Dance Band Night Series
The North Beach Bandshell sits so close to the ocean you can feel the tides change as music pours out of the new sound system and bounces off of the plastered walls of its historic Art Deco structure. This is by design as new managers, The Rhythm Foundation, choose to compete with neither the elements nor the people of Miami Beach, but create synergy between the two. Reminiscent of the Golden Era of North Beach they plan to bring the neighborhood—an eclectic demographic of people ranging in age and ethnicity—together as a community through the engagement of the arts.
Drawing inspiration from Lincoln Center’s “Midnight Summer Swing” in New York, they launched their first event called the “Dance Band Night Series”. The second Thursday of every month the venue will host this free event providing dance instruction accompanied by locally or regionally based music to the public, something coordinator Karla Arguello says doesn’t currently exist.
The series swung into action on Thursday, May 14 when hundreds of people joined together for lessons from world champion swing dancers Yuval Hod and Jul Savikas. Nature, refusing to be outdone, provided the perfect backdrop as the sun descended behind cotton-candy clouds to the west while the moon rose off the eastern shore creating the perfect atmosphere for a six-piece band called The French Horn to bring the crowd to their feet.
Hod has taught and danced to large audiences in over 40 different countries across the globe, yet remains humbled by the turnout. He said, “Seeing 200 happy people take a beginner swing dance lesson, followed by a great band out doors with palm trees and Art Deco surrounding everywhere in Miami, takes the cake!” He continued, “It’s simply magical! One can feel that something very special is going on. The fact that this is a free event happening in my own neighborhood, for all ages, makes me giddy!”
With the continued support of the community and sponsors, The Rhythm Foundation hopes to continue the series indefinitely. Don’t miss the next two dances 7-10pm: Thursday, June 11th featuring Conjunto Impacto, a 15-piece orchestra with dance and instruction from Kings Dance Studio; Thursday, July 9th featuring Cornbread, an American folk music ensemble with a night of traditional contra dance led by caller Anita Masons.
Learn more at RHYTHM FOUNDATION!
~Jacqui Jeanis
