Battle of the Bonnets Swing Dance – NYC Easter Parade 2009 – Mike Arenella & Dreamland Orchestra
Posted on August 26th, 2009 by admin
Filmed by a random kind stranger, but she kept flipping the camera sideways and back which makes for a dizzying video, but at least we have a memory of the challenging fun dance. It is not often that we would dance with butterflies, reindeer moss, candied eggs, silk flowers, feathers and birds on our heads! I had to tie my boater hat with a white ribbon to prevent it from falling off but it ended up making me look more like Beatrix Potter’s Jemima Puddle Duck. Our hats collided a few times but you just laugh and move on. But in answer to who won the best bonnet in the dance battle? Clearly Michelle’s spectacular psychedelic butterfly paradise won by an eggstatic stretch.
Special mention: Michael Arenella is on the trumpet fronting his fabulous Dreamland Orchestra performing to Tiger Rag. It does not get any better than that.
also check out the band’s website for their next appearance – www.dreamlandorchestra.com
———————–
excerpted from www.dreamlandorchestra.com
Easter Sunday, April 12th
12:30 pm – 3 pm
Fifth Avenue near 54th street, a couple blocks north of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral
Michael Arenella and His 11-piece Dreamland Orchestra invites you to join us this Easter Sunday at the Easter Parade.
Prompted by the proliferation of Peruvian karaoke pipists and folks sporting spaghetti strainers as headwear, we’d like to reclaim the Old New York elegance that defined the Easter Parade.
We’ve decided to stake out a corner of Fifth Avenue and greet the glamorous ghosts of yore strolling by in their Sunday best, as well as our flourescent modern counterparts.
Meet us just north of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral (our exact location will depend on the local constabulary) near Fifth Avenue and 54th St.
Duration : 0:2:13
Anyone whom has ever been to Fifth Avenue in New York City on Easter Sunday, knows the thrill of such excitement, of the joy of renewal celebrated at that annual spring event. This will refresh your joyous memories, and for those that never been, come on this journey, set to infectious Reggae Music.
A sultry turn on this Easter favorite. Recorded at Birdland, April 13th 2009 with Jordan Clawson on piano, Steve Doyle on bass and Steve Bakunas on drums.
1963 Junior Rose Festival Parade, home movie, Portland, Oregon. Lemon Parade by Tonic is playing in the background. I’m the girl in the second row, on the left, wearing a white sun bonnet : )
The Easter Chill