Styles of the 40’s took over Tallahassee’s East Park Avenue, as The Knott House Museum hosted its annual Swing Dancin’ in the Street event on Saturday.
Free swing dancing lesson were provided for those interested to learn.
Bea Cotellis, the site manager at the Knott House Museum, said The Knott family lived in the house in 1928, and the museum was restored to the period of the Depression era. This program brings awareness of the importance of swing dancing during the 1930s.
“Swing dancing was popular entertainment during that time and we wanted to show the community how popular it was,” Cotellis said.
According to museum educator Ana Perez, the event has been going on since 2002.
Kennedy Nelson, a novice participant, said the event was much more than what she expected.
“I just expected people to be rolling around and dancing,” Nelson said. “But it looks a lot of fun and I can’t wait to get out there.”
Patricia Crenshaw, a skilled swing dancer, has been swinging for 15 years. She has been coming to this event for about five years now because her husband is part of The Tallahassee Swing Band, which was performing at the event.
“This is the music I grew up listening to my parents play on the record player,” Crenshaw said. “Once you start dancing you can’t stop — it’s fun.”
Patricia Singletary, a second time participant, said she was invited last year by a friend and enjoyed it, so she decided to come back and bring other friends.
“This event brings people together,” Singletary said. “You get to meet a lot of new people because you have to do a lot of rotations.”
While The Tallahassee Swing Band took an intermission, people were able to take a tour inside of the museum.
For the people who enjoy swing dancing, The Tallahassee Swing Band plays every Tuesday night from 7:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. at Lake Ella’s Legion Hall.