Calling all bakers and cake makers, we have the perfect event for you at this year’s festival – the Vintage Bake Off!
Whip up a classic car chiffon, rock ‘n’ roll red velvet or music-themed marble and enter in the Best Themed Cake category. Or bring out your best nostalgic baking recipes for the Best Homestyle Baking category. Great prizes to be won!
Saturday 8 June 2019 – Rhydian & The Residuals
Kooly Kat proudly presents our very own local swing big band Rhydian & The Residuals. Close your eyes and you’d swear you were listening to Michael Buble!
Tickets:
$25 pre-sale online (until 2nd June or sold out)
$30 at the door (limited)
Tickets for sale online NOW!
www.koolykatdance.com
Sunday 9 June 2019 – Swinging Sunday Sesh with Swing On In At Cooly Rocks On
THIS MONTH IS A SPECIAL SUNDAY SWING SESH!
Join us for a Lazy wind down Sundayzzz swing dancing at different cool location at the Cooly Rocks On Festival. Cruisy swing tunes as played by some wild cool and swinging bands. Starting at 3pm we will meet and dance to one of our new fav bands Morse Code (From our WWII Blitz Party Fame) then we will decide where to next., so many places to pop up and dance, socialise and of course: Dance, Chill, Eat, Drink, Repeat!
Are you Hep to the Jive? The Cab Calloway Hepster Dictionary by THE ART OF MANLINESS
But before Sinatra, there was Cab Calloway.
Calloway was an energetic singer and bandleader during the 1930’s and 1940’s. His big band gained fame at Harlem’s premier night club, The Cotton Club. Cab Calloway and His Orchestra became a nationwide sensation with their weekly radio broadcast on NBC and their nationwide tours. Calloway wrote such hits as “Minnie the Moocher” and “Jumpin’ Jive.” He was also one of the first jazz musicians to make use of “scat” in his performances. Here’s Cab Calloway and His Orchestra performing Mini the Moocher.
In addition to writing and performing great swing music, Calloway created an entirely new lingo. He never took his hepster slang too seriously; it was all about having fun and being unique. Soon lots of people wanted to speak just like Cab. To help facilitate this, Calloway produced a Hepster Dictionary in 1940 that accompanied Cab Calloway sheet music.
Below are the definitions of Cab’s jive. You’ll notice that we still use many of them today. Learn a few choice phrases and try peppering your speech with them. Just like Cab, you’ll get a kick out of the reactions you’ll get from the ickies. Plus, using slang your grandpa might have used is a cool way to connect with Gramps.
So are you ready to get hep to the jive?
JIVE TERMINOLOGY
- A hummer (n.) — exceptionally good. Ex., “Man, that boy is a hummer.”
- Ain’t coming on that tab (v.) — won’t accept the proposition. Usually abbr. to “I ain’t coming.”
- Alligator (n.) — jitterbug.
- Apple (n.) — the big town, the main stem, Harlem.
- Armstrongs (n.) — musical notes in the upper register, high trumpet notes.
- Barbecue (n.) — the girl friend, a beauty
- Barrelhouse (adj.) — free and easy.
- Battle (n.) — a very homely girl, a crone.
- Beat (adj.) — (1) tired, exhausted. Ex., “You look beat” or “I feel beat.” (2) lacking anything. Ex, “I am beat for my cash”, “I am beat to my socks” (lacking everything).
- Beat it out (v.) — play it hot, emphasize the rhythym.
- Beat up (adj.) — sad, uncomplimentary, tired.
- Beat up the chops (or the gums) (v.) — to talk, converse, be loquacious.
- Beef (v.) — to say, to state. Ex., “He beefed to me that, etc.”
- Bible (n.) — the gospel truth. Ex., “It’s the bible!”
- Black (n.) — night.
- Black and tan (n.) — dark and light colored folks. Not colored and white folks as erroneously assumed.
- Blew their wigs (adj.) — excited with enthusiasm, gone crazy.
- Blip (n.) — something very good. Ex., “That’s a blip”; “She’s a blip.”
- Blow the top (v.) — to be overcome with emotion (delight). Ex., “You’ll blow your top when you hear this one.”
- Boogie-woogie (n.) — harmony with accented bass.
- Boot (v.) — to give. Ex., “Boot me that glove.”
- Break it up (v.) — to win applause, to stop the show.
- Bree (n.) — girl.
- Bright (n.) — day.
- Brightnin’ (n.) — daybreak.
- Bring down ((1) n. (2) v.) — (1) something depressing. Ex., “That’s a bring down.” (2) Ex., “That brings me down.”
- Buddy ghee (n.) — fellow.
- Bust your conk (v.) — apply yourself diligently, break your neck.
- Canary (n.) — girl vocalist.
- Capped (v.) — outdone, surpassed.
- Cat (n.) — musician in swing band.
- Chick (n.) — girl.
- Chime (n.) — hour. Ex., “I got in at six chimes.”
- Clambake (n.) — ad lib session, every man for himself, a jam session not in the groove.
- Chirp (n.) — female singer.
- Cogs (n.) — sun glasses.
- Collar (v.) — to get, to obtain, to comprehend. Ex., “I gotta collar me some food”; “Do you collar this jive?”
- Come again (v.) — try it over, do better than you are doing, I don’t understand you.
- Comes on like gangbusters (or like test pilot) (v.) — plays, sings, or dances in a terrific manner, par excellence in any department. Sometimes abbr. to “That singer really comes on!”
- Cop (v.) — to get, to obtain (see collar; knock).
- Corny (adj.) — old-fashioned, stale.
- Creeps out like the shadow (v.) — “comes on,” but in smooth, suave, sophisticated manner.
- Crumb crushers (n.) — teeth.
- Cubby (n.) — room, flat, home.
- Cups (n.) — sleep. Ex., “I gotta catch some cups.”
- Cut out (v.) — to leave, to depart. Ex., “It’s time to cut out”; “I cut out from the joint in early bright.”
- Cut rate (n.) — a low, cheap person. Ex., “Don’t play me cut rate, Jack!”
- Dicty (adj.) — high-class, nifty, smart.
- Dig (v.) — (1) meet. Ex., “I’ll plant you now and dig you later.” (2) look, see. Ex., “Dig the chick on your left duke.” (3) comprehend, understand. Ex., “Do you dig this jive?”
- Dim (n.) — evening.
- Dime note (n.) — ten-dollar bill.
- Doghouse (n.) — bass fiddle.
- Domi (n.) — ordinary place to live in. Ex., “I live in a righteous dome.”
- Doss (n.) — sleep. Ex., “I’m a little beat for my doss.”
- Down with it (adj.) — through with it.
- Drape (n.) — suit of clothes, dress, costume.
- Dreamers (n.) — bed covers, blankets.
- Dry-goods (n.) — same as drape.
- Duke (n.) — hand, mitt.
- Dutchess (n.) — girl.
- Early black (n.) — evening
- Early bright (n.) — morning.
- Evil (adj.) — in ill humor, in a nasty temper.
- Fall out (v.) — to be overcome with emotion. Ex., “The cats fell out when he took that solo.”
- Fews and two (n.) — money or cash in small quatity.
- Final (v.) — to leave, to go home. Ex., “I finaled to my pad” (went to bed); “We copped a final” (went home).
- Fine dinner (n.) — a good-looking girl.
- Focus (v.) — to look, to see.
- Foxy (v.) — shrewd.
- Frame (n.) — the body.
- Fraughty issue (n.) — a very sad message, a deplorable state of affairs.
- Freeby (n.) — no charge, gratis. Ex., “The meal was a freeby.”
- Frisking the whiskers (v.) — what the cats do when they are warming up for a swing session.
- Frolic pad (n.) — place of entertainment, theater, nightclub.
- Fromby (adj.) — a frompy queen is a battle or faust.
- Front (n.) — a suit of clothes.
- Fruiting (v.) — fickle, fooling around with no particular object.
- Fry (v.) — to go to get hair straightened.
- Gabriels (n.) — trumpet players.
- Gammin’ (adj.) — showing off, flirtatious.
- Gasser (n, adj.) — sensational. Ex., “When it comes to dancing, she’s a gasser.”
- Gate (n.) — a male person (a salutation), abbr. for “gate-mouth.”
- Get in there (exclamation.) — go to work, get busy, make it hot, give all you’ve got.
- Gimme some skin (v.) — shake hands.
- Glims (n.) — the eyes.
- Got your boots on — you know what it is all about, you are a hep cat, you are wise.
- Got your glasses on — you are ritzy or snooty, you fail to recognize your friends, you are up-stage.
- Gravy (n.) — profits.
- Grease (v.) — to eat.
- Groovy (adj.) — fine. Ex., “I feel groovy.”
- Ground grippers (n.) — new shoes.
- Growl (n.) — vibrant notes from a trumpet.
- Gut-bucket (adj.) — low-down music.
- Guzzlin’ foam (v.) — drinking beer.
- Hard (adj.) — fine, good. Ex., “That’s a hard tie you’re wearing.”
- Hard spiel (n.) — interesting line of talk.
- Have a ball (v.) — to enjoy yourself, stage a celebration. Ex., “I had myself a ball last night.”
- Hep cat (n.) — a guy who knows all the answers, understands jive.
- Hide-beater (n.) — a drummer (see skin-beater).
- Hincty (adj.) — conceited, snooty.
- Hip (adj.) — wise, sophisticated, anyone with boots on. Ex., “She’s a hip chick.”
- Home-cooking (n.) — something very dinner (see fine dinner).
- Hot (adj.) — musically torrid; before swing, tunes were hot or bands were hot.
- Hype (n, v.) — build up for a loan, wooing a girl, persuasive talk.
- Icky (n.) — one who is not hip, a stupid person, can’t collar the jive.
- Igg (v.) — to ignore someone. Ex., “Don’t igg me!)
- In the groove (adj.) — perfect, no deviation, down the alley.
- Jack (n.) — name for all male friends (see gate; pops).
- Jam ((1)n, (2)v.) — (1) improvised swing music. Ex., “That’s swell jam.” (2) to play such music. Ex., “That cat surely can jam.”
- Jeff (n.) — a pest, a bore, an icky.
- Jelly (n.) — anything free, on the house.
- Jitterbug (n.) — a swing fan.
- Jive (n.) — Harlemese speech.
- Joint is jumping — the place is lively, the club is leaping with fun.
- Jumped in port (v.) — arrived in town.
- Kick (n.) — a pocket. Ex., “I’ve got five bucks in my kick.”
- Kill me (v.) — show me a good time, send me.
- Killer-diller (n.) — a great thrill.
- Knock (v.) — give. Ex., “Knock me a kiss.”
- Kopasetic (adj.) — absolutely okay, the tops.
- Lamp (v.) — to see, to look at.
- Land o’darkness (n.) — Harlem.
- Lane (n.) — a male, usually a nonprofessional.
- Latch on (v.) — grab, take hold, get wise to.
- Lay some iron (v.) — to tap dance. Ex., “Jack, you really laid some iron that last show!”
- Lay your racket (v.) — to jive, to sell an idea, to promote a proposition.
- Lead sheet (n.) — a topcoat.
- Left raise (n.) — left side. Ex., “Dig the chick on your left raise.”
- Licking the chops (v.) — see frisking the whiskers.
- Licks (n.) — hot musical phrases.
- Lily whites (n.) — bed sheets.
- Line (n.) — cost, price, money. Ex., “What is the line on this drape” (how much does this suit cost)? “Have you got the line in the mouse” (do you have the cash in your pocket)? Also, in replying, all figures are doubled. Ex., “This drape is line forty” (this suit costs twenty dollars).
- Lock up — to acquire something exclusively. Ex., “He’s got that chick locked up”; “I’m gonna lock up that deal.”
- Main kick (n.) — the stage.
- Main on the hitch (n.) — husband.
- Main queen (n.) — favorite girl friend, sweetheart.
- Man in gray (n.) — the postman.
- Mash me a fin (command.) — Give me $5.
- Mellow (adj.) — all right, fine. Ex., “That’s mellow, Jack.”
- Melted out (adj.) — broke.
- Mess (n.) — something good. Ex., “That last drink was a mess.”
- Meter (n.) — quarter, twenty-five cents.
- Mezz (n.) — anything supreme, genuine. Ex., “this is really the mezz.”
- Mitt pounding (n.) — applause.
- Moo juice (n.) — milk.
- Mouse (n.) — pocket. Ex., “I’ve got a meter in the mouse.”
- Muggin’ (v.) — making ’em laugh, putting on the jive. “Muggin’ lightly,” light staccato swing; “muggin’ heavy,” heavy staccato swing.
- Murder (n.) — something excellent or terrific. Ex., “That’s solid murder, gate!”
- Neigho, pops — Nothing doing, pal.
- Nicklette (n.) — automatic phonograph, music box.
- Nickel note (n.) — five-dollar bill.
- Nix out (v.) — to eliminate, get rid of. Ex., “I nixed that chick out last week”; “I nixed my garments” (undressed).
- Nod (n.) — sleep. Ex., “I think I’l cop a nod.”
- Ofay (n.) — white person.
- Off the cob (adj.) — corny, out of date.
- Off-time jive (n.) — a sorry excuse, saying the wrong thing.
- Orchestration (n.) — an overcoat.
- Out of the world (adj.) — perfect rendition. Ex., “That sax chorus was out of the world.”
- Ow! — an exclamation with varied meaning. When a beautiful chick passes by, it’s “Ow!”; and when someone pulls an awful pun, it’s also “Ow!”
- Pad (n.) — bed.
- Pecking (n.) — a dance introduced at the Cotton Club in 1937.
- Peola (n.) — a light person, almost white.
- Pigeon (n.) — a young girl.
- Pops (n.) — salutation for all males (see gate; Jack).
- Pounders (n.) — policemen.
- Queen (n.) — a beautiful girl.
- Rank (v.) — to lower.
- Ready (adj.) — 100 per cent in every way. Ex., “That fried chicken was ready.”
- Ride (v.) — to swing, to keep perfect tempo in playing or singing.
- Riff (n.) — hot lick, musical phrase.
- Righteous (adj.) — splendid, okay. Ex., “That was a righteous queen I dug you with last black.”
- Rock me (v.) — send me, kill me, move me with rhythym.
- Ruff (n.) — quarter, twenty-five cents.
- Rug cutter (n.) — a very good dancer, an active jitterbug.
- Sad (adj.) — very bad. Ex., “That was the saddest meal I ever collared.”
- Sadder than a map (adj.) — terrible. Ex., “That man is sadder than a map.”
- Salty (adj.) — angry, ill-tempered.
- Sam got you — you’ve been drafted into the army.
- Send (v.) — to arouse the emotions. (joyful). Ex., “That sends me!”
- Set of seven brights (n.) — one week.
- Sharp (adj.) — neat, smart, tricky. Ex., “That hat is sharp as a tack.”
- Signify (v.) — to declare yourself, to brag, to boast.
- Skins (n.) — drums.
- Skin-beater (n.) — drummer (see hide-beater).
- Sky piece (n.) — hat.
- Slave (v.) — to work, whether arduous labor or not.
- Slide your jib (v.) — to talk freely.
- Snatcher (n.) — detective.
- So help me — it’s the truth, that’s a fact.
- Solid (adj.) — great, swell, okay.
- Sounded off (v.) — began a program or conversation.
- Spoutin’ (v.) — talking too much.
- Square (n.) — an unhep person (see icky; Jeff).
- Stache (v.) — to file, to hide away, to secrete.
- Stand one up (v.) — to play one cheap, to assume one is a cut-rate.
- To be stashed (v.) — to stand or remain.
- Susie-Q (n.) — a dance introduced at the Cotton Club in 1936.
- Take it slow (v.) — be careful.
- Take off (v.) — play a solo.
- The man (n.) — the law.
- Threads (n.) — suit, dress or costuem (see drape; dry-goods).
- Tick (n.) — minute, moment. Ex., “I’ll dig you in a few ticks.” Also, ticks are doubled in accounting time, just as money isdoubled in giving “line.” Ex., “I finaled to the pad this early bright at tick twenty” (I got to bed this morning at ten o’clock).
- Timber (n.) — toothipick.
- To dribble (v.) — to stutter. Ex., “He talked in dribbles.”
- Togged to the bricks — dressed to kill, from head to toe.
- Too much (adj.) — term of highest praise. Ex., “You are too much!”
- Trickeration (n.) — struttin’ your stuff, muggin’ lightly and politely.
- Trilly (v.) — to leave, to depart. Ex., “Well, I guess I’ll trilly.”
- Truck (v.) — to go somewhere. Ex., “I think I’ll truck on down to the ginmill (bar).”
- Trucking (n.) — a dance introduced at the Cotton Club in 1933.
- Twister to the slammer (n.) — the key to the door.
- Two cents (n.) — two dollars.
- Unhep (adj.) — not wise to the jive, said of an icky, a Jeff, a square.
- Vine (n.) — a suit of clothes.
- V-8 (n.) — a chick who spurns company, is independent, is not amenable.
- What’s your story? — What do you want? What have you got to say for yourself? How are tricks? What excuse can you offer? Ex., “I don’t know what his story is.”
- Whipped up (adj.) — worn out, exhausted, beat for your everything.
- Wren (n.) — a chick, a queen.
- Wrong riff — the wrong thing said or done. Ex., “You’re coming up on the wrong riff.”
- Yarddog (n.) — uncouth, badly attired, unattractive male or female.
- Yeah, man — an exclamation of assent.
- Zoot (adj.) — exaggerated
- Zoot suit (n.) — the ultimate in clothes. The only totally and truly American civilian suit .
Research on Swing Dance Clothing:
Swing dancing is more than a dance, it’s a mood, and it’s most definitely a style. When you get your feet moving the rhythm takes over and that’s all that matters, but it doesn’t hurt to look a million dollars whilst you’re doing it.
In the 1920’s, 30’s & 40’s, the jazz and swing era swept the nation and there was a change of culture, as women threw off their corsets they turned to a whole new style of dance, fashion and music.
Swing On In dance school wants to bring back the Flapper fun of 20’s and Sophisticated Style of 30’s & 40’s with some fashion advice.
The swing era brought with it, shorter hair, shorter skirts and a shorter leash on society, it was an era of freedom. Flapper fashion was a far cry from the tight-fitted lady like appearance society was used to. To look like a flapper, an above the knee shapeless shift dress with dipping panels or fringing for detail teamed with short sophisticated bobbed hair or masses of curls was the look of the day, add a headband and lots of pearls to complete the look. Finger waves & kiss curls were set firmly, a flapper never has a hair out of place.
For the chaps, a classic suit wasn’t just worn in the office, it was a regular feature in a man’s wardrobe, From Top Hat and Tails to Blazers and Boaters, men dressed to impress. Think dapper or dandy and you won’t go far wrong.. Oh! And don’t forget to slick and lick that mop hair back boys and your good to go!
Dance studios saw the best of the 40’s and 50’s fashion
As the 40’s and 50’s drew in, add some Hollywood glamour to your outfit. Thinks glitz and glamour meets dashing and debonair
Old Hollywood glamour inspired gowns for many years to come. The Golden Age of Hollywood is easy to recreate with a beautiful long red-carpet style gown, add in some diamonds, after all they are a girl’s best friend.
Don’t be afraid to be bold and add some shoulder pads to any sleeved dresses, a 40’s & 50’s woman wants to be seen as a strong, confident woman.
Elegance was key in this era, but this doesn’t mean you can’t add a little sex appeal into your outfit. Feminine glamour was the rage, so get swept up in the glitters and gold and doll yourself up for a 40’s – 50’s feel.
Men wore classic tailored suits for the ballroom and a crisp white shirt with perfectly shined shoes and spats to cover..
As time went on, styles progress and we saw a different type of fashion emerge. The Post War Revival allowed for some frivolous trends with a more relaxed vibe yet still retained that sense of style! Think Audrey Hepburn & Marilyn Monroe or Dean Martin & James Dean
Outside the ballroom people were going crazy for the new fashion. So go full retro and take some inspiration from those stylish icons.
Boys channel your inner James Dean with a leather jacket, jeans and a quaffed hair style.
Women you can take the classic Audrey look or go for the more Va Va Voom of Marilyn
Not sure where to start? Below we have some links to places we like to shop or simply Jump on Google and find the outfit you want and then ask your friends on Facebook. Maybe someone has a costume they could loan you or they’ve seen something similar in an op shop or on eBay. The more people you have looking, the more likely it is you’ll find the perfect outfit.
Get into your local op shops and have a rummage around. Not only will you be supporting your local charity you can also bag yourself a bargain.
Vintage Clothing:
Arrive Vintage – Gold Coast & Brisbane : https://arkivevintage.com
The Vintage Emporium: https://www.facebook.com/thevintageemporiumtyabb/
Mr Vintage – Byron Bay: – https://www.facebook.com/MrVintageAustralia/
Fossil Vintage – Byron Bay – https://www.fossilvintage.com.au (Tell us what you are looking for and we will ship it in from Europe in our next container)
The Camp Hill Antique Centre: http://camphillantiquecentre.com
Remember When: https://www.facebook.com/Remember-When-392137587491500/
Empire Revival: http://empirerevival.com.au/our-collections/
Ooh La La Vintage: https://www.facebook.com/groups/155195171189000/
Reproduction Clothing:
Jacks Daughter: https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/jacksdaughter
Seamstress of Bloomsbury: https://theseamstressofbloomsbury.co.uk
Auntie Charming: https://www.auntylovesretro.com.au
The Bunny Hole : https://www.facebook.com/bunnyholelismore/
Trashy Diva: https://www.trashydiva.com
Lindy Bop: https://www.lindybop.com.au
Clear It Online: https://www.clearitonline.com.au
Pin Up Girl Clothing: https://www.pinupgirlclothing.com/
Kitten D Amour: https://kittendamour.com
Retrospec’d: http://retrospecd.com
Candy Floss: http://www.miss-candyfloss.com
Collective: https://www.collectif.co.uk
Unique Vintage: https://www.unique-vintage.com
Retro Stage: https://www.retro-stage.com
Wish: https://www.wish.com/
Shoes:
Aris Allen: dancestore.com (We are a wholesaler so you can order through Swing On In for these)
My Ju Ju: https://www.myjujudancefever.com.au
Miss L Fire: https://misslfire.com
Charlie Stone: https://www.charliestoneshoes.com
Remix: https://remixvintageshoes.com/collections/gold
Saint Savoy : https://www.saintsavoy.com/en/
B.A.I.T Footwear: https://www.baitfootwear.com
Royal Vintage Shoes: https://www.royalvintageshoes.com
5 Fashion Must Haves for the 1940’s look:
When watching motion pictures from the 1930s and 1940s, it always appeared that everyone, whether it was the starring cast or extras, were always well-dressed. The women were regularly wearing dresses or skirts, while the men were usually sporting suits. All of this at home, too!
James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant and Edward G. Robinson were just some of the actors that defined this generation. In nearly every film, they were always dressed very well. However, for the fashion of this forgotten time, it was the little things that contributed to the wardrobe. These nuances accentuated the style of these men’s wardrobes.
No 1: The Fedora Hat (Hats by the 100’s should see you right or Op shops)
Ah, fedora hats. The trademark of anyone living from the 1920s to the 1960s. Usually, when we think of fedora hats, we tend to think of the prohibition era bootleggers or the gangsters from the old 1940s gangster Warner Bros. pictures. If you ever want to dress like you’re from this era then you definitely need fedora hats.
No 2: Button Up Braces – Suspenders (MYER and DJ’s or high end mens stores still carry these or convert your own)
In most cases, men don’t need to wear suspenders when they have belts. However, suspenders were really big back in the day. As they pontificated on any given topic while pacing around the room, they’d have their thumbs in their suspenders (the same goes with vests).
No 3: Saddles Shoes, Spats and Oxfords – Arkive Vintage – Call them first
Black and white saddle shoes were first introduced in the American fashion scene in the 1920s. It didn’t become ubiquitous until the late 1930s and last until about the late 1950s. Again, they were stylised by the fashion of Al Capone, John Dillinger and other famous gangsters from this era. Also, if you don’t want to spend money on these two toned shoes, you could always purchase a pair of spats and portray yourself as a modern day George Raft.
No 4: Pocket Watches & Pocket Squares
With smartphones, smart watches and plain old analog wrist watches, we really don’t need pocket watches. At the same time, it’s a throwback to see pocket watches in store windows, mostly pawn shops or antique/collectible stores. If there is one accessory that you have to own for your 1940s-style wardrobe then it’s definitely a pocket watch. Also the pocket square kerchief in the breast pocket is a nice touch.
No 5: Nice Suit, Tie and crisp shirt, cufflinks and Tie Bar.. Suits were generally high waisted pants, wide legged with a cuff. Tailored longer jacket with single breasted 2-3 buttons. Waist Coat optional depending on weather. Ties were shorter than todays ties, slightly wider and was a statement piece.