Augie Freeman (Long Beach, CA - now London, UK)  In October of 2003 I began learning how to swing dance I heard about a Camp during the summer called Camp Hollywood. I remembered watching a balboa competition at Memories which was very inspiring so I really wanted to go this Camp. I could improve my dancing and watch all of the competitions. It just sounded like a really fun experience. At this time I was serving as a Non-Commissioned Officer in the United States Marine Corps and I had just returned from a tour in the Gulf. Still, it became a goal of mine to be able to one day compete at the National Jitterbug Championships. So I looked forward to Camp Hollywood 2004. However, Camp Hollywood 2004 quickly became Camp Fallujah instead. I then found myself in a war zone, conducting daily missions in and around the city of Fallujah. During this time I never forgot about my love and passion for swing music and swing dancing. Ask any of the guys with 1st Reconnassaice Batallion and AT-Tow Platoon. They will tell you how they remember listening to Benny Goodman on vehicle watch or watching CPL Freeman practice the Charleston in his room. Ask Hiliary Alexander and she'll tell that she remembers sending one Camp Hollywood 2004 Poster to a Corporal Lee A. Freeman, 1st Tank Bn, Tow Plt RCT-1, FPO AP.  There are few good things to say about living in a warzone but one thing that I remember that brings a smile to my face was meeting a civilian contractor there named Michael who introduced me to a young Captain named Heather Cuniff (SP) from Bravo Surgical Hospital. Her job was to take care of all the wounded sailors and Marines who came into the hospital. She was, coincidently a swing dancer stationed at Camp Pendelton near San Diego. We soon started a class at the activities center teaching Marine Corps and Naval personnel how to Lindy. We tried to get together once a week which was difficult because of the fact that my platoon had nightly patrols. The classes were therapeutic for us all and I really enjoyed being able to dance a little bit while I was on deployement. It was a lot of fun while it lasted. In between missions I would go back to my room and look at the poster for Camp Hollywood and dream about the next summer. Hoping it would come and come soon. One year later, there I was, in front of a ballroom of people competing in the team division. At night I was dancing till the sun came up as well as meeting loads of old timers and dancers from all across the world. I've started a collection of posters for Camp Hollywood. But I think when I look through them and I see the postage label for Camp Hollywood 2004, it will always stand out in my mind.

Mike Mizgalski (Los Angeles) Camp Hollywood '98 none of us knew anything. A bunch of newbies crammed into a smelly hotel, 10 of us in a tacky room with bullet holes in the wall! And hookers in the lobby. Good times! Ah, our humble beginnings...good times, indeed. -Hilary

David Allen (Corning, CA) It was my first camphollywood experience… I had been dancing only a short time and decided to attend in 2003… it was so much more than my friends had told me… and they said it was the best. I was standing on a chair way in the back watching the team events… Nathalie and Yuval had just performed… there was a tap on my shoulder… a follow was asking if she could stand on the chair with me… it was Nathalie Gomes… a few seconds later another tap on my shoulder… it was Yuval Hod asking if he could get up on the chair too… so here I am at camp hollywood standing on a chair with perhaps the best swing couple dancers in the world… it was very cool.

Heather Cuniff King (Cuba-soon to be San Diego)

Camp Hollywood, The Derby, Memories, Remix Shoes… I have been daydreaming about these places as I finish up my year long tour of duty in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba!! My name is Heather Cuniff King (now that I am married), and am a Navy Nurse with a passion for swing dancing. Some of my most cherished memories revolve around swing dancing events & the wonderful people that I have danced with. You can imagine my surprise when I looked up the Camp Hollywood Website thinking "oh, bummer! I missed Camp Hollywood, but maybe next year I will be able to attend" only to see a picture of myself and Augie Freeman giving a dance lesson in Iraq! Wow!! Finding someone to dance with while being deployed was amazing, and kept me sane during an incredibly dangerous time. To Corporal Freeman-thank you for your service to our country. Your acts of courage are not forgotten! Keep living your swing dancing dreams. I expect to see you take first place next year at Camp Hollywood. Take care, and I’ll see you on the dance floor.