Hey there. It’s been a while. A very long while. Not that I haven’t had anything to say. Quite the opposite actually. So, yeah. This is happening. https://www.siobhandavies.com/events/mearchivingme/ So yeah, last year in January, I applied for the Artist Archive at Siobhan Davies Studios. Not thinking that I would ever get it. And of course as these stories go, I did. So here we are with just a few weeks to go. Propa full on. Was meant to have been at the end of ’23, but that was never going to happen as I had way too much stuff to sort through. So now I’m doing the do in May. Saturday 18th M ..read more

k if I don’t So. I started my classes properly last Monday. What I mean by properly is that I advertised them openly. In November leading up to Christmas I did a six-week stint for my regulars who kept connected during the pandemic. It’s going to cost me, well more like it will break-even if I don’t pay myself!!! Most small business owners know this. But I’ve decided to continue. The reason I am ‘going it alone’ is because I don’t have a choice. I don’t believe I’ve been given a choice. I’ve been deprived of choices.  Oh poor me. #victim To say I’m different is well…true. At school, I pla ..read more

Sorting out my coin vase. During the period of mourning I learned about the #konmarie method of decluttering.  I even started my show with it, Radical Integration (2018), so much it helped with separating what was my feelings and what were other’s projections.  I also found that the process of sorting helped me to channel pain that was out of my control. Pain that was hurting me pretty badly, yet was unintentional stricken.  Pain which I had to learn how to describe succinctly whilst being asked to take care of other’s feelings. So, this is what I do. I found a penny from 1992 ..read more

Here is my little speech that my lovely friends Stephen and Émile (aka Miles) agreed to share for me. It’s a pity I wasn’t there. But hey, next time. Hello everyone! Sorry not to be with you all at the 1st Anduze Jazz Dance Camp.  Thank you Leti and Fer for asking me to be a part of the organisation.  And thank you Stephen and Emile for agreeing to share these words with you. When Leti and Fer approached me,  I was surprised but also excited at the prospect of supporting a project that mirrored much of the work I had previously accomplished. After much conversation, we decided h ..read more

Hello everyone.  It’s been a while. I’ve been off the socials, etc. for a bit of time now for various reasons. Most of them are about about adulting and other such mundane everyday stuff. A big part of it is also about my mental wellbeing. These last two years have taken it’s toll on my resources. Before I was able to keep smiling and carry on. Now I have less energy and quite frankly less inclination to keep #doingthework behind the scenes and underground with little to no support. Last year I celebrated my 30 years Lindyversary. In all that time I kept to my values, which are – maintain ..read more

The Swing Debates©: A safe space for open discussions concerning issues regarding the Global Lindy Hop community. Sunday 15 August 2021, 1.15 – 2.15pm at South London Swing Fest, Balham, South London Let’s talk about….What we’re talking about. Following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020, the global Lindy Hop community was catapulted into a season of acute introspection. The responses displayed the full palette of humanness: ‘I told you so’s, shame, ‘I’m part of the solution’s, denial, rebuttal, self-flagellation to righteousness and self-righteousness.    A year and a half of re ..read more

Happy 30th Anniversary to me!!! Yes folks, today marks the 30th anniversary of my Lindy Hop journey. That momentous day was Wednesday 24th July 1991. That was the day when I opened the door to the magic wardrobe – and never came back out. It’s been a ride. Never in a million years did that hyped young woman believe that by stepping across the threshold of the Notre Dame Hall in Leicester Square into the new location of Jitterbugs, that her life would be changed forever. Never did she imagine that her skills from the telecoms field and community and music would merge to create a cacophony of be ..read more

“Still I Rise” . #loveyounormatothemoonandback . #queenofswing . #risefilter . #blackgirlmagic #StillIRise #stillirisemayaangelou #blacklindyhoppersoflondon Miss Norma Miller on her 99th birthday, whilst being driven to Los Angeles, picked up my video call to wish her a Happy Birthday. I was one of many, but she was so happy to chat for quite a while. “Stay still for bit, I’m going to take a picture”. “What?” I’m going to take a picture of you on my phone”. “Go ahead darling”. p.s. she knew how to use a smart phone. #bosslady Norma Adele Miler 2nd December 1919 – 5th May 2019 ..read more

A short bit ago, I posted this on a fb group —> https://youtu.be/lBQPAZObgYg Jeanefer Jean-Charles and Pearl Jordan are still working. Jeanefer being one of the movement directors for the 2012 Olympics. <—. It was in response to a post on a thread for Women’s History Month mentioning “Bullies Ballerinas” Because of the type of person I am, I chose to refrain from sharing my deeper thoughts on the “What happened to them” inquiry. I felt it more appropriate, judicious even, to express them here. Yes, what happened to them? Pearl and Jeanefer are still working in dance. Thankfully. I never ..read more

The Swing Debates©: A safe space for open discussions concerning issues regarding the Global Lindy Hop community.   Sunday 9th February 2020, 2.45 – 3.45pm at Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Hop Swing Dance Festival, York   Let’s talk about….The Legacy of Lindy Hop: the shape of things to come The Savoy Ballroom in Harlem, New York is the model which the majority of lindy hoppers worldwide celebrate. Whilst being an incubator for vernacular jazz art forms, it was also a community centre at the heart of a vibrant and developing neighbourhood. A diverse set of people frequented the Savoy as it was a welcoming ..read more