Marty Conley's Big Band Express @ Encinitas Elks

This event is special, as it is:

• the only way in San Diego to dance to the music of a big band weekly
• one of the very few dance events in the North County, period

If you have been inside any Elks lodge, you know the layout. For the ones who have never been there, few facts:

1. There is a hall with a bar and a hall where the dancing goes on, with large opening in-between.
2. The dancing crowd is small and more mature than the one found at a typical San Diego event. The folks are friendly. Most are regulars, so be nice! As with any small crowd, bringing an own dance partner is highly recommended.
3. The dancing floor is not large

Logistics:
The entrance fee is $10, a true bargain for a big band. The parking lot is always full, so you will have to park on the street. The neighborhood is a typical residential suburbia, so it looks and feels very safe, you might have to walk 100-200 yards in the dark from/to the parking spot you will easily find.

The music.
Marty Conley's Big Band Express delivers excellent sound, the resident crooner, Daniel Parc, is great. In short, in terms of music this is a truly exciting dancing opportunity. The song mix is a typical big band variety, more that half of songs are swing-able. If you want to dance to every single tune, brush up on your Latin (cha-cha would work), two-step, and waltz (in this order). Swing dancer like me will have to sit out some songs.

The floor
The floor quality is very good, but sometimes there are slightly sticky areas. Bring your good dancing shoes. The area is sufficient for 10-15 couples, beyond that the lead needs to be careful. There is seating next to the floor, the dancing crowd sits closer to the dancing area. Some tables are reserved, it would be very wise to check if the seats are available. The tables in the second row are usually free-for-all.

The crowd
The crowd is smallish, mostly regulars. There are more followers than leads (not disastrously so). The ages vary greatly, but there are actually some nonagenarians on the floor (that's people in their 90s), so be careful while leading, even occasional bumps are not OK.