Lindy Town- Spokane's Swing Dance Resource |LINDY HOP

Learn About Lindy Hop

DANCE to Learn- the Charleston

Lindy Hop is an evolution of other social and partner dances. We call this dance a vernacular Jazz dances as it was not created from a formula or had it's elements regimented in a curriculum. Dancers taught other dances. Today we dance this dance globally and is a promenant feature of the Spokane Vintage Swing dance vocaulary. Dedicated dancers describe themselves as a Lindy Hopper.

It is encouraged to read the description below as well as review the videos to see what dancing looked like and what it has become. Enjoy this wonderful, engaging and vibrant dance.

The fun you can have in 8 beats...

Lindy Dance/History

LINDY HOP

The dance

LINDY HOP

The history

Lindy Footage

Lindy Hop, commonly know as "the Lindy," is an eight count basic. It is comprised of two triple steps and four single time steps.

The dance pattern for both lead and follow:

step, step, triple step, step, step, triple step.

This pattern is danced about a center point. Where the lead and follow intersect at the center point. There are two general kinds of styling, "Savoy" Style and "Hollywood" Style. The Lindy is danced to the full spectrum of tempos with lots of variations incorporated.

Lindy Hop, commonly know as "the Lindy," is an eight count basic. It is comprised of two triple steps and four single time steps.

The dance pattern for both lead and follow:

step, step, triple step, step, step, triple step.

LINDY HOP

The footage

Lindy Hop, commonly know as "the Lindy," is an eight count basic. It is comprised of two triple steps and four single time steps.

The dance pattern for both lead and follow:

step, step, triple step, step, step, triple step.

The Lindy hop is an American dance that evolved in Harlem, New York City, in the 1920s and 1930s and originally evolved with the jazz music of that time. It’s popularity reached it’s height during the Swing era of the late 1930s and early 1940s.

Lindy was a fusion of many dances that preceded it. In its development, the Lindy hop combined elements of both partnered and solo dancing by using the movements and improvisation of black dances along with the formal eight-count structure of European partner dances.

Lindy hop entered mainstream American culture in the 1930s, gaining popularity through multiple sources.

One of which was through exhibitions and contests. In Harlem especially it was what drew in a croud in addition to all the best band. Sill a contemporary form of social dance, but excit
was included films such as “Hellzapoppin' “ and “A Day at the Races”.
Dance studios such as those of Arthur Murray and Irene and Vernon Castle began teaching Lindy hop. By the early 1940s the dance was known as "New Yorker" on the West Coast.
Lindy hop moved off-shore in the 1930s and 40s, again in films and news reels, but also with American troops stationed overseas, particularly in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and other Allied nations. Although Lindy hop and jazz were banned in Nazi Germany, both were popular in other European countries during this period.