Big band leader German Gonzales Jr., (front center) sets the tempo for the Carmichael-based SwingMasters ensemble. Photo by Susan Maxwell Skinner

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - Hundreds of dancers are cutting a rug at the Spotlight Ballroom in West Sacramento every Friday night.

In this smoke and alcohol-free den of dance, a group called Midtown Stomp sponsors lessons and – often – live bands. A recent performance by the Carmichael-based SwingMasters saw nearly 250 movers on the tiles.

Guys Lindy-hopped with gals; gals jived with gals; boys jitterbugged unselfconsciously with boys. The fanatics hoofed through band breaks and were still tripping as musicians packed up and headed home.

“They never stopped,” marveled a band member. “All night, we played for a sea of amazing dancers. They were polite and appreciative – they applauded every number. They were just incredibly nice kids.

“Sometimes it was hard to see the floor for pounding feet.”

Midtown Stomp has run events for almost 19 years and its Spotlight Ballroom is a well-known secret among devotees. The weekly meet-up – among the biggest swing dances on the West Coast – packs surrounding streets bumper-to-bumper with parked cars.

Ten dollars admission ($15 on live music nights) gets a handstamp. Then patrons enter a 1940s-style time warp, resonant with music; redolent with hot, jiving bodies.

“Dancers range from teenagers to seniors,” says instructor Amber Kaufman. “Everybody’s super nice and welcoming; it’s an easy-going community. Swing dancing began to revive in popularity in the 1990s and gained a huge worldwide following.

“There are so many sub-styles of the dance, you never get bored.”

Spotlight Ballroom is located at 2534 Industrial Boulevard, West Sacramento. Learn about Midtown Stomp at www.midtownstomp.com