A Thursday night dance party at the San Francisco Russian Center.The dance starts at 9:20 PM and is named after a swingin' Count Basie song from 1941. It is known for its smooth and spacious wooden dance floor, and has become one of the largest weekly dance parties in the city.
The 9:20 Special is run by Paul Overton and Sharon Ashe, internationally recognized Lindy Hop instructors. A Lindy Hop class precedes the 9:20 Special, and class members tend to practice their newly-learned moves and steps during the social dance.
Paul and Sharon started the 9:20 Special in the late 1990's at the International Center, which was darker and in a more dangerous neighborhood. The current location (Sutter at Divisadero) and dance floor have made the 9:20 Special a favorite weekly event among local swing dancers. People come from as far away as New York and Stockholm to dance at the 9:20.