Swing Dancing

What is Swing Dancing?

Swing dancing is an umbrella term for a variety of dance styles that developed during the American Jazz Era by Black Americans. How you moved was influenced by the music that was being played in your region, so there are all sorts of regional stylizations and variations that all fall into the category of swing dancing.

Rapid Rhythms primarily focuses on four genres of swing dancing: Charleston, Lindy Hop, Balboa, and Solo Vernacular Jazz.

Charleston

Charleston is a high energy dance that was developed before Lindy Hop and is done to fast tempos. It's characterized by kicking legs, swinging arms, and an emphasized, downward pulse. Charleston can be done both solo and partnered.

Watch the Charleston

Lindy Hop

Lindy Hop is a Black American variety of swing dancing that originated in Harlem, New York in the 1920's and 30's. It's a partnered dance that has elements from a wide array of dance styles, including Waltz, Foxtrot, the Breakaway, and Charleston.

The Savoy Ballroom -- a city block-long dance hall located in Harlem -- is considered to be the birthplace of Lindy Hop. It was an integrated ballroom (rare for its time!) that pulled in not only neighborhood dancers, but folks from other areas of the city to dance the night away. There was live music, packed dance floors, and, of course, Whitey's Lindy Hoppers.

Balboa

Balboa, aka Bal, is a style of swing dancing that originated in Southern California in the 1930s. It's an upright dance that maintains a closed position and, while it can be done to a variety of tempos, is often done to much faster swing music.

Watch Some Bal

Solo Vernacular Jazz

aka solo jazz. aka authentic jazz. aka "solo".

Solo vernacular jazz is rooted in traditional African movement styles, especially that of West African cultures. Paté does an awesome job comparing traditional African dance movements to their solo vernacular jazz counterparts -- check some of his videos out!

Solo movements can be added to your partner dancing or, you guessed it, done solo! There are some traditional choreographies that utilize solo jazz, like the Tranky Doo, The Shim Sham, and The Big Apple, but solo jazz is primarily an improvised dance.

Whitey's Lindy Hoppers

Herbert "Whitey" White -- he got his nickname from the white streak of hair he had -- was on the management staff at the Savory ballroom. And Whitey had an eye for talent. After watching some up-and-coming dancers at the Savoy, he saw that Lindy Hop had a lot of potential in the entertainment sphere. He created Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, a group of dancers he took under his wing and honed for performances. The dancers egged each other on, were constantly trying to one-up each other with what moves they could do, and pushed the dance to new heights. The group appeared in a number of Hollywood films, including Day at the Races, Keep Punching, and, most well-known, Hellzapoppin'.

Watch Whitey's Lindy Hoppers

Dancers that Created Swing

We wouldn't be here without the original dancers -- and we never get tired of watching them dance! Check out some of the greats that shaped what swing dancing is today!

Ann Johnson

Al Minns

Frankie Manning

Leon James

Norma Miller

"Shorty" George Snowden

Pepsi Bethel

Willa Mae Ricker

Dean Collins and Jewel McGowan 1_edited.

Dean Collins & Jewel McGowan

Hal & Becky Takier

Jean Veloz

Balboa Dancers

Erskine Hawkins at the Savoy - early 1940s_edited.jpg

Swing Music

I just think swing is a matter of some good things put together that you can really pat your foot by. I can't define it beyond that.

- Count Basie

The creation of swing dancing is directly related to the music that was being played at the time. Dancers moved their bodies to reflect what they heard in the music, which resulted in Lindy Hop, Charleston, Balboa, various styles of Shag, and other swing-era dances being made.

So what are some hallmarks of swing music?

Swung Beats

This is why it's called swing music! To keep it simple, swinging the beat means alternately lengthening and shortening the first and second consecutive notes in the two part pulse-divisions in a beat. Even simpler: one note is longer than the others and that pattern is consistent throughout the music. Want an example? Watch this breakdown to hear the difference between straight and swung beats.

Syncopation

It's very common in swing music to hear syncopation, or the emphasis being placed on the part of the beat that usually isn't emphasized. Watch this breakdown of what syncopation is if you're curious about how it works!

Call and Response

The Fletcher Henderson Orchestra, one of the first bing bands, made call and response between different instruments a standard practice in their arrangements beginning around 1923. Listen to the back and forth between the saxophones and trumpets in "Sing You Sinners" for an example.

Anchoring Rhythm Sections

Sometimes you'll hear it referred to the "chug" of the song, or the "drive" of the song -- that's all the rhythm section! They're holding down the beat and keeping it steady, which is great when you're dancing to the music. Listen to the drums in "Go Harlem" by Chick Webb & His Orchestra.

Musicians that Shaped the Genre

There are a ton of more modern musicians that carry on the big band and swung jazz tradition, but it's great to listen to and know the classics that shaped the music we hear today. These are some of our favorite innovators who shaped the jazz genre.