Swing Dance

Harry White, who coined the term "jitterbug," was a musician who worked with Duke Ellington and then Cab Calloway. Calloway later recorded "The Jitterbug." Certain words or lingo came about...

Swing dance has many variations. The most basic and easiest to learn is city swing, or single-time swing. It is based on a six-count step pattern that is repeated throughout the dance. Swing is...

West Coast Dance, known as West Coast Swing, is the dance of California. This dance is a "slot dance" because it involves partners, ordinarily a man and a woman, dancing up and down a track or...

Boogie dance, or boogie-woogie, is a form of swing dancing. It is called boogie-woogie in Europe, but this dance is more commonly known as East Coast swing in the United States. It's most often...

The Lindy Hop began in 1920's and 1930's Harlem---it can be danced either cool and collected or frenzied and wild. It borrows steps from tap as well as the Charleston and is danced with both eight...

The history of swing dance is a very colorful one. Swing is much more than throwing girls in the air and gyrating on the dance floor. Its music is an interesting mix of blues, ragtime and jazz...

The jitterbug is a dance popularized in the United States during the 1930s and '40s. It is a type of swing dance and a derivative of the Lindy Hop.

The jitterbug dance is composed of energetic, acrobatic and improvisational movements performed with a partner, solo or in a line. Under the umbrella of swing dance, its freedom of movement...

The Jitterbug was popular shortly before World War II and continued its craze throughout wartime. Skeptics said the jerk-like dance would never last. On the contrary, the Jitterbug and similar...

The early to mid twentieth century saw a boom in the number of dances popularized at dance halls all over the world. One such dance was the Jitterbug, also known as the Lindy Hop in honor of...

Swing dancing has exploded in the colleges and clubs as the new craze and a favorite form of exercise. This could be because it is a compatible dance to almost all types of music. While the moves...

Swing dance is a vivacious form of dancing that involves two partners. One partner usually lifts, spins and flips his partner. The major characteristics of swing dance are throwing, flipping and...

Swing dancing is a fun, energetic social partner dance that is an excellent form of aerobic exercise. The Double-Step is a variation of East Coast Swing, or Jitterbug. Once mastered, the...

When something as extraordinary as the first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean occurs it only stands to reason that a dance step is named after the aviator: Charles Lindbergh, whose nickname...

If your preferred dancing style is a little more country than rock – n – roll you might be interested in learning to do western swing dancing. There are many great styles of dance...

Swing dancing can be a lot of fun, but also challenging if you have two left feet or no natural rhythm to work with. Here are a few basic swing dance moves to the Side by Side Charleston to get...

Balboa swing dance generated in southern California in the 1920's and 30's. It is a dance where the dancers is connected in a full body embrace. It is a kind of communication between the lead and...

So, you know the basics of swing dancing, but you want to take it to the next level? Combining swing dance steps is pretty easy with practice and guidance. If you keep the swing beat in your mind,...

The nation is going crazy over swing dancing. The craze has been even bigger since dancing with the stars has become so popular. If you have a partner who likes to dance, this is a great way to...

When it comes to dancing there are few dances that have withstood the tests of time with more style and flair than the style of Lindy Swing Dancing that is commonly referred to as the Lindy Hop....

You’re grandma did it back in her day. And recently, there has been a revival of the dance known as swing. There are a few different factions or schools within the realm of swing dancing....

The West Coast Swing is slower than others you may have performed. In this dance, the lady is featured while the man's job is to complement her. When dancing the West Coast Swing, ladies move back...

Many regions have their own versions of swing dancing. A lot of the swing dances got their names from the places they originated, or from events of the day. For example, the Lindy Hop got its name...

The western Swing and Sugar Push can be danced to most country music songs, rock, blues and '80s music. Basically, you can do this dance to anything that has a nice, easy beat. This eHow can help...

When you see a crowd of swing dancers on the dance floor, everyone has a smile! That’s because it’s so much fun. It’s great exercise too, so people of all ages love it....

Balboa is a vintage swing dance in closed position that evolved in California during the early part of the twentieth century. Bal-swing is a variation on that dance that involves more...

Swing dance began in the 1920s and is most commonly performed with the fast-paced rhythms of contemporary jazz. Taking influence from the Charleston, the Lindy Hop and Jitterbug, swing is a lively...

West Coast swing is the state dance of California. It's a jitterbug type of dance, with the partners moving toward and away from one another in the open position. It can be danced in a slow and...

The basic swing step pattern is done over six counts, but it's really only three steps. It's the start of all swing dancing moves. For West Coast swing, there are actually six steps. The steps...

Swing dancing can be a great dance to learn. It can be dangerous when not done correctly, so learn from professional swing dancers in the beginning. Swing dancing consists of basic steps, but men...

People swing dance all across the nation and there are a number of different types of swing dances. Many of the basic moves, such as the two- or three-step, the hammerlock, the cuddle up and the...

Ballroom dancing is a fun and exciting way to learn some of the most popular social dances. One of the most well-known of these dances is swing dance. Swing dance is comprised of basic moves to...

Swing dancing is a great activity to get involved with. It can be risky at times, depending on the flips you do. You need a lot of energy to fully participate in this fabulous dance. Both men and...

Many people love the golden era of swing dancing of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. Swing dancing can be a lot of fun, and it requires a lot of energy, so make sure you eat a good meal before hitting...

Swing dancing is not only an aerobic workout but also a display of skill and concentration. There are a number of ways to change positions within a swing dance routine, one of which is the...

The Cuddle Up is a really cute dance move and a good step to learn as part of basic beginning swing lessons. The Cuddle Up begins with the female partner turning in toward the male partner while...

Once you've mastered the basic East Coast swing steps, you're ready to move on to your first turn. The most basic type of turn is where the man hold up his left hand and the woman completes the...

The Lindy Hop was a dance created in New York in 1927. It evolved with jazz music and is typically explained as a fusion of four dances: the hop, Texas Tommy, Charleston and jazz. The dance was...

There are several turning techniques in swing dancing, the elbow turn being one of them. The technique allows the dancer to invite their partner to make a spin or turn move. It is a good idea to...

The underarm turn is used mostly in western swing dancing. It's a simple movement in which the woman does a full rotation while holding her partner's hand. The underarm turn can be done at any...

Swing dancing is an entertaining way to stay in shape and get moving. It's been around for decades but has recently experienced a resurgence in popularity and many people are learning to swing...

The Cement Mixer is a relatively advanced swing dance move that has nearly disappeared from the East Coast Swing repertoire. Since it has evolved into other, more decorative moves, it is a rare...

A Skip Up swing dance move is a basic Lindy Hop move that people may refer to as a Jig Walk, Walking the Dame or many other names, depending on the location and style. Skip Ups are generally...

A Groucho swing dance move is a regular part of any traditional Lindy Hop swing dance routine. Named for the incomparable Groucho Marx, the move may actually be referred to by a different name...

The Charleston swing dance move is one that calls back to the very roots of the Lindy Hop style. Though this move is one of the original elements of the Lindy Hop and other swing dance styles, it...

The Lindy Hop is a particular form of swing dance that originated in Harlem at the Savoy Ballroom during the late 1920s. Though the moves that can be done while doing the Lindy Hop are quite...

The Coaster Step is one of many steps designed to punctuate the end of another, more dramatic swing dance move. Though it may be difficult to work into a West Coast Swing routine, it is a popular...

The Jumpin' Joe swing dance move is actually a modern adaptation of some classic 1920s Lindy Hop moves. The adaptation was designed to help ease moves like the Pretzel or the Princess Dip when the...

Ironically, the Texas Tommy swing dance move did not originate in Texas. In fact, the move was originated by Peters and Walton, a popular Vaudeville dancing team. Technically, the Texas Tommy is...

Some people just aren't satisfied with swing dancing once or twice a week at the local social events. These folks live and breathe swing dance and want to make it a major part of their lives. One...