History of the Lindy Hop

The 1920’s and the 1930’s were the biggest dance era in history. This is when the famous dance, the Lindy Hop was evolved. The Lindy Hop is an African American dance that started in New York City. The dance was mainly partners with jazz music and is the predecessor of the famous swing dances that we know of today.

During the 1930’s and through most of the WWII era the US was going through some events that caused a lot of upheaval and no one knew what was up or down. This was during the Great Depression, the migration west in search of work, the dustbowl years and the northern migration of the African Americans looking for work.

The Lindy Hop was as versatile and adaptive as jazz was then. It could integrate any form of dance. This has the characteristic of vemacular dances, where forms and steps are adapted to the culture and social needs of those who are participating. So, the Lindy Hop was born on the streets and not in a dance studio.

As far as history goes, the Charleston was the greatest influence in the beginnings of the Lindy Hop. The footwork and the timing are very similar to that of the Charleston. But the man â€oeShorty George  Snowden originally named the Lindy Hop in the late 1920’s. â€oeShorty George  was a regular at the Savoy, a ballroom known for its gigantic dance floor in New York City. Well, one night after the flight of the Lindbergh to Paris, a newspaper reporter came over and sat down next to ole â€oeShorty George . The reporter was curious to what dance was being done out on the floor and asked what the name of it was. Well, the newspaper happened to be open right next to George and he scanned the article that read â€oeLindy Hops the Atlantic,  and George looked up and told the reporter â€oeThe Lindy Hop.  Ever since that night, the name has stuck, never to be forgotten.

The Lindy Hop became the rage of the young generation of dancers everywhere in the 1930’s. This was when the swing music of Count Basie, Benny Goodman and Chick Webb took over the nation. That is when the Lindy Hop was also referred to as the Swing, because of the Jazz Swing music that went hand in hand with the Lindy Hop. The Lindy Hop is also considered to be a phenomenon that has broken all cultural and race barriers when segregation was still the norm of society. With some of its roots in question, there is no doubt where it really came from. It is no other than a blending of African rhythms and movements with a European structured dance.

It is amazing to look back and see how it was able to bring so many together, black and white, the wealthy in NYC and the poor in Harlem. This dance was born of everyone and was lived in the Savoy, which became the king of Swing. The Savoy was huge; it took up a whole block at 141st Street to Lenox Ave. The Coat check could take care of up to 5,000 dancers, and it needed to with 70,000 patrons a year, and calling the Savoy, the â€oehome of happy feet . It had a sprung floor that was replaced every 3 years. Another name they gave it was â€oethe Track  because of the shape of the hall. There were live bands playing at each end, this gives you an idea of how big this place really was.

The Lindy was not only named there, but really grew there, maybe because it was the â€oeone of the few  racially integrated places where both White and Black could dance together, and learn and be inspired by each others cultures and movement through dance. A place where everyone could be happy and block out what the rest of the world was forcing upon them.

Today, since the 1980’s, dancers in New York City, and California as well as in Stockholm, Germany and the UK have revived the Lindy Hop. The big timers of the 30’s and 40’s came out of retirement and taught the Lindy Hop all over the world. You will still hear of groups today performing the Lindy Hop. But every time you do the East Coast Swing, or the Fox Trot, think of the beginnings, the Lindy Hop and what it stood for. United together they danced.