With a history that stretches back almost 100 years, as well as numerous varieties in style and genre, swing dancing continues to be one of the most popular forms of dance today. Regardless of the newer and more modern dances, this shows no sign of abating either. So what is it about swing dancing that makes it so perennial? To understand its popularity today, perhaps we need to look at where it came from.

The Early Days Although probably best known for its popularity around the time of the Second World War, swing dancing found its feet as far back as the 1920s. Originating from the black dance music of the time such as Dixieland jazz, the dances that evolved from that time included THE black Bottom and the tap dance made so famous by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

As the depression made its presence felt across America, these dances continued to evolve further, often helping people forget the hardships they were facing. This was particularly true for the black community, who used dance as a medium to escape from the racism and bigotry they were subjected to in the America of the 20s. In fact, this was how swinging jazz became so popular, with the dance being brought back to the Deep South by returning black dancers.

The Changing Faces of Swing Dancing With swing dance becoming even more popular as the 20s gave way to the 30s, its perhaps not surprising that it was this decade that saw the biggest changes in swing dancing. Many of todays most popular dances arose from this era, including:

Lindy Hop, possibly the most popular form of all swing dancing. A mix of both 8-count and 6-count steps, and the ability to adapt and throw in non-conventional; moves, Lindy Hop can be danced to many of todays modern musical styles, including hip-hop.Balboa, which originated in Southern California. One of the faster versions of swing dancing, as well as the most intimate due to the close proximity of the dancers bodies to each other. Jitterbug, a wonderful collection of all the types of swing dances that were around at the time. Cab Calloway was on of the key proponents of this bringing together of styles.

Entering The Modern Era Although the likes of Lindy Hop continued to be popular, the other forms of swing dancing werent so durable, and as the nation moved into the 40s and beyond, so did the evolution of swing. It was at this time of the Second World War ending and the world looking forward with a new sense of purpose that the new dances reflected the mood of the people.

From this time, the likes of jive and rock and roll dancing were born, and a whole new generation of swing dancers were introduced to this wonderful dance. And it wasnt just in the United States, either" Europe was key in many of the new forms of swing dancing. The boogie-woogie and competitive rock and roll came to the fore from Europe, and the Far East saw places such as Thailand adopt the dance, especially during the Vietnam War when US soldiers were posted there.

Moving closer to today, the 80s saw the birth of what became known as Modern Jive" an amalgamation of LeRoc and CeRoc in France, and another sign of how multi-cultural swing dancing and its music had become. Yet as much as this form of dance offered a release from the everyday burdens of the world, its perhaps best known today for its competitive edge.

Swing Dance Competitions Although often mistaken as ballroom, swing dancing is a separate form of competition altogether, and has two distinct disciplines in ballroom swing and jazz dance swing. However, its the latter that is used most for competitive dancing, and includes the ever-present Lindy Hop, as well as the Collegiate Shag and Charleston.

There are usually three competitions for swing dancing" strictly, showcase and Jack and Jill. The main difference is that in strictly dancers compete in heats; showcase is just the one solitary dance; and Jack and Jill sees dancers paired up with random partners.

With competitions now bringing in huge television audiences" as witnessed by the viewing figures for shows like Dancing with the Stars" and dance halls seeing both young and old alike filling the floors, it seems that swing dancings popularity shows no sign of abating. Yet with the hardships its already helped people through, is it any surprise?