1- WHEN DID YOU DISCOVER LINDY HOP?
I DISCOVERED LINDY HOP AT BIRRAPORETIS RESTURANT IN 1995 WHEN I SAW SOME KIDS DOING IT ON MONDAY NIGHT THERE.
2- HOW DID YOU LEARN TO DANCE?
I LEARNED TO LINDY FROM AUDREY WILSON AND P.B.D.A. IN 1995. I HAD A TOUGH TIME LEARNING THE BASIC AND IT TOOK ABOUT 6 MONTHS BEFORE I WAS COMFORTABLE WITH LINDY.
3- WHAT WERE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT WAYS IN WHICH DANCING AFFECTED YOUR LIFE?
LINDY OPENED THE DOOR TO MY DESIRE TO DANCE. IT MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO REALLY ENJOY MY PASSION FOR DANCING, AND ALLOWED ME TO SOCIALIZE WITH A YOUNGER GENERATION OF PEOPLE THAT I WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HANG WITH OTHERWISE.
4- HOW DID YOU GET THE NAME "LINDY BILL"?
I GOT THE NAME "LINDY BILL" AS MY AOL NAME, AND WHEN I GAVE IT OUT TO DANCERS AT THE DERBY, THEY PICKED UP ON IT AND STARTED CALLING ME THAT. I REALIZED THAT IT MADE ME KNOWN, AND MADE CARDS UP UNDER THAT NAME.
5- WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF A "GOOD" LINDY HOPPER?
A "GOOD" LINDY HOPPER, IMO, IS A PERSON WHO SHOWS THEIR LOVE FOR THE DANCE, IS OBVIOUSLY HAPPY WHEN DANCING IT, AND IS NOT TOO SERIOUS ABOUT IT. HEY, ITS DANCING, NOT BRAIN SURGERY!
6- DESCRIBE YOUR MOST MEMORABLE LINDY EXPERIENCE, ONE THAT PUTS A SMILE ON YOUR FACE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT.
MY TWO MOST MEMORABLE LINDY EXPERIENCES WERE:
A) DANCING ON STAGE AT UCLA IN 1996 WITH RED YOUNG AND VOODOO DADDY PLAYING LIVE, WITH TWO PARTNERS, FOR A LARGE AUDIENCE OF STUDENTS. WE DANCED FOR ABOUT AN HOUR.
B) HEATHERS' 13TH BIRTHDAY PARTY ON JULY 4TH, 2000, AT THE PENTHOUSE. WHAT A BLAST!
7- DURING THE LAST YEAR YOU DECIDED TO LIVE OUT YOUR DREAM: RETIRE, MOVE NEXT TO THE DERBY, BUILD A FLOOR AND WELCOME ALL YOUR DANCE FRIENDS FOR PARTIES ALMOST WEEKLY DESCRIBE THE LAST YEAR?
LAST YEAR WAS EXCITING, FRUSTRATING, AND CHALLENGING.
8- HOW IS YOUR LIFE DIFFERENT THESE DAYS?
MY LIFE IS HAPPIER BECAUSE I NOW CAN SPEND THE DAY ON THE BEACH AND IN THE OCEAN, ONE OF MY FAVORITE ACTIVITIES.
9- THERE IS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE SWING SCENE SLOWING DOWN..... WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE FUTURE GENERATIONS CAN SHARE IN OUR JOY OF DANCING?
THE SWING SCENE WILL BE HERE AS LONG AS WE KEEP GETTING NEW PEOPLE INTO IT AND MAKING THEM FEEL WELCOME.
10- WHAT'S YOUR ADVICE FOR DANCERS WHO ARE JUST STARTING OUT?
A DANCER STARTING OUT SHOULD TAKE AS MANY LESSONS AS POSSIBLE, DANCE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, AND SHOW THEIR ENJOYMENT OF IT.
11- WHAT DO YOU HOPE PEOPLE WILL SAY ABOUT YOUR LEGACY IN THE SWING DANCE SCENE 50 YEARS FROM NOW?
NO ONE WILL REMEMBER ME 50 YEARS FROM NOW, BUT I KNOW THE DANCE WILL STILL BE DONE.
12- DO YOU HAVE A ROLE MODEL IN THE DANCE COMMUNITY?
MY ROLE MODEL IS FRANKIE MANNING. FOR ALL THE REASONS WE ALL KNOW.
13- WHEN CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE YOU IN L.A. AGAIN?
I HAVE NO PLANS TO COME BACK TO LA. MAYBE FOR WAKES AND WEDDINGS.
14- SOME DANCERS GO THROUGH PERIODS WHERE THEY GET A BIT BURNED OUT. YOU DANCED EVERY DAY. WHAT'S YOUR SECRET TO KEEPING THE FUN IN IT?
THE WAY TO REDUCE BURNOUT, IMO, IS TO KEEP AS MUCH VARIETY AS POSSIBLE IN YOUR DANCE SCENE. GO TO AS MANY PLACES AS POSSIBLE AND DANCE WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
I HAVE BEEN DOING LINDY UP TO 7 DAYS A WEEK FOR 7 YEARS. I DOUBT IF ANYONE WAS OUT IN THE SCENE AS MUCH AS I WAS. I WILL DROP DOWN NOW TO LESS LINDY, BUT ENJOY IT AS MUCH.
