Coming to the Center for the Arts this March, SW!NG OUT is a full-length multidisciplinary work showcasing the Lindy Hop, a swing dance style born in 1930s Harlem that has since exploded into a vibrant, international community. Created and directed by critically-acclaimed Caleb Teicher, SW!NG OUT includes an ensemble of spectacular Lindy Hop champions, including LaTasha Barnes, a native of Richmond, Virginia.
Recently Barnes has been featured in the public eye, most notably as a 2021 “Break Out Star” according to The New York Times. This is only one of the many awards and recognitions she’s received, another of which includes 2021 Bessie Award for “Outstanding Performer: Sustained Achievement.” Recently featured on NPR’s Rough Translation, Barnes expands on her family history, roots in dance, and activism regarding Black lives. Barnes has not only been featured in writing all over the United States, but she’s made television debuts as well, including her most recent appearance on the TODAY Show. The Center for the Arts is excited for such an inspirational woman like LaTasha Barnes to visit our stage alongside the full company of SW!NG OUT.
As an Artist-in-Residence, SW!NG OUT company members will engage with local swing dance groups, area students, and community members to share the history of swing and Lindy Hop—and get dancing too!
On March 15, members of the SW!NG OUT company will join New Columbia Swing at the Josephine Butler Parks Center in Washington, D.C. for an evening of live music and energetic dance. During the day on March 16 company members will conduct an in-person dance lesson at Hunters Woods Elementary School. Then that evening Teicher will be a featured as part of an Artists-In-Conversation event for the Friends of the Center for the Arts, diving into conversation surrounding the making of SW!NG OUT and Mason’s Artist-in-Residence program. The following evening on March 17, SW!NG OUT and the Hylton Performing Arts Center’s Veterans and the Arts Initiative team together for a digital experience with local Veterans interested in swing.
After a wonderful collection of community activities, SW!NG OUT finishes its time with its highly anticipated performance at the Center for the Arts on March 19. Grab your tickets and don’t miss your chance to get swinging too!
Enjoy this sneak peek of the SW!NG OUT company performing at the Joyce Theater in New York City last fall.