The History of Swing Dancing
Here at Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona we love to Swing dance! But you may be wondering where it all began, so kettle explore a little bit about the history of Swing dancing and why it is so fun!
Swing dancing began back in the 1920’s when African dance moves were formed into what is now known as the the Lindy Hop and the Charleston, and they were both danced to contemporary Jazz music. Eventually, these dances spread throughout the country and was picked up at clubs, including dancers in Hollywood. They began creating hundreds of movies that incorporated Swing dancing scenes and the rest is history!
Interestingly, Lindy Hop dancing was actually looked down upon by heads of famous dance societies saying that Swing dancing was too “sexual and vulgar”. In fact, as it spread, it was banned at one point in Germany. We all know that most things that are banned become more and more popular because of its rebellious nature, hence Swing dancing grew.
How did Lindy Hop get it’s name? Well this is a fun story! A man named “Shorty George” was dancing the night away at a successful local dance club in Harlem, New York to some contemporary Jazz music and was stealing the spotlight. When a reporter came around to him and asked what the name of the dance he was doing was called, he stopped and looked around the club and saw a newspaper with a heading that read “Lindy Hops the Atlantic.” He then turned to the reporter and said the dance was called the “Lindy Hop.” This was right around the time Lindbergh successfully flew to Paris in 1927.
Then, August 21, 1935, Benny Goodman and his band started playing Swing music. Young people absolutely loved the fresh sounding beats they created, and it began to broadcast on the radio. It started a wave in live radio listeners, and millions more tuned in to hear the upbeat Swing tunes. This led to, as all music does, more dancing, but they needed a new dance to go with the new sound. At the same time an artist by the name Cab Calloway introduced a new tune called the Jitterbug, a bouncy, six-beat rhythm that had a dance with the same name. It became extremely popular in dance troupes around the globe and is still danced today, even at our studio. We love that it is still so easy and fun to do. A lot of clubs still incorporate Lindy Hop, but many other Swing dance styles now exist. With over 20 Swing dance styles to choose from, you can certainly find a version that puts a smile on your face! It’s kind of hard to not smile when you’re having as much fun as you do dancing.
At Dance FX Studios, we teach a ton of Country Swing dancing and Jitterbug Swing. They are both upbeat and fun, dances that anyone can learn to do with confidence in Private Dance Lessons. Swing dancing is perfect for crowded places, like in a bar, or at a wedding, because it is done mostly in place, rather than traveling around a big floor.
We wish we could’ve been around in that era to experience what it was like to learn all the different types of Swing in their prime. The roaring 20’s must have been a blast!
To prepare you to feel confident Country dancing, or Swing dancing in general, come visit us for New Student Offer for Private Dance Lessons and experience the fun of Swing dancing. Grab a partner, turn on some Swing music and get inspired to dance! It’s great fun!
