About dogpossum
This is my personal website. All opinions here are my own and do not represent the interests or opinions of my employers.
Comments may be deleted without explanation. That’s the way I roll, yo.
Me
I like dancing, music, reading, writing, watching telly and films, sewing, crocheting, canvas work, drawing, making popups, telling bad jokes and making puns, talking crap, eating excellent food, walking, cycling and swimming. I am obsessed with gluteal strength and my hamstrings. I see it as my personal responsibility to deconstruct the patriarchy and replace it with syncopated rhythms and an interest in handicrafts.
My research and writing
I am obsessed with jazz music and dance from the 1920s, 30s and 40s. I did my PhD on modern day swing dancers and how they use digital media, and have published journal articles, delivered conference papers and lectured on the topic. All that is behind me now. Today, I am all about writing heaps and heaps of stuff on the internet.
Anything I write about jazz dance history which is even partly true is probably the product of my very generous dance historian friends’ work. Anything I write about jazz dance history which is untrue was probably something I made up.
As with all these sorts of things, it’s best to consult more than one source, and to be utterly sceptical of anything published by someone working in a university. I have found almost every academic source discussing lindy hop completely unreliable. I regularly reference the ones who aren’t full of shit.
My dancing
I started dancing in Brisbane in 1998 or so. Then I danced in Melbourne between 2001 and 2008. Then I moved to Sydney, where I’m still dancing. And DJing. Read more about my DJing here.
I teach lindy hop and all sorts of other dances from the jazz and swing ages, as both a leader and follower with various (lovely) partners in Sydney.
I can be found teaching with Alice every Wednesday at the Petersham Bowling Club here in Sydney.
Beginner classes start at 7.30pm, and blocks of four ‘next level’ classes are held irregularly from 8.30pm.
All our classes welcome leaders and followers of any sex or orientation, and you can join in any time.
You won’t need a partner – we supply those :D
You can follow our updates on twitter (we tweet as @SP_Petersham) or via our Faceplant page: http://www.facebook.com/Swing.Patrol.Petersham.
I also teach the odd class at the Swingpit
Everything I teach is the product of someone else’s hard work. Dance historians are the best of all the things, second only to those badass peeps who invented this action in the first place. Without them, we’d still be sitting on the couch.
So, if you’re filled with the love of dance, making money from lindy hop or just giving a shit about those badass dancers, you might like to donate to the Lindy Hoppers Fund. Don’t be a tightarse – bring your hot action.
Past classes:
