Lindy hop is an energetic jazz dance to swing music that originated in the African American Communities in Harlem, New York City (at the Savoy Ballroom) in the 1920’s (1928) all the way to the 1940’s. It includes African rhythms/dance, jazz, tap, breakaway, and 1920’s Charleston, with Elements from African American dances and European partnered dances in influences.
The dance’s name is believed to be inspired by Shorty George (George Snowden), who was asked what kind of dance he was doing by a reporter and he answered: I am doing the Lindy Hop. This was right after Charles Lindbergh’s historic solo transatlantic flight in 1927 to Paris, across the Atlantic Ocean.
A crowd gathered outside the Savoy Ballroom, a major cultural hub and landmark for the Harlem Neighborhood. Photograph by Bettmann/Corbis.
The Savoy Ballroom opened in 1926, and became a central hub for jazz and swing music and an important venue for the development of Lindy Hop dance.
It hosted many legendary famous big bands, including those led by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Chick Webb, Cab Calloway, and Benny Goodman…Dancers like ‘Shorty’ George Snowden, Mattie Pernell, Big Bea, Leroy Stretch and Little Bea, pioneered when Lindy Hop first emerged. Later on, dancers like Norma Miller, Frankie Manning, Al Minns, Pepsi Bethel and Leon James helped revitalize the Lindy Hop.
Lindy Hop emerged during the Swing Era and remains closely tied to the music.
Its improvisational nature allowed dancers to express themselves, responding to the swing rhythms and melodies of the jazz music.
Hollywood’s influence into the dance, in the late 1930’s and into the 1940’s, gained national attention for Lindy Hop through performances by dancers, like Frankie Manning and Norma Miller, who showcased their talent in films and television.
After World War II, Lindy Hop saw a decline in popularity as Rock ‘n’ Roll and other dance styles emerged.
It was not until the 1990’s Renaissance, that there was a revival of interest in swing dancing, including Lindy Hop. Dance festivals, workshops, and social dance events gained popularity, and dedicated communities began forming dance class and performances.
Frankie Manning
Frankie Manning (May 26, 1914 – April 27, 2009) was an American dancer, instructor and choreographer. Manning is considered one of the founding fathers of the Lindy Hop.
