You can see this in the basic Lindy step called the swingout. It combined elements of both partnered and solo dancing using movements of African-American dances along with the formal eight-count structure of European partner dances. The Lindy Hop, also called the Jitterbug, is purported to be the original form of swing dance. How Swing Dancing StartedĪs we said above, swing dancing originated in Harlem during the 1920s with jazz music, and it was called “Lindy Hop.” Cab Calloway was one of the band leaders who developed the type of music that lent itself to the bouncy movements of swing. These as well as other related dances were developed during the 1940s and later. The term “swing dancing” includes other dances that don’t have certain characteristics shared in traditional swing dances such as the Carolina Shag, East Coast Swing, Jive, and Rock and Roll. The category of “swing dance” was not commonly used to identify a group of dances until the latter half of the 20th century. The most popular, and the one that is most widely known, is the Lindy Hop, which originated in Harlem in the early 1930s. The ones that have survived through the decades since are the Lindy Hop, Collegiate Shag, and the Charleston.

During that time, hundreds of styles of swing dancing developed. Historically, “swing” referred to the style of jazz music that inspired the dance. Swing dance is actually a group of dances that developed with the swing style of jazz music in the 1920s through 1940.

We wanted to spend some time on the history of swing in this article, specifically, East Coast Swing that derived from the Lindy Hop–how it started, how it has changed over the years, and what it looks like today. But, the speed and feel of the music can differ a bit for each version.Īt Fred Astaire, we love to teach swing dance! It’s one of our favorites because of the vivacious energy and steps. All swing music has a 4/4 time and both types have the same basic six-count timing of 1,2,3-and-4, 5-and-6. In the U.S., there is a West Coast Swing, an East Coast Swing, and many other types of swing dances. There are different types and styles of swing, making it very versatile with lots of options. If you want to learn an energetic and rhythmic dance with a partner, then Swing is for you! Swing has been around for decades, starting in the 1920s.

Single time swing dance moves