![]() The highlight of swing dances is their emphasis on improvisation. And speaking of music, it’s also very easy to tell swing dancing apart by their fast-paced, joyful, and energetic music! Watching a dance performance, you can tell swings apart by the dramatic lifts, spins, and flips that the dancers execute to the beat of the music. But in reality, swing dance is a family of dances rather than anything in particular. Finish with a triple step left.Ĭheck out this funny, vintage instructional video.There are many specific dances that people have claimed to be “the definitive swing dance”. Finish with a triple step right.įollower: Swivel right, left. Right foot steps behind, left foot steps side. Leader: left foot steps back, right steps in place, triple step. Then as you turn the toes inward, pick up your other foot, and shift your weight. The follower does this by planting one foot on the ground with toes pointing outward. These have a syncopated rhythm, often counted “1-a-2, 3-a-4.” It is executed by shifting weight from one foot to the other: left, right left or right, left right left. This done by placing one foot behind the other and shifting weight from the back foot to the front foot. Steps: The Lindy Hop is made up of 8 count steps and is one of the most difficult of the various swing styles. Rhythm: Slow, Slow, Triple Step (3-a-4), Slow Slow, Triple Step (7-a-8) It can be very energetic and acrobatic or smooth and sophisticated. Improvisation is encouraged, which means although there are patterns that can be learned, there are also many opportunities for both the leader and follower to insert their own moves and find a unique style. Ĭharacteristics: The Lindy Hop has a syncopated rhythm to match the Jazz music to which it is danced. Here is a scene from their first one in 1937, the Marx Brothers movie “A Day at the Races”. They appeared in live performances around the country and in several feature films. A bouncer there by the name of Herbert “Whitey” White put together a team of dancers called “Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers” that popularized the Lindy Hop across the nation. The Savoy Ballroom in New York held famous Lindy Hop competitions every Saturday, pushing dancers to reinvent and perfect their moves. Allegedly it was named from Charles Lindbergh’s “hop” across the Atlantic in 1927. History: The original swing style, the Lindy Hop was created as Jazz music gained popularity in the 1920s and 30s in Harlem, New York City. Two walks forward, followed by two triple steps. Steps: The West Coast Basic is danced in 6 counts. Rhythm: Slow, Slow, Triple Step (3-a-4), Triple Step (5-a-6) It is generally a smoother, more grounded swing style than previous versions.įeatured in movie “Hot Rod Gang” (1958). While dancers do follow specified foot patterns, improvisation is also a large part of West Coast Swing. Because there was no wide-angle lens for cameras yet, in order to fit dancers in the frame, they had to stay in one spot! Whether or not either of these theories can account for it, West Coast Swing developed a unique in-and-out pattern.Ĭharacteristics: West Coast Swing is a slotted dance, meaning the dancers stay in a rectangular area, or panel, of the floor. Others say it had more to do with the needs of movie musicals. To make sure they had enough room to dance, they had to stay in a specific, rectangular area. One theory of the creation of West Coast Swing claims that it was developed because people were dancing in the aisles at concerts. Continued to grow as rock n roll music became more popular. History: Began as “Western Swing” in 40s and 50s. Step right, then left.Ĭheck out this video of our students demonstrating the Jitterbug/Single Swing: It is done in 6 counts, beginning with a rock step and two side steps. Steps: The jitterbug basic is similar to the East Coast Swing. ![]() Partners will often switch between the traditional face-to-face stance and a side-by-side hold. They bounced, hopped, and exaggerated their movements, which made them look like bugs!Ĭharacteristics: Similar to the Lindy Hop, Jitterbug is usually very energetic, usually including very sharp, jerking movements. There are many stories as to the origin of this name, “jitterbug.” One theory is that it is believed to have come from observing the way dancers moved on the floor. History: Jitterbug, also known as Single Swing or Swing Time Swing, was popularized in 1930s by Cab Calloway and his song “Call of the Jitter Bug.” Very similar to the Lindy Hop, though not quite as acrobatic. ![]() In this blog post we will talk about the history of swing and some differences between the many variations of this fun style. ![]() There are many variations of swing dance that developed throughout the last century. From the 1920s to today, dancers have been stepping, spinning, and hopping to these songs. “In the Mood,” “Sing, Sing, Sing,” “Mack the Knife.” Do you recognize these tunes? They are some of the top swing songs of all time.
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