Out To Lunch

Say the word ‘Jazz’ to most people, and all manner of cringeworthy stereotypes start flashing through their minds. Say the words ‘Jazz Dance’, and it gets worse, with images of Bruce Forsyth mincing about in tap shoes. Think again; there’s been a small underground collective here in Nottingham for almost a decade now,spearheaded by local DJ Killer Jim, that have been flipping this long outdated viewpoint on it’s head. Literally.

Having started nine years ago at Casa on Trent Bridge (and now residing in the basement of Snug), the monthly Out To Lunch sessions are carrying the torch for true jazz dance - a style that grew out of the UK club scene in the late 70s and early 80s, originally performed by dancers with no formal training, but shedloads of love for the music ability to feel rhythm patterns. Imagine an unrehearsed, loose form of breakdancing to high-speed
be-bop, 100mph Afro-Cuban rhythms, Brazilian Latin and high-octane jazz fusion.

Its unforgiving speed and ferociousness can seem aggressive at times, but by heck it’s addictive - and newcomers to the dancefloor are often left agape in awe at the energy and complex movements of the seasoned dancers who travel from all over the country. That said, newbies who dare to take to the specially-prepared wooden floor are always welcomed with open arms.

What makes this extremely underground second-Sunday-of-the-month session even more magical is the fact that this is one of only three nights left in the UK that specialises in this type of dancing. Believe it - this will be one of those nights you’ll be telling your grandkids about, long after your knees have packed up.

Out To Lunch, Sunday 9 August  (guest DJs Geoff Burgess and Dally), Sunday September 13 (guest DJ Tony Hylton), The Snug Lounge, Houndsgate, 5pm-9pm. £3 entry.

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