Julian Jam '08 - Part I

Part of the reason I decided to write about dancing was the fact it combined two of my loves: dancing and writing. Now those two loves have crossed over one another in the physical world. Tonight we attended a benefit for the Julian Center at the Athenaeum here in Indianapolis. The Athenaeum was built in 1893 by German immigrants who escaped persecution in their homeland, fleeing to American and eventually Indianapolis. The building itself was designed and built by Vonnegut and Bohn Architects, a firm that carries the family name of Indiana legend Kurt Vonnegut. That's the closure of the circle - dance to literature to literature to dance…nice, huh?

We attended the Julian benefit last year - then it was held at Fountain Square. Catering for the event was stellar, provided by Shelby Street Café (there's some debate on this - I keep thinking the eats were provided by Scholar's Inn, a Mass Ave institution but I'm often wrong about these things!) and including more food than a body should eat when planning on dancing. Its surprising the stuff I stuffed my face with didn't wind up as a greasy spot on the dance floor after the first fast tune! Somehow I managed though - I'm sure Kell's glad about that!

There's something about dancing in a venue like the Athenaeum. I mean the Indiana Roof is a great place and it has such a storied history…but the Athenaeum reaches back to ancestral roots. Imagine a people bereft of all they knew back in the old country. They've traversed the Atlantic Ocean and the North Eastern seaboard of the United States. They've penetrated past the Appalachian Mountains and into the cereal bin of the country where people are earthy and not given to out-and-out acceptance of differences. Finally they settle in Indianapolis and they try to make a life for themselves. Then after all the escaping they realize that some of the things they escaped are really missed - in their hearts a longing grows and it's the kind of longing that cannot be quenched because their personal reality stood in the way.

So what did they do? What would you do? Try to keep the good things alive and let the bad things go into the dustbin of memory? Maybe…I guess as an outsider I'll never really know. The one thing I know is that in 1893 the Athenaeum was erected and on its façade a plaque was placed stating 'Frisch und Frei, Stark und Treu' (Fresh and Free, Strong and True).

Tonight we'll be making use of the American Cabaret Theater, enjoying the music of the Stardusters, and trying to avoid the stomping feet of Naptown Stomp Lindy Hop Society (I'll break out my steel toed saddle shoes). As always there will be pictures and a report, so stay tuned!