Swing Dance
Group 2: Brandon Wong, Robin Massowd, Meredith Seamon, Savannah McEntire, Johannah Robert, Renee Wilson, Kelcie Melino, Kara Shifflett, Natalie Perez, Gabrielle Slais, Arian Shahbazi, Katie Parker
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History:
Swing dance, as it called today, originated in the 1920's when the African American community in Harlem, New York developed the Charleston and Lindy Hop while dancing to contemporary jazz music. In comparison to previous dance styles, swing dance, which is usually done to jazz music, had great and large movements. The Savoy Ballroom, which opened its doors in New York City during 1926, was one of the first places where swing dance came alive to the sounds of swinging jazz music played by the best black bands in Harlem (Heikkila) . Nicknamed "the home of happy feet", the Savoy is historically significant for being one of the first racially integrated public places in the country, breaking many barriers through the love of swing dancing and jazz (www.savoyplaque.org). Swing dancing in the Savoy was characterized as being a "very fast, jumpy casual style of dancing" and became it's own notable style popularized in the 1930's and 1940's (Heikkila).
The Lindy Hop is named after the pilot Charles Lindbergh and his successful journey across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927. A dance enthusiast in the Harlem dance scene, "Shorty George" Snowden, was interviewed and asked what type of dance couples on a nearby dance floor were performing and from a nearby newspaper headline stating "Lindy Hops the Atlantic" he named what is now one of the most popular forms of swing dance (Heikkila). In 1936, the Lindy Hop was sweeping the nation but received some initial negative reception from dance teachers and organizatio...
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This new music developed, at first in spurts, originally in Kansas City and then most of all in musician's hangouts in Harlem, particularly at Minton's Playhouse, and once again at the beginning of a decade. Contrary to what has been claimed, this new music did not develop when a group of musicians banded together to create something new, because the old could no longer work. The old style worked very well. It also is not true that the new jazz style was developed as an effort on behalf of an interconnected group of musicians.
In the mid 1930s, Benny Goodman sparked the beginning of the Swing Era of jazz music shortly after leading his first band, which was monumental to the development of jazz. This marked a transition from the early Jazz Age, which resulted from combining aspects of ragtime and blues music over the previous two decades. Through Goodman’s live performances at various gigs and NBC’s radio show Let’s Dance, he gained increased recognition as a jazz performer and band leader. Following his pivotal Palomar Ballroom gig in Los Angeles, Goodman’s music inspired teenagers to create dances to accompany his new jazz style. As a result, his music grew to gain national acclaim and popularity among many different types of people. Goodman greatly influenced
What comes to mind when thinking of the 1920’s? Most people think of the freedom the United States felt after World War I and that is exactly what jazz and the Charleston symbolize (Boundless.com par. 1). Jazz and the Charleston were extremely controversial in the 1920’s because they promoted a new way of thinking, which outraged the older generations (Knowles 160). Older generations did not like the fact that young people were becoming more and more daring with their actions just by playing music and dancing (Boundless.com par. 6). Today, jazz and the Charleston are thought of as out of date, but without them, music today would be completely different. Jazz and the Charleston revolutionized modern music and dance by altering the rhythm of classical music, changing the culture of American society (Boundless.com par. 1).
Jazz dance today is presented in many different forms. Jazz history and famous jazz dancers and choreographers have helped influenced what we know today, as jazz dance. It is incorporated in an assortment of styles including, hip hop and Broadway, Jazz dance today has its own movement, while there trendy modern types of jazz, traditional jazz never goes out of style. Over the years, jazz dance has become popular in the media and can be found in music videos, television, movies, and commercials. Jazz dance is always changing with the time periods, and can be found in social dance, musical theater, dance schools, and night clubs.
A club known as the Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers possibly began this trend in 1935 when they formed their group of 12 dancers (Swingin’). This group of dancers began, and performed the majority of their lifetime as a group in the Savoy Ballroom. They created the Lindy Hop quite simply, using movements from the Charleston as well as basic tap movements. And because of their dance, they had the opportunity to perform both on Broadway, and even in some movies. First, two partners would dance around together in various ways. Then, the man would complete a series of lifts with the girl, usually ending with them apart. Finally, a section of solo footwork would occur to bring the couple back
It is argued that the start of the “Swing Era” started the day that Louis Armstrong joined Fletcher Henderson’s band in 1924. The style Armstrong played on the trumpet, which was shown off to the world after joining Henderson’s band was the main thing that would lead to swing jazz. The official start of the swing era began ten years after Armstrong joined the band and almost a full ten years after the first swing dance, the Lindy Hop.
In the United States of America, there once was this dance that evolved in a slave state known as South Carolina, Charleston, and a dance called Argentine Tango that evolved in america after being brought into the nation through global expansion. Both of these authentic dances exemplify a specific movement of techniques that gives the dance its power and name. Tango gives us a sensational feel that articulates adequate movements and creates richer, profound appearance. The Charleston dance brings out the joy in people that allows a person to let loose and be free. Both of these dances has been brought out into other countries. For example, the Charleston dance first originated in South Carolina and then made it around to other countries where
As it grew in influence and popularity, Jazz brought many young people together. It was such a social movement it brought mixed young people together to dance “The Charleston, The Cakewalk, The Black Bottom, The Flea Hop.” Since Jazz was such a influential and persuasive musical style. It had its time as a great social leveler and unifier. It brought together African Americans and Americans, in a love of fast, rhythmic music, which was multiplied through the radio and the recording industry. “What a crowd! All classes and colors met face to face, ultra aristocrats, bourgeois, communists, park avenue galore, publishers, broadway celebs, and harlemites giving each other the once over.” Jazz became attractively to popular Jazz Bands, it traveled widely playing all kinds of venues from restaurants, to dance halls, and even nightclubs. One of the many best renowned nightclubs would have to be the Cotton Club its where hollywood, paris and broadway rubbed elbows, people who came from all over the United States wanted to experience what was going on Harlem in the
The swing style was greatly influenced by jazz and also a multitude of popular dances from before it’s time, for example the Black Bottom, Big Apple and the Turkey Trot. The style of Swing dancing is named after the type of jazz music that swing dancing is traditionally danced too. Swing dancing is said to have been created at a club called the Savoy Ballroom. The Savoy Ballroom was a block-long dancehall in New York City and was so popular that it was frequented by many of the greatest dancers of the 1920’s and 30’s such as “Shorty George” Snowden. The Savoy was so large that it had 2 bands playing Jazz at all times, one on either end of the dance floor. Another thing that made the Savoy Ballroom so unique is it was one of the few places at that time that were desegregated, so the black and whites were dancing in the same room. A typical night at the Savoy ballroom would entail the patrons starting the evening doing line dances then pairing up according to ability and continuing to dance the night away in pairs. Usually the better dancers would gather, dance together, and try new moves in one corner of the dance floor known as the “cat’s corner.”
The evolution of dance styles during the 1920’s was influenced heavily by the music craze and the introduction of electric lighting made dancing late into the night possible. The end of restrictive clothing of the Victorian era was over and the new style was quite free and flowing making it easier to dance to the exciting melodies being created.
The Web. 15 Dec. 2013. https://www.boundless.com/us-history/from-the-new-era-to-the-great-depression-1920-1933/the-culture-of-change/dance/>. • "Dance in the Jazz Age. " Dance in the Jazz Age.
The first jazz was played in the early 20th century. The work chants and folk
Hip hop dance first originated in the 1960's and the 1970's one of the main birthplaces of hip hop was in one of New York City's poorest ghetto quarters the South Bronx. Hip hop dancing started with DJs coming into the streets with huge speakers kicking off what is now known as block parties. A man, who is known as the father of hip hop, "DJ Kool Herc" Would remix songs by making longer instrumental breaks between verses as long as he pleased by repeating the same breaks on a turn table this allowed more time for the street dancers or "B-boys" which stood for "Break-Boys" to show off their dancing skill. The hip hop moves combined Complex rhythms and a down-to-earth movement style. Most of these B-Boys dancing was acrobatic, or what kid no-a-days call Breakdancing but true "Break dancing" is completed how it was in the 1960s with insanely long instrumental breaks and incredible dancers battling it out with both footwork moves and acrobatic moves.
In the early 1920s a more upbeat style was being originated in Harlem, in what is called Cotton Clubs. Many people would come to these cotton clubs during this time period because it was during the prohibition era and these were the only places which would sell alcohol under the table. This style was more of a smooth jazz feel which would later lead to R&B. Cotton Clubs were closed several times due to the government finding out about the illegal distribution of alcohol. They were also closed due to race issues, in 1935 race riots broke out and closed the cotton club. Earl Tucker was an emerging artist who implemented new dance moves he was often referred to as Snake Hips. In the 1940s new sound systems were able to be transported and carried
Dance is an ancient human practice, however the earliest record of human dance remains a mystery. By