What is The Lindy Hop?
Lindy Hop is the granddaddy of all swing dances. It evolved from
the Charleston as swing music came into favor in the 1930's, and
flourished in huge ballrooms such as the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem.
Whereas the Charleston involved dancing in "closed" position,
Lindy Hop has the partners breaking away, yet still coming together
and breaking away, thus it visually "swung" with the music.
Not that Lindy Hop ignored the Charleston. Indeed, the Charleston
is an integral part of Lindy Hop, from which came other forms of
swing: East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing, smooth style, etc.
Known for its musicality and innovativeness, Lindy Hop enjoys a
continued revival and is still avidly danced throughout the world.
Where can I learn Lindy Hop?
We recommend taking classes from professional instructors. You
can get your feet wet by trying out a drop-in lesson or two, but
we recommend weekly progressive series (4 or 6 classes in a row).
How can I get "good"?
Learning Lindy Hop is like learning a foreign language. One needs
to practice with "native speakers". That means: go out
social dancing! See the venue listing on the left.
What is social dance
etiquette?
***
For more information about Lindy Hop in a historical context, check
out this transcript of Ken Burn's interview with Frankie Manning
and Norma Miller, two early pioneers of this great dance.
PBS's site also contains a short essay on how the
music and dance are tied together.
Click
here to read about it
|