What is Swing Dancing?

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Swing dance is a group of social dances that developed with the swing style of jazz music in the 1920’s–1940’s, with the origins of each dance predating this 'swing' era. Hundreds of styles of swing dance were developed, those that have survived include Charleston, Balboa, Lindy Hop and Collegiate Shag.  Today, the best-known of these dances is the Lindy Hop, which originated in Harlem, New York, in the early 1930s.  The majority of swing dances began in African-American communities as vernacular jazz dances.  In our classes we focus mainly on Lindy Hop and Charleston.

Lindy Hop evolved in the early 1930s.  It is characterised by the use of ‘triple steps’ within the rhythms and has an emphasis on improvisation, individuality and fun. The name ‘Lindy Hop’ is often attributed to ‘Shorty’ George Snowden during an interaction with a newspaper writer who asked him what kind of dance they were doing. Because Charles Lindbergh had just made his famous solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean, Shorty George is said to have replied, "the Lindy Hop".

The Savoy Ballroom in Harlem was the original home of the Lindy Hop, which quickly spread across the globe. In the 1950’s dance culture favoured newer solo dance styles, but swing dancing continued as a culture thanks to a hard core of dancers and events like the Harvest Moon Ball.

In the late 1980’s Lindy Hop increased in popularity. A renaissance occurred when a group of dancers sought out some of the original Savoy Ballroom dancers, including characters who have now become icons within the swing scene such as Frankie Manning, Norma Miller and Al Minns.

Charleston is danced partnered or solo, often to faster music. The dance is named after the harbor city of Charleston, South Carolina. It was named from a 1923 tune called ‘The Charleston' by James P. Johnson and was very popular in the mid 1920’s. A slightly different form of Charleston became popular in the 1930’s and 1940’s. In this later Charleston form, the hot jazz timing of the 20’s Charleston was adapted to suit the swing jazz music of the 1930’s and 1940’s.  Frankie Manning and other Savoy dancers saw the Charleston steps as a part of the Lindy Hop, blending the styles in innovative and fun ways. This style of Charleston is the one most commonly danced today and is the style we mainly teach in our classes.