Check out Obsidian Tea – A Blackness and Blues Blog by Grey Armstrong
Check out Swungover – Jazz dance historian Bobby White has published thoughts and essays on swing-era dances, and the modern scene that loves them.

A Brief Intro to Lindy Hop / Swing Dancing

Swing dancing, a rhythmic, social dance that evolved with jazz music, originated in Harlem, NYC in the 1920s. The earliest form of swing dance was called the Lindy Hop, which was first danced in 1928 at the Savoy Ballroom. The Lindy Hop’s bouncy movements matched the swing beat of jazz musicians like Cab Calloway. The dance evolved from many different styles, including jazz, tap, breakaway, and 1920s Charleston, and was influenced by African American vernacular dances. Some key dancers in the early development of Lindy Hop include “Shorty” George Snowden, Mattie Pernell, Big Bea, Leroy Stretch, and Little Bea. Frankie Manning, an American dancer, instructor, and choreographer, is also considered one of the founders of Lindy Hop. In 1935, Manning created the first air step, inspired by Big Bea and Shorty George’s move.

 

Swing dancing was popular through the late 1940s and beyond, and hundreds of styles were developed. Some of the other styles that have survived include the Charleston, Balboa, and Collegiate Shag. Swing dancing has also influenced many other dances, including the jitterbug, jive, western swing, west coast swing, east coast swing, rock & roll, ballroom jive, boogie woogie, acrobatic rock & roll, and modern jive.

In 1998, The Gap used Prima’s version of “Jump, Jive an’ Wail” in a “Khakis Swing” commercial; according to Stereogum, Gap’s commercialization of the revival in particular was considered as signifying the end of the 90s swing revival or movement, though examples of neo-swing in general continue to be produced beyond the 90s with white dancers.

Many of the Black communities that danced Lindy Hop did not stop dancing, but rather shifted with the music that has since been popular. A great example of this is D.C. hand dancing. D.C. hand dancing, also known as D.C. swing, has its origins in the Lindy Hop and Jitterbug of the 1920s and 1930s. The dance style developed in Washington, D.C. in the 1950s and 1960s, and is characterized by constant hand holding and turning between partners. The name “hand dance” comes from the communication between partners through their hands.

Read more about this at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.

Read more and see videos of the famous originators of Lindy Hop on iLindy.

A Brief Intro to Blues Dances

Blues dances are a family of Black American vernacular dances danced to blues music; dances within this family are linked by shared aesthetics and techniques rooted in Black American traditions and historical context. As blues music can trace it’s origins to the American South, these dances follow the same lineage. Various styles grew depending on the area one grew up in and matched the music that predominately played in a region.

Jukin’ comes from the south and its name comes from the fact that it was danced in “juke joints” the type of bars that early blues musicians would have played in. Because of the limited space in such bars, jukin’ evolved as primarily a dance on the spot and, reflecting the music it’s danced to, tends to be sharper and more punctuated with more focus on hip movement.

Ballroomin’ blues comes from the ballrooms in the Northeast. When the big bands slowed it down to play a song that could be waltzed or foxtrotted, the dancers came up with their own style of dance based on a fusion of swing, vernacular jazz, and ballroom dance movement. Due to the having more space in ballrooms, this style of blues tends to travel more with elegant lines and momentum based movements.

Blues dance may have different variations, but the look and feel of the dance has a few distinct characteristics:

  • Dancers were grounded in their movements and displayed an athletic posture, which was very relaxed and effortless.
  • They exhibited a pulse based on the music through their bodies and steps. Could  maintain multiple rhythms within their body (poly-rhythms).
  • Dancers would constantly be behind the beat or “lag” to varying degrees. This created a tension or push/pull between partners and the music.
  • They would keep asymmetric shapes and lines, with energy being centered in different parts of the body.
  • High level of improvisation between dancers and the music

To continue reading about Blues and it’s rich history, check out these two pages below and the recommended books they list on their site.

Damon Stone, International Blues Instructor and historian http://damonstone.dance/

Great resource to connect with the national blues scene http://bluesdanceworld.com/