Arts & Entertainment

Rampage Swing Returns to Downtown Farmington Aug. 15

The public is invited to join Swinginfusion Farmington's dance event at the Walter E. Sundquist Farmington Pavilion.

Swinginfusion Farmington, which brings swing dancing to downtown Farmington on Thursday nights, will host a community dance featuring Rampage Swing on Aug. 15.

Beginner swing dance lesson will begin at 8 p.m., and the event starts at 8:30 p.m., at the Walter E. Sundquist Pavilion on Grand River west of Grove Street.

“We wanted to continue our annual tradition of hosting a community event in August for everyone in the surrounding area, where they can have the experience of dancing to live music from a great band like Rampage Swing,” said Alexander Steward, DJ of Swinginfusion Farmington. “It is our goal with this event to connect with the community so that they know we exist as a place for young adults, have the opportunity to learn how to swing dance, and most importantly have fun!”

Rampage Swing, a nine-piece Ann Arbor-based band plays "music that swing dancers love,” said bandleader Brian Einstein Lassiter. “Over the decades since the swing era, a disconnect has formed between jazz musicians and swing dancers. Because of our close collaboration with the swing community, we know what tempos and styles dancers want. The result is a band by swing dancers, for swing dancers.”

Rampage Swing last September released their album, Michigan Avenue Stomp, including “Ypsilanti”, “My Girl Marie”, and “Michigan Avenue Stomp”. Lassiter the band, back for the third year, considers Farmington "one of our favorite performances of the year.”

Originally called Gen Y Swing, Swinginfusion Farmington has expanded with groups in Brighton, Utica, Milford, Spring Lake, Clarkston and even beyond Michigan to Illinois. 

“It’s great to see a great response from all of the young adults between the ages of 15-30 that come out every week and dance with us," said Alexander Steward, DJ of Swinginfusion Farmington. “We’re finding that our group is not only made up of young adults in Farmington, but from all around Metro Detroit.”

Find out what's happening in Farmington-Farmington Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Tickets for the Aug. 15 event are $5, and the event is open to the public, even those who don't swing dance. If it rains, the event will be held at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 23225 Gill Rd. Farmington Hills. Learn more about Swinginfusion on the group's website


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Farmington-Farmington Hills