Gypsy John started attending Lindy Hop dance classes in September 1999 after seeing an advert in the local free paper offering a six-week crash course above the Queens Head Hotel in Hawkhurst, Kent.  A young graduate Alice Elsmore was running this course; she suggested that if any one wished to pursue this authentic jazz dance, they should come along to “Jitterbugs” in Sevenoaks, Kent, where Julie Oram from Jitterbugs in Leicester Square, London taught every Tuesday.

From that Hawkhurst class G.J. and one other couple (who only attended once) went along to Sevenoaks. To start with, things were intimidating; a large floor, dancers who knew their basic footwork and a once a month top London swing DJ such as Pat the Cat.   It took about three months for G.J. to get his size 12 Gandolfis around the intricate footwork.  Often pulling over in his beat up pick up truck on a cold winter night, he’d think, “what’s the point I’ll never get this.” But with perseverance, and Julie  Oram’s skillful instruction, he made the 100 mile round trip weekly for two years. Within this time the Sevenoaks club had grown smaller and moved to nearby Otford.  When this club broke up regular trips where made to Jitterbugs in Leicester Square and Stompin’ at the 100 Club in Oxford Street, as well as swing dance camps and Such was the passion and the request from four local friends Gypsy John decided to put an advert in the same paper that had advertised the six-week crash course two years earlier.  Expecting half a dozen beginners to turn up at the East Coast Swing/Lindy Hop class at Stone-in-Oxney Memorial Hall on September 13th 2001, there were in fact 32 students!   G.J. was assisted by Carole, Alice Elsmore’s mother, who had taken up Lindy about 2 years before John had, and partnered him regularly since he started.  The title was Oxney Swing Jive.  The class grew attracting many locals.  A dance was put on the 15th December 2001 with DJ Tim’s Jumpin’ Jive.  On March 13th 2002 the Hastings class started, followed by Maidstone, Canterbury and Ashford.  Carole then started her own class and G.J. took a shining to a new Irish student in Hastings called Karen.   Karen had been classing ballroom for around two years and soon picked up the Lindy Hop, the Balboa and Collegiate Shag.  Now engaged to be married and dancing Lindy Hop together for over five years, Gypsy John and Krazy Karen operate as Cinque Ports Swing Jive.  

Regular classes are held five nights a week across the South East as well as regular social dances, street performances and workshops, often using renowned instructors.   In 2001 and 2002 they came 1st in the War and Peace shows Jitterbug competition, danced for Dame Vera Lynn at her 91st birthday, appeared in the film Piccadilly Jim, in ITV’s documentary Hellfire Corner and have also taught thousands of students across the UK.  Several of Gypsy John’s former students have gone on to start their own classes and successfully enter competition.  Before Oxney Swing Jive if you wanted to learn or dance the Lindy you had to go to London or further afield.  But now there is a strong and vibrant swing dance scene in Kent and East Sussex.  

Amongst many others Gypsy John would particularly like to pay gratitude to Frankie Manning for his inspiration and to Julie Oram for her encouragement and outstanding