By Charlie Smith, Niu Valley
This blog is definitely at the bottom of the pile when it comes to average hits per day. So by default it becomes a personal blog and most of us do what we can to promote the other blogs. There are some "Swing" groups in Hawaii and most are on Oahu. In social dancing, swing is always included in the dance menu. Swing dance is a group of dances that developed from the "Ragtime" to the swing style of jazz music in the 1920s–1940s. During the swing era, there were hundreds of styles, but those that have survived beyond that era include: Lindy Hop, Balboa, Collegiate Shag, and Charleston.
Today, the most well-known of these dances is the Lindy Hop, which originated in Harlem in the early 1930s. While the majority of swing dances began in African American communities as vernacular African American dances, some swing era dances, like Balboa, developed outside of these communities. Somewhat surprisingly, "swing dance" was not commonly used to identify a group of dances until the latter half of the 20th century. Historically, the term "Swing" referred to the style of jazz music, which inspired the evolution of the dance.
Jitterbug is an umbrella term that denotes all forms of swing dance, though it is often used as a synonym for the six-count derivative of Lindy Hop called "East Coast Swing." It was also common to use the word to identify a kind of dancer, a "jitterbug" might prefer to dance Lindy Hop, Shag, or any of the other swing dances. The term was famously associated with swing era band leader Cab Calloway because, as he put it, "The dancers look like a bunch of jitterbugs out there on the floor due to their fast, often bouncy movements."
This blog is definitely at the bottom of the pile when it comes to average hits per day. So by default it becomes a personal blog and most of us do what we can to promote the other blogs. There are some "Swing" groups in Hawaii and most are on Oahu. In social dancing, swing is always included in the dance menu. Swing dance is a group of dances that developed from the "Ragtime" to the swing style of jazz music in the 1920s–1940s. During the swing era, there were hundreds of styles, but those that have survived beyond that era include: Lindy Hop, Balboa, Collegiate Shag, and Charleston.
"The Social Dancer may dance as thankfulness or celebration for no reason at all, for this tremendous gift of music that makes us want to move to it and that goes on showering on us,"
Today, the most well-known of these dances is the Lindy Hop, which originated in Harlem in the early 1930s. While the majority of swing dances began in African American communities as vernacular African American dances, some swing era dances, like Balboa, developed outside of these communities. Somewhat surprisingly, "swing dance" was not commonly used to identify a group of dances until the latter half of the 20th century. Historically, the term "Swing" referred to the style of jazz music, which inspired the evolution of the dance.
"Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" by Wham! (1984)
Jitterbug is an umbrella term that denotes all forms of swing dance, though it is often used as a synonym for the six-count derivative of Lindy Hop called "East Coast Swing." It was also common to use the word to identify a kind of dancer, a "jitterbug" might prefer to dance Lindy Hop, Shag, or any of the other swing dances. The term was famously associated with swing era band leader Cab Calloway because, as he put it, "The dancers look like a bunch of jitterbugs out there on the floor due to their fast, often bouncy movements."
"As the evening closes with the promise of tomorrow ... may your
gratitude rise up and with strength answer, - yes."
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