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This page was last updated on Monday, December 24, 2007

PLEASE READ THIS INTRODUCTION BEFORE BROWSING THE SUBSEQUENT PAGES

        Since 1995 we have been blessed beyond our wildest dreams. We've been given the opportunity to minister to thousands of people who knew nothing about dance, and bring them face to face with unbridled joy! We started and maintained the longest running weekly swing dance party in the entire south, bringing the Gulfport Casino out of 50 years of obscurity. We've hosted dozens of bands, and hosted dancers from all over the world. Because of our dance experience we now have good friends in no less that nine countries. We were instrumental in the formation and early success of the Suncoast Swing Gang (much more on that as these pages unfold), and helped along the way to see them become the swing powerhouse they are today. With the help of volunteers, we opened the award-winning Savoy South Dance Hall, the best social dance venue in Tampa Bay. We have devoted our lives to swing dancing, and swing dancers, and we thank God every day for the incredible opportunities we've had.

        In the Spring of 2004, after working for two years, often seven day a week, often eighteen hours a day (one time thirty hours straight), and sleeping there countless times, we closed Savoy South Dance Hall.

        During the Parkside Mall years we established a completely new customer base, rivaling the size of the old Tampa Bay "swing community."  We had to do that because we lost almost our entire customer base of six years. We lost those customers because we were viciously attacked by others in the "swing community" who wanted nothing more than to see us fail. While attacks in this business are nothing new, and they're never really a surprise, the ferocity and volume caught me off guard. 

        I cannot and will not blame the jealous, petty people who attacked us for the damage we endured -- I can only blame myself for handling these accusations poorly. I was advised by so many of my most trusted friends, relatives, and business associates to never respond to lies, rumor, or slander. Against my gut instincts I took the advise of those great friends, and "took the high road." So as I was looking down from my fictitious vantage point, I saw that those who prefer muck raking making more headway with their lies than I was trying to make an honest living. Rumors and slander tend to take on a life of their own, and within just a few months of the first outbreak of vicious attacks, we lost almost our entire customer base as I stood by and did absolutely nothing.  I and only I was the fool in this situation. It was I who took the advise. It was I who said nothing.

        The time has come to speak. I'm not doing this for political gain. I'm not doing this to win friends. I'm not doing this to increase my customer base -- I'm doing this because it's time for the truth to be made public. I do not endeavor to get any of our old customer base back, but if the narratives in the following pages inspire anyone to return, then so be it. I don't want to alienate any of our present customers, but if they are offended, I'm sorry. If as a result of these pages I lose all my clientele, and never host another dance party as long as I live, spending the rest of my days sweeping the stock room at Wal-Mart, that is preferable to the pain of remaining silent as others perpetuate malicious non truths about me and my family. The truth has to be made public -- I'm exhausted from holding my tongue every time one of these ugly rumors pops up again.  

        Rest assured, in the following pages I will not point fingers, or name names (except with regard to the management at the Gulfport Casino, a municipally-owned recreation hall). I will simply respond to the different charges, rumors, accusations, and flat-out lies that have been told about what we do, and why we do it.

James Norman

In the weeks and months to come look for the following essays: