ABOUT SWING DANCING

What is swing dancing

Swing dancing was created by African Americans in the early 20th century. Swing dancing is often referred to as an ‘umbrella’ term, encompassing a varied range of styles danced to Swing music, and these styles are often mixed on the dance floor. Swing music had its heyday from 1935 to 1946, when Big Band swing music was at its peak in the United States, but has been around since the late 1920s. Today, it is experiencing a huge revival with modern musicians bringing new interpretations to the genre.

Swing dancing is generally a partnered (though not always), social dance which means we learn and dance with lots of different people. It’s a great way to make new friends while learning a new skill and getting fit!

Dance styles

Here’s an overview of the different Swing Dance styles you might come across in class. Whilst we mostly teach Lindy Hop, we also have regular Solo Jazz, Balboa and Collegiate Shag classes, and many of our class venues offer tasters in the other styles, such as Solo Jazz and Blues.

Lindy hop

The mother of Swing dances is Lindy Hop and this is the core dance taught by Swing Patrol. We love to lindy and you can see how joyous it is by the smiles on people’s faces. It originated in Afro-American area of Harlem in the late 1930s and early 1940s. You can read about some of the original Lindy Hoppers in our Swing Stars section.

Charleston

One of the most famous dances of the Swing era is the Charleston. It can be danced solo or with a partner. This popular dance from the 1920s will forever be associated with the beaded dresses and feathered headbands fashionable at the time. In the 1930s and 1940s a variant of Charleston became popular as it was adapted to suit the music of the time and is known as Lindy Charleston or ’30s/’40s Charleston.

Balboa

Balboa is a partnered swing dance that originated in the 1930s, primarily in Southern California. With a closer embrace than Lindy Hop or partnered Charleston, it evolved as a response to crowded dance floors. Nowadays, this subtle, close position dance is known as Pure Balboa. Meanwhile, in L.A., some adventurous dancers were using more open connections to introduce spins, turns, dips, tricks, and even air steps into their dancing. This style is now known as Bal-swing. A second generation of dancers fused these two styles together, and thus modern Balboa was born, a dance capable of both great finesse and great excitement. The closer embrace and economy of movement makes Balboa well suited to faster music, but it can be danced to a variety of tempos. Indeed, Slow Balboa has become popular, with unique footwork patterns, stylings and moves, full of old world grace and elegance. In Swing Patrol classes you will learn a combination of Pure Balboa and Bal-swing.

Collegiate Shag

Collegiate Shag is a partnered swing dance that originated in the 1930s. It has a history similar to other jazz and swing era dances, such as the Charleston, Lindy Hop, and Balboa. There are virtually as many “shag” dances as there were locations to dance – back in the day most regions had their own shag variant. What is widely referred to as Collegiate Shag today is a dance that probably originated with college kids during the jazz and swing era. It’s usually associated with a 6-count basic, quick and flashy footwork and a chugging rhythm. It may be danced in closed position, open position or side by side. Does it have to be fast? No. Collegiate Shag suits a variety of tempos. Is it all about bouncing up and down? No, social shag dancing can be done in a relaxed and comfortable way so you can dance all night! The true history is sketchy and much argued, but the fun is undeniable!

Solo Jazz

Solo Jazz is a general term which covers a number of different moves which are danced without partner. It can be improvised or as part of a routine, such as the Shim Sham, Tranky Doo or Big Apple. Solo Jazz is a great way to focus on your own dancing whilst also giving you a repertoire to play with when dancing with partners.

Blues

Like swing dance, Blues dance evolved from African rhythms and movements. However, blues dancing was never widely practised as a social or performance dance; it developed in smoky juke joints, blues house parties and rent parties, giving it a more intimate feel. Blues dance is all about interpreting and expressing the music. Many aspects of Blues dancing, such as call and response, emotional intensity, and tension and release, are directly related to the music. If you love blues music you’ll love blues dancing!

History

Swing dancing was created by African Americans in the early 20th century. Swing dancing is often referred to as an ‘umbrella’ term, encompassing a varied range of styles danced to Swing music, and these styles are often mixed on the dance floor. Swing music had its heyday from 1935 to 1946, when Big Band swing music was at its peak in the United States, but has been around since the late 1920s. Today, it is experiencing renewed popularity with modern musicians bringing new interpretations to the genre.

Swing dancing is generally (though not always) a partnered, social dance which means we learn and dance with lots of different people. It’s a great way to make new friends while learning a new skill and getting fit!

These are legends in the Swing world, the people who introduced the world to Swing Dancing and without whom we wouldn’t be dancing today!

Frankie Manning

Swing dancer extraordinaire Frankie Manning was a leading dancer at Harlem’s legendary Savoy Ballroom where in the mid-1930s, he revolutionised the course of the Lindy Hop with his innovations, including the air step. Frankie was the star of this iconic swing dancing clip. Read more about Frankie here.

Norma Miller

Norma Miller – also known as the “Queen of Swing” – was the last surviving member of legendary performance troupe Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers and one of the greats of Lindy Hop. Author, choreographer, comedian and actor, Norma worked in show business for over seven decades and continues to be an inspiration to Lindy Hoppers around the globe.

check out the amazing night that Swing Patrol hosted the late Norma Miller, the queen of Swing dancing, at the Hippodrome in the centre of London. You can read more here on our London site.

Jean Veloz

Jean Veloz (born Jeannette Phelps) is an icon of the Hollywood style of Lindy Hop. After learning to dance with her brothers in the family living room, Jean’s career took off when she won a Hollywood dance contest, earning a Screen Actor’s Guild membership card and a dance cameo in the film Swing Fever (1943). Scott (Swing Patrol co-founder and Brisbane teacher) still says that his 90 seconds with Jean Veloz was the best dance experience he has ever had. Read more about Jean.

SWING PATROL

MELBOURNE