“If everyone danced, I believe it would be a better world for all of us,” said Amanda Kupillas, who owns an eponymous dance studio in Hastings.
That conviction is behind “Swing Night!” on May 21, an event presented by Kupillas and RiverArts outside The Good Witch Coffee Bar on Southside Avenue from 7-10 p.m.
The evening will feature the Lindy Hop, an energetic couple’s dance with a lineage that can be traced to the Savoy Ballroom and the Big Band era of the 1920s-1940s — the age of Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Benny Goodman.
Gaby Cook, a professional dancer and teacher, together with a partner, will offer instruction while live music will be performed by Grammy-winner Vince Giordano and his Mini Hawks (a compact version of his illustrious orchestra the Nighthawks).
Kupillas (née Paquette) opened her dance studio six years ago. She graduated from Hastings High School in 2000 and from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia in 2004 with a BFA in ballet dance therapy.
Kupillas conceived “Swing Night!” last summer, while planning her studio’s fall schedule. She then contacted her former Hastings neighbor Gary Smulyan, a Grammy-winning saxophonist who now resides in Yonkers. Smulyan connected her with Giordano. Joanna Prisco, owner of The Good Witch, agreed to host the event.
“We did the first ‘Swing Night!’ last October,” Kupillas said. “The view of New York City from the station was the perfect backdrop. We only had 50 people attend and the weather wasn’t good, but everyone thought it was great and we had so much fun.
“I wasn’t ready to give up on the idea, so I reached out to RiverArts to see if they were interested,” she continued. “They have their act together and with their base we could reach so many more people through [their] email blasts. I was thrilled when they agreed to co-present.”
For its part, RiverArts is pleased to sponsor an event that brings people together through the arts, according to Josh Suniewick, the nonprofit’s managing director.
“‘Swing Night!’ is a great way to have people gather — something that has been difficult to do these past few years,” Suniewick said. “And the fact that the dancing will take place outdoors should make attendees feel more comfortable.”
For the second “Swing Night!” Kupillas enlisted Cook, a longtime collaborator on educational dance projects.
Cook, who lives in New York City, leads two swing- and jazz-based troupes, Wild Rhythm Dance Company and Gatsby Entertainment. She also teaches a swing program at the 92nd Street Y. In 2021, she was the principal dancer in “Swing Out” at the Joyce Theater and she appeared in a performance celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Kennedy Center.
“The Lindy Hop is a social dance and I chose it for that reason,” Cook said. “The important things to know about the May 21 event are you don’t need to bring a partner and you don’t have to have experience. It is a very accessible dance and all you need is a beat. You’ll change partners during the evening. It is very social.”
Giordano and his music can be heard on the soundtracks of films including “The Cotton Club,” “Carol,” and “The Aviator,” and on HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire,” among other shows. He has performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Town Hall, and the Newport Jazz Festival. In addition, he has recorded with vocalists such as Elvis Costello, Patti Smith, and Liza Minelli.
“He has such high standards for the authentic jazz that they perform,” Cook said.
