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DANCEWhat is Lindyhop? - Also known as the Jitterbug, Lindy is a lively dance that originated in America in the 1920s. It was THE dance to do to the swing bands of the 1930s and was brought to Blighty by the American GIs during World War II. It was the forerunner of jive. A resurgence of the dance in recent years has introduced a whole new generation to Lindyhop. Featured on the BBC's Strictly Dance Fever it is gaining in popularity thanks to it's appeal to all ages and abilities. Come along to our fun and friendly classes to experience the dance for yourselves. HISTORY OF LINDYHOP
Danced in couples with the man traditionally leading, the Lindy incorporates steps danced in an unset order as well as improvisational dancing. As the Lindy became popular in the late 1930s, dance schools created a simplified six-count basic Lindy. As a performance art, the Lindy may involve choreographed routines, and acrobatic airsteps. Most sources agree that the name Lindy Hop became attached to the dance shortly after Charles Lindbergh completed the first solo transatlantic flight on 20 May 1927. ’Shorty George’ Snowden, a much-admired dancer at the time, is credited with naming the Lindy Hop when, shortly after the momentous event, he was asked by reporters at a Manhattan Casino dance marathon what dance he was doing. Perhaps Snowden was influenced by such headlines as "Lindy Hops the Atlantic". Frankie Manning created the first Lindy airstep and synchronized ensemble Lindy routines. Earlier he had developed the style of dancing more horizontally to the floor in order to create a wilder, abandoned effect. The famed Savoy Ballroom in Harlem was the center of the universe for Lindy hoppers. Encouraged by Herbert ’Whitey’ White, a Savoy bouncer, Manning and a new generation of enthusiastic young dancers continued to expand the vocabulary of floor steps as well as airsteps. This feverishly creative period was often stoked by a friendly competitiveness among the dancers for prizes awarded at weekly dance contests held at the Savoy, the Apollo Theatre, and at the annual Harvest Moon Ball competition in Madison Square Garden that began in 1935. Impromptu performances for appreciative, often tipping, Savoy patrons also inspired the dancers.
In the mid-1930s, as the swing music of Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Jimmie Lunceford, and others was embraced by the nation, the Lindy Hop became the rage among the younger set. From the latter half of this decade onward, the Lindy Hop was commonly known as the jitterbug. This enormously popular social dance, as practiced by the masses, might have lacked the acrobatic airsteps of performance Lindy but not its enthusiasm or energy. Whitey began organizing professional dance troupes in 1936. Appearing under various names, but most often as Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, his groups toured the globe until World War II; they performed in nightclubs, theaters, revues, on Broadway (Hot Mikado, 1939; Swingin' the Dream, 1939), at the 1939 World's Fair Hall of Music, in a soundie (a brief film shown in jukeboxes to accompany the record) with the Duke Ellington Orchestra (Hot Chocolates, 1941), and in several films, including A Day at the Races (1937), Hellzapoppin' (1941), Sugar Hill Masquerade (1942) and Killer Diller (1948). These exceptionally talented dancers were known for their frenetic ensemble routines, uniquely expressive solos, and breathtakingly daring airsteps. Manning, recruited by Whitey as a dancer, soon became his chief choreographer as the young man's choreographic and leadership talents became apparent. Among the many notable dancers in the troupe were Norma Miller, Willamae Ricker, Leon James, and Al Minns. The term swing dance became associated with the Lindy as swing music
came into vogue. After the war, swing dancing slowly declined in popularity
as other social dances, particularly nontouch dance types, came into favour
and big bands became too expensive to run and hire. Miss Dawn Hampton began singing and dancing at the age of three while
touring with her family on the carnival circuit. In 1959, at twenty-four,
Dawn moved to New York and started her solo career singing in cabarets
and off-Broadway. Her ability to move audiences from laughter to tears
quickly made her the ‘queen’ of cabaret. In 1964, complications
of surgery left Dawn unable to speak and her doctors said she would never
sing again. Despite their dire predictions Dawn´s spirit remained
strong. She turned to composing and wrote her signature song "Life
is What You Make It". One year later, she returned to the stage dazzling
audiences with her powerful performances. Now in her seventies, Dawn Hampton
is still performing, but it's on the dance floor to the delight of swing
dancers around the world. Films with Lindyhop
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