Festa's Blues & Soul Jam!

John Festa and Karen Henshaw

A whole bunch of us got "rolled in the deep" real good by John Festa - last Friday night at Dance Manhattan Dance Studio in NYC.

"Festa's Blues & Soul Jam" - the venue formerly known as Festa Friday - had a stunning turnout!

Magical smiles filled the room. It was swing perfection!









Michelle Cooper and Phil Anzalone



It was good to see some of alumni from back in the days of the legendary North River Bar - our favorite funky old dive located in Tribeca among the abandoned warehouses - back when Tribeca was just a cool secret.

Joe Banahan and Maria Enaboifo

Gotham Board Secretary Brian King

There were plenty of newer dancers, too.

Gotham Swing Club's board was represented as well!

And LOTS of Dance Manhattan students attended.


 
   


Barbara Jackson, Lisa Abelson Rabinowitz
& Andrew Sheppard

The music of Sam Cook and Smokey Robinson filled the room.

Where else can you groove to "Function at the Junction" by Shorty Long?

It takes a musical GENIUS like John Festa to dig into the treasure chest of swing brilliance and pull out our memories.

This is swing for the soul!



Gotham Club President Laura Ciabarra with Anthony DeRosa

Much of the popularity of this dance can be credited to John. Diane Lachtrupp (former owner of Stepping Out) and John kicked this genre into power in the early 90's and really sparked a looooong lasting trend.

John's baby, North River Bar, was where it seriously began for Hazel Meade Ulrich, Blake Hobby and even little Anthony DeRosa (pictured on the left) when he was 15 years old.


http://www.wcsny.com/wcs/

John Festa and Wendy Berlin

Since then, there have been further creations including Jack Rose, Iguana, Chetty Red, Blarney Stone - and more.

John teaches, DJs and JUDGES all over the world. 

People in the NYC area are very grateful to be able to dance at his venues to regularly. 

At Swingin' Into Spring in Connecticut in May, John packed the room with those poor disadvantaged souls who live too far away to enjoy John's music every month!








Sam DeFrancesco and Jim Chow

For some reason Festa Fridays has been renamed Festa’s Blues & Soul Jam.

Call it what you want – but its still a rose to me! 
Nothing has changed - the unique "FESTA SOUND" is unmistakable. Thank goodness!

It doesn't matter what a venue offers - location, freebies, etc., without the music - you've got nothing!

Rebecca McCabe DeRosa and Brian King

So, if you are a west coastie, this is one event that should be on your calendar.

Festa Fridays are held on the second Friday of each the month at Dance Manhattan located on 19th Street in New York City, between 5th and 6th Avenues - http://www.dancemanhattan.com/