What Is Lindy Hop?

Lindy Hop is the most well known of all swing dances. It emerged from the ballrooms of Harlem, New York City in the late 1920’s and flourished in the 1930’s and 1940’s, evolving alongside the swinging jazz rhythms of the time. Characterised by its partnered connection and “breakaway” from conventional closed hold dances that came before it, Lindy Hop is joyful expression of the music that shares its history.

Lindy Hop and Jazz are African American vernacular dances and are rooted in African American culture. We believe this dance cannot and should not be separated from the cultural context in which it was created and we are committed to continuing to learn more about its history. We encourage all our students to join us in this journey, celebrating and paying respect to the black originators and innovators of this art form. By engaging with its history and learning more about the values this dance was built on within African American culture, we truly believe that each dancer will be more respectful, appreciative guests in not only this art form form, but in cultures that are not our own. Simply put, more informed dancers = better dancers = better global citizens.

The jazz dance tree; Kimberly Testa (In L. Guarino and W. Oliver, Jazz Dance: A History of the Roots and Branches).

At The Swing Project, we believe everyone should experience Lindy Hop. It can be danced to fast or slow tempos, it can be smooth and relaxed or energetic and flamboyant - it’s all about connecting with your partner and expressing who you are. For us, dancing embodies freedom and we encourage all dancers to try both leading and following roles. Whatever your age, gender or ability, Lindy Hop has been bringing joy to people’s lives since it first hit those dance floors in Harlem and we can’t wait for you to join our swing dance community.