West Coast Swing has multiple acknowledged origins. Dancer Dean Collins is said to have adapted dancing in a slot in order to make better camera angles for film. Others believe Lindy Hop evolved into West Coast Swing due to crowded blues clubs and slower music.West Coast Swing is danced in...
Lindy Hop
Lindy Hop is an American dance created by African Americans in Harlem, New York in 1928. The dance is a fusion of other dances from the 1920’s, mainly jazz, tap, breakaway, and Charleston. Lindy Hop was danced in 4/4 time to jazz and swing music and was extremely popular in...
Jitterbug
Jitterbug was popularized by African Americans in the early part of the 20th century. It is related to Lindy Hop, East Coast Swing, and Jive. Danced in 4/4 time, Jitterbug is a dance that adapted well to faster Swing music and early rock and roll with it’s simple steps. There...
East Coast Swing
In the 1940s there was a market for Swing Dancing, largely attributed to the Lindy Hop craze, but dance studios found Lindy Hop too difficult for beginner dancers. As a result, Dance Studios tamed and adapted Eastern Swing (later known as East Coast Swing) to include more simplified footwork. Danced...
Carolina Shag
Carolina Shag is a partnered dance, danced primarily to beach music in 4/4 time. The dance is danced in a slot with a rhythm close to Swing. There an emphasis on improvisation. The term “Carolina Shag” is thought to have originated in Cherry Grove Beach, South Carolina in the 1940s....