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

Learn About Lindy Hop

DANCE to Learn- the Lindy Hop

Lindy Hop is an evolution of other social and partner dances. We call this dance a vernacular Jazz dance, unlike other dances where elements are regimented in a curriculum. Dancers taught other dancers, or copied movement they had seen. Today, we dance this dance globally, dedicated dancers call themselves Lindy Hopper. Lindy Hop is a prominent feature of the Spokane dance vocabulary.

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

This is an overview of how Lindy Hop is a social dance, partner dance, and improvisational, not a how to.

Come to class, we'll help you in person.

Lindy Hop, commonly know as "the Lindy," is an eight count basic. It is comprised of two triple steps and four single time steps. Dancers step out these in a specific pattern known as a rhythm:

step, step, triple step, step, step, triple step. (step)

1 , 2 , 3 & 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 & 8 . (counts)

The Lindy is danced in partnership, a partner dance, with a lead and a follow. This means the leader will instigate a move and the follow will respond. Where each partner is responsible for keeping time with the music and each other as well creating a rhythm as to not disrupt the other.

The lead and follow danced about a "center" point, orbiting that center. Leads and follows generally face each other, dancing together by connecting hands, one hand per partner. This connection is how partners understand each other and communicate. Don't think of this hand hold like reigns more like a nervous system.

Dancers spend the entire dance in motion, coming close together near that center point and then moving away. This gives each partner physical space to create fun, interesting footwork patterns and shapes with their body all the while interacting with each other based on the music. Many refer to this as a "conversation"

The Lindy is danced to the full spectrum of tempos with lots of variations incorporated. The lindy is not danced in isolation, meaning it is not often you dance an entire dance using only Lindy Hop patterns. Partners most often combine moves from other vintage dances to decorate that specific dance to that specific song.

No two dances are alike! As mentioned before, each partner is responsible for caring on a rhythm and keeping time. Using those rules, each dancer can contribute syncopations/footwork variations they've learned. This means Social dancing is not boring. It is very exciting to be able to create on the spot. There are very few choreographies/prescribed move sequences to follow.

Other vocabulary you will learn about in class:

Beat

Jazz Structure Blues Structure

Rock step/Back step Frame

Stretch Compression

Hang the beat Rush the beat

Improvisation Style

LINDY HOP

The history

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.