Swing Essentials
The Lindy Hop: What is it?
That energetic, fun, groovy and sometimes goofy dance style from the 30’s & 40’s, "Swing dancing", is a generic term used to describe a style of dance that evolved on the streets and in the ballrooms of Harlem, New York, in the 1920s and '30s. The 'grand-daddy' of swing dancing is known as the Lindy Hop - a phrase coined after Charles Lindberg 'hopped' the Atlantic in 1927.
Sometimes also known as 'jitterbug', the Lindy Hop has evolved into many other forms of partner dance such as ballroom jive, rock 'n' roll and east/west coast swing. Over the past 20 years the traditional "Savoy style" Lindy Hop has undergone a massive revival and workshops are held throughout the year in most countries. Even today, Frankie Manning, "The Ambassador of the Lindy Hop", is still performing and teaching the Lindy Hop (see link below).
Originally danced to the Big Bands of the time, we now see a resurgence of swing-style music in the "neo-swing" movement - providing us with even more lively and inspiring tunes to dance to.
Famous exponents of Swing Dance, and in particular the originators of the Lindy Hop, include the female black dancers Norma Miller and Willie Mae Ricker and white dancers such as Dean Collins and Jewel McGowan, who continued to make the dance popular in California amongst whites.
Picture (right) shows Roy Damron dancing with his partner Snookie Bishop in 1938.
This dance form the dancers simply called "Swing" was originally done at all tempos, but became popular for the faster songs, which became less popular during the mid to late 1940's. Because of this, many of these original swing dancers started utilizing more Balboa or Lindy Hop into their social dancing, creating unique styles which really set them apart on the floor. The dance reached its height of popularity during the late 1930's. During this time the Lindy Hop had reached Los Angeles and these Swing dancers were welcoming the new adaptation of steps and patterns to add to their already-mastered arts of swing.
On the East Coast the Lindy Hop evolved from Charleston during the late 1920's in Harlem. The epicenter for this dance was at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem (left). Ballroom Manager Herbert White put together the best Lindy Hop teams from the Savoy and not only did he promote his dancers into doing performances but he also entered them into the largest dance contest on the east coast, called the Harvest Moon Ball Dance Festival. Starting in 1935, The Lindy Hop division was dominated throughout its history by the dancers from the Savoy Ballroom.
This was just the added promotion the Savoy and its dancers needed in front of a sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden. And of course, Hollywood came calling, first in 1935 and twice in 1937 and then of course in 1941 for the famous scene in the movie Hellzapoppin. During these visits the dancers, such as the famous Whitey's (right) would stay on Central Avenue and perform around town. One of Whitey's original dancers Norma Miller, who is still alive today, remembers teaching the local dancers the Lindy Hop at Ross' 54 Ballroom on Central Ave., their first trip to Los Angeles and later, during WW2, Norma would have her own show on Central Ave. backed by the Johnny Otis Orchestra.
