What is Swing Dancing?
Swing Dancing is a genre of partner dance done to swing music.
What dances count as Swing dances?
There are a number of different swing dances. These include:
- Lindy Hop
Lindy Hop is the original and most popular swing dance. It originated in the late 1920's in Harlem in New York City,
and settled down at the Savoy Ballroom, where pioneers and innovators like "Shorty" George Snowden and Frankie Manning brought it to its peak. Later, dancers like Dean Collins brought Lindy from the East Coast to the West, developing a distinct style. Nowadays, there are as many styles of Lindy Hop as there are dancers. Lindy is the all-encompassing
swing dance, and dances which were once individual dances such as Jig-Walk, Charleston, East Coast Swing, etc. have now been swallowed up and incorporated into Lindy Hop.- East Coast Swing
Typically considered a stepping stone to Lindy Hop, East Coast Swing is a simpler, though still exciting six-count dance done to swing music. Frequently taught in beginner "Swing" classes, East Coast includes many of the important foundations of Lindy Hop, including the rockstep, frame, posture, and connection.- Jitterbug?
The term
Jitterbug is a bit of a mystery among swing dancers, and everyone that uses it has different meanings. Some people insists that Jitterbug was the dance that white swing dancers did, while Lindy Hop was the dance for blacks. Another common definition is that Jitterbug was what Lindy Hop became in the 50's and 60's when the music and style of Lindy Hop changed. Jitterbug is also commonly used to refer to East Coast Swing. However, many people, especially older ones, simply use Jitterbug to describe Swing Dancing, and the way that they used to dance to Swing and Rock and Roll music in their youth.- Charleston
The Charleston was introduced to the general public in the Broadway show "Runnin' Wild", and instantly became a national
craze. Known for its kicks, Charleston is a general term for a number of different styles of dance including 20's Charleston, 30's Charleston and Partner Charleston and Solo Charleston. Nowadays, many of these dances are included under the umbrella of Lindy Hop, but Solo Charleston dance contests continue to be popular.- Balboa/Bal-Swing
Balboa originated on the Balboa peninsula in California as a reaction to overcrowded dance floors. Danced upright in
a very close position, it can be done to all tempos of music, though it is known for its fast tempos. Bal-Swing is Balboa that breaks out of the closed position into a wide variety of fancy and flashy movements. Balboa and Bal-Swing are currently enjoying a national resurgence in popularity.
Blues Dancing
Blues dancing may be a separate genre from swing dancing, but the two are intimately tied together. As long as there
has been Swing Dancing, there has been blues dancing. Danced in Harlem in seedy nightclubs and at house rent parties, blues dancing
is as varied as blues music, but many say it is a more intimate form of dancing than most. Little seems to have changed since the 30's, as Blues is still frequently danced at house parties, and in dimly lit dance halls.