Lindy Hop & Jazz Dance
Willa Mae Ricker & Leon James, Life Magazine 1943
Lindy Hop is an energetic and rhythmic partner dance created by Black American dancers in Harlem, New York, during the late 1920s and early 1930s. As Swing Jazz music took hold of the nation in the 1930s and 1940s, Lindy Hop followed suit, becoming the defining social dance of the era.
Emerging during the Harlem Renaissance, Lindy Hop was influenced by earlier Black American dance forms, such as the Charleston, the Breakaway, and the Texas Tommy. While grounded in these historical movements, the modern Lindy Hop community continues to evolve, blending new steps and drawing on elements from a wide variety of related dance styles.
"Jazz dance" is a broad term that encompasses many different styles, from early jazz dances like the Charleston to Broadway Jazz and newer styles like Jazz Funk. Because the term "jazz dance" can refer to so many different styles, there is ongoing debate about what to call the dances performed to Swing Jazz music. Terms like Solo Jazz, Authentic Jazz, Vernacular Jazz, and simply Jazz are all commonly used to describe the style.
At Swing Dance SCT, we emphasize teaching historical movements as the foundation of Lindy Hop and Jazz dance, ensuring that every dancer gains a solid understanding of the style's roots. In our advanced classes, we expand our exploration to include dances that predate Lindy and Jazz (Blues, Peabody), sister dances (Balboa, Bebop), as well as styles that evolved from Lindy & Jazz (House, Mambo, Hip Hop).
With tempos ranging from slow and smooth to fast and fiery, and endless possibilities for rhythmic and stylistic variation, Lindy Hop and Jazz continue to be popular dances around the world. Fortunately, Seattle is home to one of the largest dance scenes in the U.S.!
Resources:
The Spirit Moves - Archival footage of original Lindy Hop & Jazz dancers at the Savoy Ballroom and in studio demonstrating a wide range of 20th century social dances
Swungover Blog - Well researched blog written by Bobby White, a respected swing dancer, instructor, and historian
Vintage Clips - Playlist with dozens of vintage Lindy Hop & Jazz dance clips
Lost Heritage from Jazz to Hip Hop - Talk by Professor Moncell Durden on the connection between Jazz and Hip Hop
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What is Swing Dance?
Swing dance refers to a whole family of dances that include Lindy Hop, East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing, Balboa, Collegiate Shag, and many others. Lindy Hop was the dance that started it all and made Swing the most popular American dance form.
Lindy Hop was born out of the Black community in Harlem, New York in the 1930s. It was danced to Swing Jazz, the most popular music in the United States at the time, which ranged from slow and sultry to groovy to blazing-fast and energetic. The Lindy Hop is danced to this day in countries all across the world thanks to the efforts of Frankie Manning, the legendary ambassador of Lindy Hop, and several other original dancers including Norma Miller and Al Minns.
Check out this blog post and its related posts for more information on the history of swing dance.
"Cottontail" by the Duke Ellington Orchestra
Whitey's Lindy Hoppers: William Downes, Frances "Mickey" Jones Norma Miller, Billy Ricker Al Minns, Willa Mae Ricker, Ann Johnson, Frankie Manning