1/16/2024 0 Comments Lindy hopThe Savoy Ballroom was one of the few ballrooms open to people of any colour. Lindy Hop originated in a time where there were many separations between black and white people in the American society. Lindy Hop made its way to Europe through International Trade shows and world exhibitions as early as the late 1920s and 1930s, and was also danced by American troops in Europe in the 1940s. Performance groups like the well known ‘Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers’ performed some iconic routines and also made their appearance in Hollywood films. In the 1930s Lindy Hop entered the mainstream culture and the dance really took off. Not long after its start a new wave of dancers including Norma Miller, Frankie Manning, Al Minns, Pepsi Bethel and Leon James took the dance to another level and introduced the iconic ‘air steps’ to the dance. In the early Savoy Ballroom days dancers like ‘Shorty’ George Snowden, Mattie Pernell, Big Bea, Leroy Stretch and Little Bea pioneered when Lindy Hop first emerged. Many talented dancers have influenced the development of Lindy Hop since its early start. The dance has different positions (open and closed) and steps. It used elements from African American dances and European partnered dance. Lindy Hop evolved from different dances, including jazz, tap, breakaway and 1920s Charleston. It is said the name Lindy Hop was inspired by aviator Charles Lindbergh who ‘hopped’ the Atlantic ocean in 1927. It was danced first in the famous Savoy Ballroom by African American dancers in 1928, and was danced throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Lindy Hop is an African American dance, which originates from Harlem, New York City. At The Swing Era we mainly dance Lindy Hop, which is one of the four swing dances (Lindy Hop, Balboa, Collegiate Shag and Charleston). We’ve gathered some amazing historical photos of swing dancing for you here:Īll swing dance styles are jazz dances and ‘swing’ referred to the style of Jazz music called Swing music. Most people associate swing dancing with the iconic aerials or ‘air steps’ and high energy. You might have seen swing dancing in old films, videos or came across as performance somewhere.
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