:00) …Finding care for ADHD, (42:00) Dealing with dancing during The Pandemic, (47:00) Science!, (48:00) Bobby & dancing during the Pandemic, (57:00) advice and counter-advice, (1:00:00) Cool. Cool cool cool.

To contact Steffanie for bookings, please email her at Steffanie.schilling@gmail.com. 

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Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. In this episode...

Our music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our "We're back! song" was an improvisation by Steffanie AK Schilling, and the background drumming is by Bobby White

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

Chisomo talks through some of the feelings of being hired as a Black woman instructor in the modern swing scene. Bobby talks about a time he recently switched the names of two of his close Black friends, in person, in a group of dancers.

Huge thanks to our Patrons!

Sasha K

Justnigel

Ann Sofie van Enis

Katja Alexandria

July Belber

Rebecca BurWei

Dee Mathews

Brooks Prumo

Jessie Brooks

Aryn Kelly

Audrey Bui

Ian Dawson

Karen Compos McCormack

Amy Sorenson

Nika Jin

Emily Benze

Angel Jenio

Nick Cruickshank

Taylor Stender

Leila Gass

Selena Kruse

Ryan Lemar

Cal

Tara Sliwinski

Rebecca Harris

Lori Taniguchi

Christian Frommelt

Allison Frey

Lucie Q Mazzanti

Gary Chyi

Laura Windley

Lynn Maslen

And huge thanks to

Lawrence Kalantari

Karen Shrieber

Who donated big in order to help us pay for the work!

Pretend I'm Not Bouncing.   

Dancer BRANDON BARKER has his dance passion in three worlds --- the academy of a university where he is currently finishing up a BFA in concert dance, the legendary company of Black American dance Alvin Ailey where he has worked and trained, and the swing scene where he is a Lindy Hopper and Jazz dancer, performer, and teacher. See how those worlds criss-cross and collide in today's episode.

0:00 Brandon breaks down his dancing life for the discussion

6:00 Working with Clyde Wilder

8:00 What's it like being a student in your dance forms compared to each other

14:00 Bobby learns jazz and tap from a Ballerina

16:00 Performance and competitions background approaches

20:00 The art of throwing yourself into things

24:00 What's it like teaching those in the swing scene, especially with your background in concert dance training?

35:00 What are some of the things its hard to get concert dancers to do in jazz dance movement?

37:00 What happens when Hip Hop and House dancers swing?

45:00 Being a Choreography-trained dancer, what was it like when you started trying out improvisation?   

54:00 In all your dance places, are you treated differently? Anything you want to share about being a Black Man in those spaces?

-----------------------

Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things.

Our music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, and the background drumming is by Bobby White

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com (Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

Venmo: @bobbyswungover (Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

In PART 2 of our Season 2 debut, Michelle Stokes, Laurel Ryan, Andrea Gordon, and Julia Loving join Chisomo & Bobby to listen to Norma Miller's 1970s stand up album and discuss it and what makes humor of its time. Btw, ALL THE CONTENT WARNINGS. 

If you are able, please consider donating to our patreon!  

https://www.patreon.com/integratedrhythm 

And huge thanks to our Patreon patrons: Jessica Brooks, Aryn Kelly, Audrey Bui, Ian Dawson, Amy Sorenson, Nika Jin, Angel Jenio, Taylor Stender, Ryan Lemar, Rebecca Harris, Lori Taniguchi, Christian Frommelt, Allison Frey, Gary Chyi, Laura Windley, Lynn Maslen. As well as special thanks to Lawrence Kalantari  and Karen Schreiber.  Without which, this project would not be possible!

CHECK IT OUT! Short tidbits where we point listeners to awesome things.

In this episode, we briefly tell you why you should read "Unbothered," an article by Namwali Serpell for The Yale Review, and some questions to ask yourself after you're done.

(Part 2 of 2!)

This is a special holiday episode with the Integrated Rhythm family and all of our guests so far --- LATASHA BARNES, JOEY OTENG, LAUREL RYAN, MICHELLE STOKES, and STEFFANIE AK SCHILLING!

CONTENTS:

(0:00) Question #3: What's a time when you've seen two cultures overlap unexpectedly?

(1:07) Product of an interracial AND international couple

(8:00) Immigrant kids tend to find each other

(12:30) Empire & Art

(16:00) Culture can be invisible

(18:00) How we present these dances

(25:30) The Classic Rock bubble meets Blues and Soul

(29:00) I grew up in an all-Black neighborhood in L.A.…then moved to Arizona.

(37:00) When kids start to learn about race

(42:00) Quick breakdown of Colorism

(45:00) Question #4: What are you grateful for in 2020?

(45:00) Roomates, new friends

(53:00) Introverted time

(56:00) Y'all remember when a lot of people were DMing all the Blacks?

(1:03:00) Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit

(1:07:00) If Black don't Crack, how do you broach that topic in relationships?

(1:15:00) Shout out to Jo!

(1:16:00) A special, reluctant, unprepared treat.

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Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. In this episode...

Our music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our "We're back! song" was an improvisation by Steffanie AK Schilling, and the background drumming is by Bobby White

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

My Exodus for Me to Begin.

In Part II of a two-part conversation with Harvest Moon Ball champion and Mama Lou Parks dancer CRYSTAL JOHNSON, we cover her father, Whitey's Lindy Hopper Thomas "Tops" Lee, her coming back into the swing dance world, and her thoughts on how racism has changed since she was younger.

1:30 Thomas Lee, Mr. Showbiz

6:00 Maya Angelou and swing dancing

10:0 you have to feel the music

13:30 Mama Lou Parks before a show

14:30 Crystal's sign

20:30 Don't let anyone stop you from dancing

24:00 The importance of family in training

25:30 Less hating

33:00 More on Mama Lou

36:00 Show business is a rude business

39:00 Question: How are the Civil Rights battles coming along?

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Our music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes.

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreon.com/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

Don't be stingy with it. 

We're talking about gifts, and the gift of dance that was given to our guest this week, the legendary CRYSTAL JOHNSON --- Harvest Moon Ball champion, Mama Lou Parks dancer, and the daughter of Whitey's Lindy Hopper Thomas "Tops" Lee, Jr. 

In part 1 of this 2-part conversation, we discuss her early dancing life, her Harvest Moon Ball experience, and working with Mama Lou Parks and her peers. In part 2, we cover her father, Whitey's Lindy Hopper Thomas "Tops" Lee, her coming back into the swing dance world, and her thoughts on how racism has changed since she was younger.  

3:00 Meeting Mama Lou Parks 

8:30 "I'm supposed to be there" 

10:30 "I want to say this so bad…" 

15:00 Go to you elders 

19:30 On doing stuff or posting stuff from others 

21:30 Training with Gorge Sullivan and Lee Moates 

24:30 The 1972 Harvest Moon Ball 

33:30 The time I fell 

41:30 Crystal's legends both on and off the dance floor 

46:30 On names of dance steps

------------------------------

Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. In this episode...

Our music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our "We're back! song" was an improvisation by Steffanie AK Schilling, and the background drumming is by Bobby White

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

Special 2020 Holiday Party Episode! Perfect for being cooped up in your house in a Holiday quarantine! (Part 1 of 2) with LATASHA BARNES, JOEY OTENG, LAUREL RYAN, MICHELLE STOKES, and STEFFANIE AK SCHILLING! (Also check out the visual of the party on YouTube!) 

And if you're a cheesy holiday movie fan, Joey's Hallmark lovefest is a must-listen (at 37:00)

CONTENTS (Approximates, may vary with commercials)

(0:00) Slave talk, or more fun racial things?

(4:00) Introductions

(9:40) "Black Solstice" super powers

(11:30) Question #1: In friendship relationships, what are you easy going about, what are you NOT easy going about?

(12:00) Those who say they'll do something and then don't do it

(13:30) Passion and affirmation

(16:30) I like my sweets

(21:00) Black Hair

(24:00) Healthy marriage via not digging too deep

(27:00) Steffanie & Chisomo met

(28:00) Lauren & Michelle met

(31:00) Collision-based relationships & Tasha

(32:30) Connecting with people

(36:00) Question #2: Favorite Cheesy Holiday Movies

(37:00) Hallmark movies & Joey

(47:00) The Nutcracker

(51:00) Jingle Jangle 

(1:03:00) Pride & Prejudice with Colin Firth

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Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. In this episode...

Our music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our "We're back! song" was an improvisation by Steffanie AK Schilling, and the background drumming is by Bobby White

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

Thanks for bearing with us as some life situations take place! We believe we can do a few more episodes before we have to take another short break. Enjoy this Char-Char & Bobby episode where we discuss a White swing dancer getting interviewed for a New York Times story about a Black swing dancer.

0:00 Btw, Bobby was a journalist

6:15 Bobby is called by the NYT

11:00 Why do they only do two performances for a show they pay thousands for?!?

15:00 Art and access

17:00 Performance in the Lindy Hop scene

30:00 So I'm doing the interview...

34:00 The savior of Lindy Hop

41:00 Two additional concerns

51:00 The article

55:00 The least famous dancer of the most famous group

1:00:00 it raised an eyebrow

---------------------------------------------------

Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing.

Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. Our podcast music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our intro and ad music this week is by Barron Ryan, Laurel Ryan's brother (check out firstofitskind.net, and www.barronryan.com.) "We're Back!" song was improvised by Steffanie AK Schilling.  And, the background drumming is by Bobby White.

Find us at your local podcast app, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover (Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

SHORTY: Short bonus episodes. 

This "Shorty" is a reading of the Swungover Article "The Life of "Tiny" Bunch," about famous Whitey's Lindy Hopper John "Tiny" Bunch. This is a companion piece to podcast Episode 09: "A little Stalker-y"  where we discuss the act of researching People of Color. 

While we handle some life situations and prepare the next few episodes, check out Questlove's new documentary, "SUMMER OF SOUL"! And thank you all for your support!

CHECK IT OUT! Short tidbits where we point listeners to awesome things.

In this episode, we briefly tell you why you should watch The Buzz's interview with Soul Train dancer & Breakin' star Adolfo 'Shabba Doo' Quiñone, who recently passed away ahead of his time. 

Here's the link to the interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZFjQSmveA8&  

In this episode (Part 1 of 2), we're with dancer, historian, educator, promoter, instigator, designer, and business owner JULIA LOVING. We share Norma Miller stories, the historical Civil Rights legacy of Julia's family, and how both have shaped the design of Julia's incredible swing dance events.

0:00 Miss Norma enters the room…

6:00 Norma's memories

8:35 Empowerment and tough love

11:00 Norma asks you to come over and talk to her

14:30 The stories we don't remember

19:00 Continuums of Lindy

23:30 It's multi-dimensional and all tied together

28:30 The legacy of the Lovings

37:30 It's in my family

39:00 There's a continuum of Lindy Hop in Harlem

41:00 Julia's vision for promoting

43:30 There's nothing like having your own Black agency

--------------------

Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things.

Our intro and ad music this week is by Barron Ryan, Laurel Ryan's brother. Check out firstofitskind.net, and www.barronryan.com. 

Our podcast music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our "We're back! song" was an improvisation by Steffanie AK Schilling, and the background drumming is by Bobby White

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

Chisomo & Bobby react to episode 42's "The Gig," and discuss the act of Lindy Hop gigging and what it means to the art form. (Don't worry, we give a synopsis at the beginning.)

Huge thanks to our Patreon patrons!

Huge thanks to our Patrons!

Cassandra Filios

Kaydee Tower

Sasha K

Justnigel

Ann Sofie van Enis

Katja Alexandria

July Belber

Rebecca BurWei

Dee Mathews

Brooks Prumo

Jessie Brooks

Aryn Kelly

Audrey Bui

Ian Dawson

Karen Compos McCormack

Amy Sorenson

Nika Jin

Emily Benze

Angel Jenio

Nick Cruickshank

Taylor Stender

Leila Gass

Selena Kruse

Ryan Lemar

Cal

Tara Sliwinski

Rebecca Harris

Lori Taniguchi

Christian Frommelt

Allison Frey

Lucie Q Mazzanti

Gary Chyi

Laura Windley

Lynn Maslen

And huge thanks to

Lawrence Kalantari

Karen Shrieber

Who donated big in order to help us pay for the work!

International swing dance instructors and New York resident giggers GABY COOK, A.J. HOWARD, LAURA GLAESS, and Bobby White tell Chisomo the story of a recent gig they did. Enjoy. (In our next episode, Chisomo will reflect on the craziness.)

Huge thanks to our Patrons!

Cassandra Filios

Kaydee Tower

Sasha K

Justnigel

Ann Sofie van Enis

Katja Alexandria

July Belber

Rebecca BurWei

Dee Mathews

Brooks Prumo

Jessie Brooks

Aryn Kelly

Audrey Bui

Ian Dawson

Karen Compos McCormack

Amy Sorenson

Nika Jin

Emily Benze

Angel Jenio

Nick Cruickshank

Taylor Stender

Leila Gass

Selena Kruse

Ryan Lemar

Cal

Tara Sliwinski

Rebecca Harris

Lori Taniguchi

Christian Frommelt

Allison Frey

Lucie Q Mazzanti

Gary Chyi

Laura Windley

Lynn Maslen

And huge thanks to

Lawrence Kalantari

Karen Shrieber

Who donated big in order to help us pay for the work!

TARYN NEWBORNE , who started off in ballroom dance before finding swing and Lindy Hop, has combined her passions to become an amazing swing singer and band leader. She joined us to talk about her story, what a swing scene family is, and hopes for how we can emerge from the pandemic.

Making a great record takes a lot of time, and, sadly, money. You can help make a Taryn Newborne album a reality! Consider a donation to...

CashApp: https://cash.app/$SingTarynSwing

Venmo: @Taryn-Newborne

PayPal: tarynsdream@gmail.com

Zelle: tarynsdream@gmail.com

In part 2 of our interview with emcee, jazz dance instructor, and Lindy Focus Meeting co-host, MICHELLE STOKES, we discuss nicknames, Michelle's philosophy of emceeing and teaching, the problems of Black-based imposture syndrome, and Michelle's ideal scene.  

1:00 "Stoked to be here," White people and puns, nicknames in general 

7:50 Michelle accidentally fell into Emceeing 

10:30 Have fun with your audience 

11:45 The importance of making people feel welcome in emceeing and teaching 

20:00 Imposture syndrome: Did they hire me because I'm Black or because I'm good? 

24:00 Lindy Focus meetings and how they approached that project 

34:30 Michelle's ideal scene

---------------

Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. In this episode...

Our music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our "We're back! song" was an improvisation by Steffanie AK Schilling, and the background drumming is by Bobby White

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

In this episode, we talk to dance instructor and ILHC MC URSULA HICKS about Lindy Hop clothing, honky-tonking, contact improvisation, and what she would add to the world of Lindy Hop teaching.

Thanks to our Patreon Patrons!

Patrons--

Sasha K

Justnigel

Ann Sofie van Enis

Katja Alexandria

July Belber

Rebecca BurWei

Dee Mathews

Brooks Prumo

Jessie Brooks

Aryn Kelly

Audrey Bui

Ian Dawson

Karen Compos McCormack

Amy Sorenson

Nika Jin

Emily Benze

Angel Jenio

Nick Cruickshank

Taylor Stender

Leila Gass

Selena Kruse

Ryan Lemar

Cal

Tara Sliwinski

Rebecca Harris

Lori Taniguchi

Christian Frommelt

Allison Frey

Lucie Q Mazzanti

Gary Chyi

Laura Windley

Lynn Maslen

And huge thanks to

Lawrence Kalantari

Karen Shrieber

Who donated big in order to help us pay for the work!

A Sprinkle of White Supremacy...

In part 1 of 2, instructor, MC, and Lindy Focus meeting co-host LAUREL RYAN shares with us the fascinating tales of learning Lindy Hop, confronting its harmful teaching practices, and how Black people are constantly battling between being undervalued and tokenized. 

**Music in this episode by Barron Ryan! Go to barronryan.com and firstofitskind.net to learn more and get his incredible, new rights free album!**

0:00 Laurel grew up surrounded by exceptional people 

7:00 How Laurel got into Lindy Hop (in Tulsa, Oklahoma) 

17:00 The "path" to international teaching 

21:00 When the Black folks made space for Laurel in her home scene 

25:00 A trained teacher and creative artist takes a Lindy class... 

30:00 Polite gaslighting? 

34:00 Lindy classes: "It's not working for enough people" 

37:00 Neuro-diverse people are attracted to Swing dancing... 

40:00 "I started telling people, I don't want to hear about..." 

42:00 The danger of erasing difference in order to make people feel better 

45:00 The physical elitism of today's Lindy Hop contests  

47:30 Look at the gateway to international instruction 

49:00 "The times I have won competitions..." and imposture syndrome

---------------------------------------

Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things.

Our music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our "We're back! song" was an improvisation by Steffanie AK Schilling, and the background drumming is by Bobby White

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

Happy New Year! Let's celebrate with one of the greatest live episode experiences we have had, a HOT ONES-style panel we did at CALIFORNIA BALBOA CLASSIC in 2024. We've got special guests JENNIFER LEE, ANDREA GORDON, and MATT RICHEY, joining your hosts Chisomo and Bobby, all eating increasingly hotter wings while trying to tackle the hard questions. You get all the talk, all of the bravado, and none of the sound of us eating, hence why the episode is only 35 min. :) (Be on the lookout for the raw footage of the entire panel, on YouTube, coming soon!)

Speaking of California! Currently LA Wildfires have destroyed the homes of several dancers, one of which, ROB MORELAND, was the sound tech who set up this five-mic-and-audience-recording panel with very short notice . Please consider donating to the RHYTHM RELIEF FUND! Please search for "Rhythm Relief Fund PSDF" on your favorite browser.

We're sorry this episode came to you so late, but our volunteer sound engineer, who tackles these big multi-track projects, has a very busy life. We're just thankful they were able to help us out so well in the first place. However, they have to bow out. WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING for a sound engineer to help us tackle another multi-track project we recorded, please contact either Bobby or Chisomo on social medias if you're interested in helping!

And of course, huge thanks to our patrons! (You can find us on patreon!)

Sasha K

Justnigel

Ann Sofie van Enis

Katja Alexandria

July Belber

Rebecca BurWei

Dee Mathews

Brooks Prumo

Jessie Brooks

Aryn Kelly

Audrey Bui

Ian Dawson

Karen Compos
McCormack

Amy Sorenson

Nika Jin

Emily Benze

Angel Jenio

Nick Cruickshank

Taylor Stender

Leila Gass

Selena Kruse

Ryan Lemar

Cal

Tara Sliwinski

Rebecca Harris

Lori Taniguchi

Christian Frommelt

Allison Frey

Lucie Q Mazzanti

Gary Chyi

Laura Windley

Lynn Maslen

Ariane Proteau

Stephanie Kawalski

Tove Lundström

Charlotte

Laurel
Ryan

Paul Graf

Cassandra Filios

And huge thanks to

Lawrence Kalantari

Karen Shrieber

Who donated big in
order to help us pay for the work!

This week we talk with international instructor of Balboa and Lindy, Shani Brown , about learning from the original SoCal swing dancers, the reality of their culture and lives, and the invisibility and visibility of herself as a Black woman in the scene.

We also briefly reflect on and respond to the events that happened at the Capital on Nov 6, 2021. (The day before this podcast was released.) Chisomo mentions a Black woman who stormed the Capital in 2013 and was killed.  Her name was Miriam Carey, check out her story. 

(0:00) Integrated Rhythm's response and reflection on the storming of the Capital, (6:30) Shani's journey in dancing, (9:00) meeting the old timers, (12:00) working with the old timers, (20:00) training the body, not a move, (23:00) how much did the Old Timers think of your identity as a Black Woman?, (26:00) a little bit on Swing-era SoCal Cultural make up, (30:00) spending time with Old Timers, not just learning from them, (34:00) How much were the original SoCal dancers vocal of racist ideas?, (38:00) racism is the water we swim in…, (43:00) some people don't realize Shani is a Black woman…, (46:00) Shani's experiences around the world, (48:30) invisibility and visibility, (51:00) when Chisomo met Shani for the first time.

---------------

Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. In this episode...

Our music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our "We're back! song" was an improvisation by Steffanie AK Schilling, and the background drumming is by Bobby White

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

Turning to History

This is how NICHOLAS "NIKO" CENTINO, Assistant Professor of Chicana/o Studies at California State University, answered the complex questions brought up in an American background steeped in different cultures. In this conversation we discuss his own experiences as a Person of Color, as well as zoot suits, the Neo Swing era, and his new book, "Razabilly."

0:00 Razabilly

6:30 Wherever there's oppression, there's resistance

13:30 The Niko origin story

26:00 A Brief Deconstruction of "Zoot Suit Riot"

36:30 On Zoot Suits and how badass they are

43:30 The interplay of all that is Niko

48:00 "I can't take my presence as a Man of Color in the scene for granted."

-----------------------------------------

Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing.

Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. Our podcast music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our intro and ad music this week is by Barron Ryan, Laurel Ryan's brother (check out firstofitskind.net, and www.barronryan.com.) And, the background drumming is by Bobby White.

Find us at your local podcast app, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover (Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

From Herrang 2024 comes a conversation with modern-era swing dancing legend SYLVIA SYKES! We discuss Balboa, old timers, judging, and so much more.

** Please note, due to recording conditions we did the best we could with the audio. Some of our software that cleans echoes and normalizes volume can cause a slight distortion occasionally in speech, but overall it sounds SO MUCH better than the original recording :)**

Huge thanks to our Patreon patrons!

Cassandra Filios

Kaydee Tower

Sasha K

Justnigel

Ann Sofie van Enis

Katja Alexandria

July Belber

Rebecca BurWei

Dee Mathews

Brooks Prumo

Jessie Brooks

Aryn Kelly

Audrey Bui

Ian Dawson

Karen Compos

McCormack

Amy Sorenson

Nika Jin

Emily Benze

Angel Jenio

Nick Cruickshank

Taylor Stender

Leila Gass

Selena Kruse

Ryan Lemar

Cal

Tara Sliwinski

Rebecca Harris

Lori Taniguchi

Christian Frommelt

Allison Frey

Lucie Q Mazzanti

Gary Chyi

Laura Windley

Lynn Maslen

And huge thanks to

Lawrence Kalantari

Karen Shrieber

Who donated big in

order to help us pay for the work!

Hope-timistic.

It's how we're feeling after the recent "Move Together: Build Back Better" event recently conducted (we said "build back together" in the podcast, our bad!), which even had some truth charcuterie from Chisomo (say that three times fast).   

0:00 Some love  

7:00 The everyday lens  

13:00 Looking towards the future  

15:00 Leaks in the fuel tank  

19:00 Communication, Improvisation, Rhythm, Play, Competition --- and the importance of cultural immersion  

29:00 Coloniality and control  

39:00 Form your swarm  

43:00 For promotors  

41:00 Vaccine-only events  

42:00 Chisomo''s Powerpoint presentation  

51:50 Reader Mail: 3 Little Girls

---------------------------------------

Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing.

Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. Our podcast music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our intro and ad music this week is by Barron Ryan, Laurel Ryan's brother (check out firstofitskind.net, and www.barronryan.com.) And, the background drumming is by Bobby White.

Find us at your local podcast app, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover (Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

A Communal Circle.

In this episode, (part 2 of 2) JULIA LOVING discusses her intimate history with Black New York art forms, the dances she runs in Harlem, and a controversial opinion that will make some people in Queens wanna fight. Also, Chisomo, Bobby tackle an important question from Julia.

0:00 Julia's Question

4:00 Laws, acts, amendments, mindset, What are white people doing to change that opinion?

8:00 The knitty-gritty takes place on the local scene

11:00 About Julia's dances in Harlem

13:30 I learned in Harlem

18:30 Chisomo's hope with Integrated Rhythm…

20:00 A conversation across racialized identities

23:00 Appropriation, appreciation, and the need to follow the money

26:00 What Integrated Rhythm means to Julia

27:30 We all need…

35:00 Julia's controversial opinion

39:00 Important connections between Swing & Hip Hop

-----------------

Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things.

Our intro and ad music this week is by Barron Ryan, Laurel Ryan's brother. Check out firstofitskind.net, and www.barronryan.com.

Our podcast music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, and the background drumming is by Bobby White

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

To Be Black and Snatched.

Hair --- it's not only a cultural part of Black living, it's also a practical one. You might be surprised all the ways it plays a role in a Black person existing in a mostly Non-Black America, and specifically in a Non-Black swing dancing space. It's only one of the topics we discuss in today's action-packed episode. 

In part I of this 2-part conversation, we talk to the renown event emcee, jazz dance instructor, and Lindy Focus meeting co-host MICHELLE STOKES about hair, how she first came into the dance, the swing scene as Michelle saw it through the lenses of being a Black woman, body types, the problems with  most modern swing dance classes, and the nature of swing dancing in the modern scene.  Next week, part II of this interview will cover her philosophy as an Emcee, and what an ideal scene looks like to her.

2:00 The realities of hair, and what it has to do with Black Women, dating, and the swing scene. 

14:00 Going to dances searching for romantic partners

 21:30 Walking into a swing dance as a Black person 

25:00 Lindy Hop Body 

33:30 Michelle's heavily-curated dance education 

40:00 We naturally look to teachers, and ignore our prior knowledge, when introduced to something new 

44:00 On teaching problems in the scene 

52:00 Following a bunch of different leaders vs dancing for yourself  

58:00 Collaboration and pretending to dance rather than actually dancing 

---------------

Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. In this episode...

Our music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our "We're back! song" was an improvisation by Steffanie AK Schilling, and the background drumming is by Bobby White

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

Chocolate & Peanut Butter --- how do you feel about the combination? The discussion at Integrated Rhythm gets serious. In this BLOCK PARTY episode (Part 1 of 2), we discuss Duke Ellington, peanut butter & chocolate, tea & coffee, and high fantasy. Guests include MICHELLE STOKES, LAUREL RYAN, LEWIS ORCHARD, and CRYSTAL JOHNSON.  

2:00 -- Crystal meets Duke Ellington 

7:30 -- Michelle wears a shirt with tassels 

10:30 -- How Michelle & Laurel live in Oklahoma 

11:00 -- Crystal discusses the term "poor" 

20:00 -- Michelle asks "How do you get a voice?" 

29:30 -- Question: "What's an unpopular opinion that you might hold?" / Peanut Butter & Chocolate 

37:30 -- High Fantasy 

45:30 -- Tea opinions, followed by coffee opinions, followed by sweet tea opinions

Our music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes!  Please donate to help keep us in business:  Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm  PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com  Venmo: @bobbyswungover   (Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

Bobby tells the story of four incredible dancers who were Frankie Manning's partners, and Chisomo and IR fam LAUREL RYAN join in and listen along.  

0:00 Frieda Washington & Creative Adventurousness 

19:00 Lucille Middleton & Tall Coolness 

28:30 Willa Mae Ricker & Fashionable Groundedness 

49:30 Ann(e)? Johnson & Powerful Smallness   

SOURCES:  "Frankie Manning: Ambassador of Lindy Hop" by Frankie Manning & Cynthia Millman, "Swinging at the Savoy: The Memoir of a Jazz Dancer" by Norma Miller and Evette Jensen, SavoyStyle biographies by Judy Pritchett, and 1930s and 40s Censuses and Death records. "Frankie And His Partners" by Anthony Wheaton via Swing Patrol website. "Willa Mae Ricker, The Patron Saint of Respect for Lindy Hoppers," an article on Swungover. Frankie's Air Step story came from Swing Dance San Diego's YouTube video titled "The First Air Step -- A Talk by Frankie Manning." 

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Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things.

Our intro and ad music this week is by Barron Ryan, Laurel Ryan's brother. Check out firstofitskind.net, and www.barronryan.com.

Our podcast music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our "We're back! song" was an improvisation by Steffanie AK Schilling, and the background drumming is by Bobby White.

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

This is part 2 of 2 of our second Block Party. We are honored to have with us, MC and instructor MICHELLE STOKES, MC and instructor LAUREL RYAN --- both of which do the amazing music for our podcast, by the way --- we also have incredible swing dance researcher and history lover LEWIS ORCHARD, and 1972 Harvest Moon Ball champion and Mama Lou Parks Dancer CRYSTAL JOHNSON.

Buzz Words

1:00 Question #2:  "When we come back together, it's not important that the swing scene simply be a space that is welcoming to Black people, but that it be more of a Black space." To you, what are some of the things that make it a Black space?"

3:00 It's easy to define a white space…

6:00 The heart of the question…

11:30 White spaces vs Black spaces

15:00 Generations and how much they wanted to Lindy Hop

17:00 Everyone should work together

21:30 Scarcity mindset in the scene

24:30 The dance is not a prescribed thing

26:30 On allies and each person's power

29:30 Question #3: What app do you wish existed?

30:30 Crystal's thumbs down app

31:00 Michelle's Buzzer app

36:00 Laurel's ADHD Priority app

39:00 Lewis's TV Is-it-worth-it app

43:30 The gang's answer app

45:30 "How to keep a man"

48:00 "How to split up with someone"

49:30 Single people in churches

54:00 Crystal's tips

60:00 Norma Miller, Darleen Gist, and Crystal all get into an elevator…

---------------

Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. In this episode...

Our music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, and the background drumming is by Bobby White

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

It's a Chisomo & Bobby episode, where they have a friend's talk that asks some questions about how Black culture relates to the dance and teaching, tells one of Bobby's most memorable Frankie Manning stories, and reveals which one of us is "the woman in the doorframe." 

0:00 Mentorship & teaching

5:00 LaTasha Barnes: Balboa dancer?

7:30 The Nuances of Cultural Embodiment

11:00 You don't get to erase my lived history

13:00 The woman with her foot in the door

17:00 Of rooms and vantage points

20:00 Bobby goes to a different country & his dad is proud

23:30 Bobby's Adventures in London

25:00 The early 2000s London Dance Scene (Editor's note: It might have changed a lot since then)

33:00 When you're young and scrappy and going on adventures…

35:00 Meeting famous people

40:00 Bobby's Most Memorable Frankie Manning Story

---------------------------------------------------------

Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things.

Our music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our "We're back! song" was an improvisation by Steffanie AK Schilling, and the background drumming is by Bobby White

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

In this episode, Blues Dances instructor, DJ, and proud nerd KENNETH SHIPP discusses getting thrown into the middle of learning Line Dances, the dance lessons gotten from church, working first hand with Blues dancing pioneers, and how each has shaped the way he teaches dance and helps people chill the f&$% out.

(1:00) Kenneth on learning growing up,  (7:00) My first experience at a white church… (12:30) Church and improvisation, (13:30) Broadening horizons via movie theaters, (16:00) The Ujima Blues foundation, (20:00) Clarksdale, Mississippi, (24:30) Moves and names, (33:00) The dancing presence of old timers, (36:00) the art of chilling the F out, (40:00) Juke Joint dancing in an actual juke joint, (45:00) The spiritual affect of a home space on a dance, (47:00) How do you get students comfortable inventing, (50:00) On jam circles, (52:00) Comfort with solo dance.

Consider supporting Kenneth, a Black Business owner! You can find him at facebook.com/commandershipp 

And consider supporting the Ujima Blues Foundation at ujimablues.org

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Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. In this episode...

Our music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our "We're back! song" was an improvisation by Steffanie AK Schilling, and the background drumming is by Bobby White

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

Indeegnance. A word that beautifully captures all that we talk about in today's episode, including genetic-based racism vs assimilationist racism, language and perception, code switching, Beyonce's "Black is King," the burden of representation, and action verses emotion.

1:00 Bobby's sloppy set up: Genetic-based Racism vs Assimilationist Racism

4:30 Both kinds are present in the Swing dance scene

6:30 The wrong end of many conversations

11:00 Language and perception -- the code switch flip

14:00 A Zambian-American in Zambia

20:30 How it relates to Beyonce's Black is King: Artistic privileges vs artistic responsibility

28:00 Burden of representation on minoritized perspectives

32:00 Black women and aggression

33:00 Anger and indignance, action vs emotion

38:00 A white guy claps back?

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Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. In this episode...

Our music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our "We're back! song" was an improvisation by Steffanie AK Schilling, and the background drumming is by Bobby White

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

LIVE AT HERRANG 2024!

International Lindy Hop badasses Marie N'diaye (Phd) and Felix Berghall sit down with Chisomo & Bobby to discuss Blackness in the dance's history, culture, and classroom. You know, the small stuff.

Notes:

1. Audio only, no video this time.

2. We recorded in an echo-ey room and our fancy software did a great job of cutting out the echo however sometimes it makes us sound a little robotic or certain words may get a little garbled. Our apologies but trust us this is way better. (We're learning the art of podcast recording as we go!)

3. Usually we like to put such a long episode into two more digestible parts, but there did not seem to be a good spot in the middle to cut it off. So here we are! Please stick it out, the conversation gets particularly organic in the second half, our ideal flow here at IR.

Huge thanks to our Patreon patrons!

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McCormack

Amy Sorenson

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Nick Cruickshank

Taylor Stender

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And huge thanks to

Lawrence Kalantari

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Who donated big in

order to help us pay for the work!

We're back in January with a new season of Integrated Rhythm! We explain how that'll go, and what kept us away for the last few months.

UPDATE: Due to some new software we're still getting the hang of, trying to make a living wage, and the passing of a close friend to IR, we are currently on hold with releasing season 2. We have already recorded seven episodes, so there's definitely more coming!!! 

In this episode, we talk with Champion House and Jazz dancer, and mastered Ethnochoreologist, LaTasha Barnes. 

(0:02) on the phrase "Urban dance," (0:05) on the phrase "Jazz dance," (8:30) on theatrical "jazz" dance vs original jazz dance, (0:11) on the upcoming "Swing Out" production, (0:18) the modern scene connecting more with live music and musicians, (0:27) ADHD and Bobby meeting LaTasha, (0:32) LaTasha's pre-Swing dancing life, (0:43) Competitiveness, (0:52) Hip Hop audience verses Swing scene audience

This week we talk with Social Justice Educator JOEY OTENG about 2020, academia, immigrant parents, and advice for the scene and the world in general. We also predict 93% of our listeners would happily go on a long walk on the beach with Joey by the end of the episode.

(2:00) Joey's infographics, (7:00) The moving sidewalk of Anti-racism, (10:00) About Joey and the TV show that is 2020, (16:30) Immigrant parents and math, (21:00) Academia and teaching Black American Artforms, (26:00) Shame and learning, (29:00) Chisomo embarasses her mom and skin-toned situations, (33:00) Advice for welcoming people, (39:00) On step 2 (letting go of control) and power hoarding, (41:00) On Allyship, (45:00) Chisomo and personal priveledge, (47:00) Not losing, only gaining

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Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. In this episode...

Our music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our "We're back! song" was an improvisation by Steffanie AK Schilling, and the background drumming is by Bobby White

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

In this episode, Bobby & Chisomo talk with swing historians and history lovers LEWIS ORCHARD (a White British man) and SHANI BROWN (a Black American woman) about not being Black and researching Black people in history. Specifically, they will tell the story of researching the great Whitey's Lindy Hopper John Wesley "Tiny" Bunch, and discuss the process. 

(1:30) It all began when…, (3:00) A really interesting sentence to read, (4:30) Lewis takes on the investigation, (8:00) Using draft cards, yearbooks, family records, and the American census, to find out John Bunch's story…, (18:30) How the way you say "Wilkes barre" might have something to do with the great migration. (22:00) John Bunch and Northern Racism, (26:00) What makes researching a Black dancer different than researching a White dancer. (30:00) Draft card skin color listings, (37:00) White newspapers and Black newspapers and Swing dancers, (42:00) How are we to know?, (46:00) Non-Black dancers researching Black dancers, (50:00) On Black bodies in jazz dance and Black culture, (55:00) lifting something up but then getting out of the way, (58:00) Stories change

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Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. In this episode...

Our music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our "We're back! song" was an improvisation by Steffanie AK Schilling, and the background drumming is by Bobby White

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

In the late 1930s, a truly Black American dance experience took over America. 

This episode is a reading of this week's Swungover article on the rise of the "The Big Apple" dance craze, the problematic news articles affiliated with it, and how Whitey's Lindy Hoppers adopted the dance in Harlem. You can read the article and see the Whitey's Big Apple footage over at www.swungover.com or on the YouTube version of this podcast.  

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Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. In this episode...

Our music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our "We're back! song" was an improvisation by Steffanie AK Schilling, and the background drumming is by Bobby White

Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm 

Please donate to help keep us in business:

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com

Venmo: @bobbyswungover

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)

Welcome! Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. In this episode...

Introductions, laying the groundwork (0:07), imperfect journey, calling in vs calling out, (0:10) elevating counter-narratives, (0:12) virtue signaling and performative allyship, (0:17) Black Woman issues, (0:22) electronic racism and healthcare racism, (0:28) power of a very dominant majority, (0:33) politics in dance, (0:39) COVID and civil rights.

"In Focus Finally."  

When author and librarian Cynthia Millman first saw Lindy Hop legend Frankie Manning dance in the 1980s, a lot of things about the dance finally came into focus. Little did she know she would end up going on the epic journey of co-writing Frankie’s memoir with him.

To celebrate World Lindy Hop Day and Frankie Manning's birthday, we at Integrated Rrhythm Podcast had a great conversation with the author where we discuss the world of 1980s New York Lindy Hop, training under Frankie in the Big Apple Lindy Hoppers, the writing and researching of the autobiography, and her hopes and dreams for the future of Jazz dance research.

0:00 The first time Cynthia met Frankie  

13:00 Being trained by Frankie in the Big Apple Lindy Hoppers  

21:00 Counting and education  

25:00 How the 1980s New York scene was different than the modern scene  

38:00 Chisomo's Frankie-miss story  

43:00 Current and hopeful future research in Jazz dance  

56:00 What made you decide to do Frankie's book and how did creating it go?  

1:18:00 Details  

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Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things. 

Our podcast music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, our intro and ad music this week is by Barron Ryan, Laurel Ryan's brother (check out firstofitskind.net, and www.barronryan.com.) And, the background drumming is by Bobby White.  

Find us at your local podcast app, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm   

Please donate to help keep us in business: 

Patreon: patreoncom/integratedrhythm 

PayPal: robertwhiteiii@gmail.com 

Venmo: @bobbyswungover  

(Where applicable, lease put the note "IR" in it, so that we know it's for the podcast.)