All About Swing Dancing

If you think this was only popular in the 1990s, think again. Swing dancing is not yet totally out. One good way to impress your date is to show your swing dancing skills. Remember Brendan Fraser in Blast from the Past? How about Christian Bale in Swing Kids?

Before you hit the floor, know that there are many variations of swing moves like Savoy Style, Carolina Shag, Imperial Swing, Jive, and much more. It is a type of dance that was popularized as early as the 1920s and there are other dance moves that were derived from it like the Jitterbug in the 1930s. In New York, the Savoy Ballroom is credited as the birthplace of swing.

Swing was the hot stuff until the 1950s until people slowly moved on to other types of dancing for entertainment. However, it has been making its comeback lately and before you know it, everyone will be crazy about it once again. So, what better way to learn it than to get yourself acquainted to it now? It can be a fun activity for you and your date.

There are many variations but the top two are Lindy Hop and Balboa. The Lindy Hop is called the grandfather of swing style. It is a partner dance popularized in the 1920s in Harlem, New York. It is called so because of the person who popularized it, Lindy Charleston. Balboa went hand in hand in popularity with Lindy Hop. But unlike Lindy Hop, it originated from Southern California in Newport Beach, in the Balboa Peninsula.

• Styles of Swing Dance – this reading material introduces you to the different styles of swing. It takes you to descriptions of its early forms back in the 20s until the late 50s.
• What is Swing? – this article tells you the history of swing. It helps you understand how it rose and declined in popularity over the years. If you are looking for something scholarly, this is a good read for you.
• Swing Is Back! – the news site ABC13 delves into how today's generation is keeping the spirit of swing dancing alive. And maybe you should, too. Many ballroom dances involves swing so you might as well as get your hands into it.

A highly popular dance step is called the Swinging Charleston, which was popularized in Charleston, South Carolina. This is also the swing that you saw in the movie The Great Gatsby.

In this step, the partners will do the same steps on each other's side. You typically see this in old movies. It is either that or they will dance in front of each other with the exact same steps. What's wonderful about it is that the choreography is really neat in the eye. This requires a loose posture, like a carefree attitude, and relaxed knees, and your body weight must be on the ball of your feet. This is necessary because this steps requires a lot of leaning forward.

• Swing Dance Steps – here you will learn three basic swing dance moves. It has a free beginner video course and offers swing basics, too.
• Jive and Swing Steps – this site will show you a history of swing and will also teach you things like lead and follow and the jive/swing moves. Jive and Swing are the two most important steps to learn in swing dance.
• The Dances – for further reading, you can visit this site to see the many types of swing dances and how they differ from one another. This will not teach you how to do it but it will describe their variations.
• An Overview of Swing Dance – this site provides an in-depth history of tap dancing, including swing and how it all started. It helps to understand the origins of your passion. It allows you to go back in time and fully understand the birth of swing.
• A Library of Swing Steps – this is a great resource of swing steps. It has beats, steps for basic moves, stop and go, and even throwaways. It also separates the steps for the man and the woman, considering that swing is a partner dance most of the time.

To be an effective dancer, you need to understand the terminologies so it is easier for you and your partner or instructor to communicate. Perhaps the most popular one is called Boogie Woogie. It is a step that involves six beats. It is fast and there are a few rock steps performed on a slot.

• Dance Dictionary – if you want to understand pivots and cradle and stuff like that, this is the best site for you.
• Dance Technique Terminology – here you will find the different terms and languages used in swing dancing.
• West Coast Swing for Newcomers – if you are new to swing dancing, maybe you need to check out this organization.

If you did not know yet, there is an international group called the World Swing Dance Council or WSDC. It hosts swing events and awards the best swing dancers around the world. The best of the best become part of their Hall of Fame. The organization was founded in 1993 with the aim of making swing dancers come together, communicate better, and spread the appreciation for swing as a dance art form.

Depending on your location, you can choose from the following popular swing dance organizations:

• Chicago Swing Dance Society – this organization offers classes or courses which you can enroll in. There are weekends in which the club offers free classes for both members and to the general public.
• Cornell Swing Dance Club – this dance club offers classes every Wednesday from 8PM to 10PM. The classes are free but if a popular guest dancer is invited to instruct, there will be a fee.
• New York Swing Dance Society – the club offers different types of memberships. The least amount as Basic Member is $35 per year, followed by a Contributing Member type at $50 per year, and the Sustaining Member at $100 per month.
• Florida Swing Dancing Club – this organization offers free swing dance lessons for everyone. It also hosts events.