History Buffs,
I thought this question and answer Commentary would be of general interest.
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Asked by Maverick:
Hey, Joe, you didn't answer my questions? Was that you on the furniture?

Did I say something wrong? You are responding to other people's posts, but not mine.

So were you and the other swing dancers in those movies tight? They looked like they would be a fun crowd to hang out with. Were you drinking buddies with Dean, Gil and Hal?

How do you do the Joshua Jive? Are there any video's on how to dance it? hHo is Joshua Castleman? Is he a traveling instructor? What is his dance background?

How long has he been dancing? Who were his influences and teachers?

Can you describe the dance? What is the basic step?
Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2004 6:06 am Post subject: JOSHUA JIVE VIDEO

Maverick,
Dean Collins was a teacher at my studio, 'The Hollywood Dance Club' for
about two years. We danced at the same Swing Venues almost seven days a week. He was not only my friend but my confidant with whom I was able to share my most personal problems with. He was a very exacting teacher which many students were never able to come up to his standards. Gil Brady and Nikki Faustino were his protegees, but Gill no longer dances Dean's style (which in the 1950's was NOT the same style Dean danced in the 1940's films), he (Gill) has succumbed to the WCS style over the years. When you see Gill and Nikki dancer in 'Don't Knock the Rock' those are moves Dean taught them at my studio.

Maverick, you did not say anything wrong. And I appreciated your Questions; I was only trying to answer several subscribers in the same 'commentary', which you made me realize does not work well.

Most of the people you see in those Swing movies are either Extras, who clap and yell on the side lines do a few shuffling steps or are ballet dancers with minimal training in Swing. At the Audition for 'Don't Knock the Rock', not more than a ten dance couples were picked for the main dance scenes.
I personally knew every dancer in Hollywood Swing crowd, but Dean was the only person I was 'tight' with. I have always been a Black Sheep. But I threw the most outageous parties every Saturday night in and on my Penthouse dance studio 50 X 150 sq ft. with my own private band, which included Jazz musician, George Redman at the drums and Herby Alpert on the trumpet, before he orgnized 'The Tijuana Band'.

Hal Trakier never came into Hollywood swing scene in the 1950's; he told me this himself at one of the defunct Satine Ballroom events in 2001. That was why we never met until 1999 at the second annual event of 'Camp Hollywood' (where we were Guest Speakers) which was held for the last time at the Hollywood Palladium.

Joshua Castleman has been trained by some very excellent old time instructors, whose names slip my mind, and he has been dancing close to ten years, which is my guess. For the past six years he has been sponsoring his own Swing Venue on the Santa Monica Promenade on every 1st & 3rd Sundays of the month, free of charge. Joshua does teach and he does a lot of traveling with his DJ apparatus. As for videos, I will have to ask Joshua about that when I see him at 'Lindy Groove' this Thursday night.

Maverick, I will explain how the Joshua Jive works by this coming week end. I hope I have answered your questions satisfactorily. Let me know if I left anything out. Your questions will make you a creditable Swing historian.
Black Sheep
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