The Track - E013 - Jerry Almonte

The Track with Ryan Swift

This month, I am joined by one of the most prolific and respected Lindy Hop bloggers in the world, Jerry Almonte. Jerry is a fixture behind the scenes of the swing community — he is one of the founders of DCLX, the Washington, DC Lindy Exchange (which just celebrated its fifteenth year), and DJs regularly at The Jam Cellar in Washington, DC. He has also served as Event Manager for landmark events including Frankie 95, the Big Big Event, and every year of ILHC since its inception. However, Jerry may be best known for Wandering and Pondering — a Facebook page in its current incarnation — where he shares videos, news, photography and observations from the world of swing dance and beyond. Through the highly curated content he shares daily, he’s become the de facto archivist for Lindy Hoppers worldwide. We sat down at Lindy Focus 2015 to talk about the impact that early internet discussion boards had on him and the burgeoning swing dance subculture, the origins of DCLX & Jam Cellar, and what it takes to put on an event like ILHC. We also examine his process for finding and sharing content for his blog, how his experience as the son of immigrants influences his affinity for behind the scenes roles, and when he realized what really matters to him as the growing swing dance scene continues to evolve.