For those of you new to Swing dance, it is worth knowing a little about its origins in particular the classic style of Swing known as “The Lindy Hop”. The Lindy Hop originated in Harlem in the late 1920’s. An extremely popular fast paced and wildly energetic partner dance mainly influenced by The Charleston, it soon found a home at the Savoy Ballroom on 140th St. and Lennox Avenue. Described by its patrons as “The Home of Happy Feet”, The Savoy, produced the very best exponents of The Lindy Hop, particularly Herbert “Whitey” Whites resident dance team “Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers”.

Hailed as “The only True folk dance of America” it wasn’t long before this acrobatic dance became popular not only in ballrooms across America - and the globe - but also on the silver screen. At it’s peak a new generation of Hoppers including Frankie Manning, Norma Miller and Al Minns dazzled audiences with their agility and skills, immortalizing themselves with a never to be surpassed performance for the Hollywood movie “Hellzapoppin”. Unfortunately due to the racial climate of the 1940’s and changes in music trends, the dance dwindled in popularity and following World War II was almost entirely forgotten.

However since the mid-1980’s, there has been a worldwide Lindy Hop revival thanks mainly to the efforts of Mama Lu Parks, Frankie Manning, Norma Miller, Al Minns, Pepsi Bethel, George Lloyd, The Jiving Lindy Hoppers (Including Ryan Francois) The Rhythm Hotshots, Erin Stevens and Steven Mitchell and The New York Swing Dance Society. All major contributors to the dances survival and why we still have the Lindy Hop today.