Dancing has been a favorite pastime of people from all over the globe for many years. It seems as though changes in cultural trends tend to usher in new forms of dance. The good news is that these new dances are not difficult to learn if you have the desire to try something outside of your normal routine. There are several ways to learn dances such as the East Coast Swing. If you show promise in mastering the steps to this entertaining dance, you should have no problems learning most Continue reading →

Swing dancing is a very unique and energetic type of dance. It is as simple or complex as one wants it to be, but it is always fun. The swing dance has many versions, each having their own characteristics. As the name implies, swing dancing is known for its swings, spins and lifts that can sometimes be very complicated. The dance requires a lot of physical fitness, and it is a fast dance. I just upgraded my TV service with direct2tv.com and saw a really cool documentary on swing dancing, so I wanted to learn more about the history of the dance. Here are some highlights of what I found.

The swing began with the history of the Lindy hop, which originated in the 1920s. It reached a peak level of popularity during the 30s and 40s. Its roots are associated with the Foxtrot and Charleston, and it was danced to jazz music. Jazz music, during this time, was also called swing music, so the dances became called swing dances. The Lindy hop was named after Charles Lindbergh, a famous aviator, and it is still danced to this day.

The term swing dance refers to dances that were developed in the 20s, 30s and 40s. As jazz music became more popular, so did the dances called the Jitterbug, East coast swing, West coast swing, Balboa, Collegiate Shag, Imperial Swag, Boogie-woogie and more.

Even though jazz music was the music generally danced to with the swing, one can dance the swing to pop music, rock and roll and country music. As the music from the 20s changed, the dances did as well. Rhythm & Blues music brought on the Imperial Swing, Rock and Roll brought on Rock and Roll dance, and so on.

Swing dancing grew from the African-American community the way that jazz did. With the help of soldiers during WWII, swing dance spread all over the world. Today, it is still enjoyed as one of the most popular types of dances worldwide.

People that want to learn how to swing dance are in luck. There are a wide range of videos that show you how this is done. Some people choose to buy DVDs. Other people that want to learn swing dancing without spending any money can simply look on the Internet.

It really just comes down to how extensive you want the lesson to be. The time frame must also be considered. Some people just get their hands on a DVD because this is Continue reading →

Swing dancing has been a popular form of dance for many decades. It is a fun way to exercise and build relationships with your dance partner. Swing dancing is usually done with one male partner who does the lifting and a female swing partner that gets lifted and tossed about.

A swing dance is recognizable because the male partner will be swinging his female companion through his legs, lifting her above his head and bouncing her off his own body.Never heard of this before? Get up to speed here. It Continue reading →

One of the biggest things on television right now is the show dancing with the stars. Perhaps, one reason why the show has gotten as much attention as it has is because so many stars have lost weight and slimmed down as a result of dancing. Well, you don’t have to be a star to lose weight dancing.

Swing dancing is perhaps one of the most physical dance methods. It is a very fast paced, high energy dance, involving a lot of movement. Most people like swing dancing Continue reading →

Swing dancing, as we know and love it today, began during the late 1920s with a little step called the Lindy Hop. It started in none other than the iconic Savoy Ballroom in Harlem during the heyday of Big Band music and Saturday night dance competitions. The dance had no name or consistent style when it started, but new steps kept being added all the time and drew a large audience. Thanks to a charismatic Continue reading →

Swing dance really became popular as far back as the 1910’s. The first swing dance was the Texas Tommy swing. The Lindy Hop became popular in the 1920’s in Harlem. Over the year’s new styles of the swing was brought in and is still used to this day. There are many different swings to learn such as the Jitterbug, Eastern Swing, Western Swing and the Carolina Shag.

The swing dance requires two people and a lot of movement. There are many different moves to this dance and one can always add their own. There is a lot of flipping, Continue reading →