The History Of Lindy Hop

In the nineteen twenties there was the Charleston dance craze, whilst before that ballroom dancing was the thing. Ballroom dancing is, like Lindy Hop, partner dancing. In other words couples dance together, in physical contact. Also in the nineteen twenties there was a degree of racial segregation in the USA, which meant that ballrooms like the Savoy in Harlem were mostly frequented by black dancers, ballrooms like the Roseland mostly frequented by whites. Although the Savoy was the first ballroom not to be officially segregated, so white dancers could, and did, go there in small numbers. The big bands of the era sometimes had black and white musicians, less so in the early days when most were one or the other.

In the Savoy ballroom in Harlem, as early as nineteen twenty six, (the Savoy opened its doors for the first time in March nineteen twenty six), black musicians were experimenting and leading the way, swing music was emerging. The Charleston dance craze was declining. Later, the new musical style would be copied by Benny Goodman. Some historians credit the start of the swing age to a later tour by Benny Goodman, nineteen thirty five in fact, which is actually somewhat after the fact!

Benny Goodman had listened to the musicians in Harlem and his band were swing pioneers, as far as white folks were concerned. A great band they were too, but they were not the first innovators of the genre. By the thirties Benny Goodman was playing swing on his late night radio slot in New York and when he went on tour he struggled, well he struggled in New York and all stations west until he got to California where they were queued around the block. The reason being that his late night New York radio programme was being picked up at peak time all those miles west, different time zone of course, and the people loved it. Officially this is when the swing age was born. However, go back to nineteen twenty six in Harlem and you'd find black dancers there were experimenting with new moves to fit the new music, from Fletcher Henderson primarily and they'd adapted Charleston moves to fit their new style too.

The new dance didn't really have a name. It's been suggested that they called it the breakaway, because in ballroom male dancers kept the lady close, but in the new dance she was 'swung out'. Others say breakaway is rather the original name for a move which today is called a swing out and that the dance was simply called The Hop. So to 1927. There were dance marathons then, remember the movie "They Shoot Horse's Don't They". It was at a dance marathon, so the story goes that a newspaper journalist asked a black dancer by the name of Shorty George Snowden "hey, what's that new dance you're doing?" Presumably no one outside the Savoy had seen it much. Well George, who has a dance step named after him, the "Shorty George" unsurprisingly, was a bit of a wit. Furthermore, that week or maybe even that day a young man called Charles Lindbergh had made the first solo aeroplane flight across the Atlantic, non stop. America was in love with its new hero and a newspaper headline had read (reputedly, although I've been unable to find it) "Lucky Lindy Hops The Atlantic". "We call it the Lindy Hop" quipped George and so a new dance craze was born.

The dance had its apogee in the forties and went through the dark days of wartime, surviving into the fifties when smaller, less costly rock and roll bands put the big bands out of business. Well mostly, it was still possible to find some swing even in the ironically named swinging sixties, and jazz of course goes on through every storm and changing fashion.

Music like all the creative arts and indeed sciences has to progress, Rock and Roll, Bill Haley and Elvis they were the immediate future in the early fifties. Swing and swing dance had ruled the roost for twenty five years a remarkable thing when you look at popular music today. In that time swing produced a great variety of great music, and the dancers innovated so many steps and styles that you could learn the Lindy Hop for a lifetime and still not know it all. For more on the subject see the book 'Of Land, Sea and Sky'. www.oflandseaandsky.com
About The Author

Malcolm Snook has been a skydiving instructor, car and motorcycle racer, dance teacher, advertising executive and entrepreneur and a long distance sailor. He currently lives on an old sailing ketch and writes.

10 Tips For Getting Started Ballroom Dancing

Learning to dance is fun and it is easy. In a sense it is like learning a new language, a language in which moods and emotions are expressed in movement; a language of rhythm, grace and harmony. It is new, but in a very real sense it is the oldest language in the world, for dancing is the oldest form of art.

Dancing is a wholesome, natural outlet for the emotions. It develops grace and poise, timing and balance. Men take pride in their ability to lead their partners with assurance and poise. Ladies enjoy the ability to follow their partners smoothly, expertly and correctly. The ability to dance develops personality, and above all, it is fun.

Taking dance lessons is a great way to improve your confidence, it is a way to get fit and did I mention they're fun?

And It's Easier Than You Think!

1. Do you want to, learn to dance professionally, learn to dance for pleasure? It is important to know what you want to achieve before you start.

Perhaps you want to learn to get fit, for a social occasion or to meet new friends. Plus if you know what you want to get out of it this helps your instructor.

Lots of people start with social dancing. Social dancing classes are great places to learn ballroom dancing. A small percentage of social dancers later find that their love of dance compels them to become competitive dancers. Social dances normally start with a one-hour dance lesson and it is normally possible to find weekly group dance lessons especially for beginners.

2. If you want to find out what is involved in dancing before you commit to lessons, or there are no good teachers locally, consider a dance video. You can watch it at your leisure, plus watch it as many times as you like to aid learning. A good video will help you practice once you start lessons.

3. Dancing provides great social benefits but also participating in ballroom dancing on a regular basis will produce significant mental and physical health benefits. Dancing is a great stress reliever. It builds confidence, alertness and good attitude. It also has been proven to have a great physical benefit as it physically tones the whole body in enjoyable exercise.

Dancing can be a fun way to lose weight and get into shape. Just check out the potential for burning calories. Burn 309 calories with just one hour of Ballet, Tap or Freestyle, 290 calories with Country Line Dancing or Swing and 193 calories with the Waltz.

4. When choosing a dance studio you want to choose one that is conveniently located to your home or work place. If you can get there easier you will keep going and repetition is the key to quick learning. Not sure if you want to learn? Some nightclubs or studios hold introductory lessons. A number of websites have a dance studio locator, so that you can find studios local to you.

In addition these sites have lots of free instructional material.

Check out a few different dance studios. Most dance studios will offer group and private lessons. Look for studios offering a mixture of the two. How many teachers do they have? Do they have an introductory offer?

You may also find ballroom dance classes at local colleges and many city or county recreational departments include ballroom dance classes. Some organizations such as the YWCA, Community Centers, Elks or Moose Lodges offer dance lessons to their members and guests.

5. Find out about the different dance styles before you start lessons and see which ones you want to learn. Plus you'll be more knowledgeable about the style and rhythm of the different dances before you start classes.

Don't forget to get my free book that covers the basics of ballroom dancing, details at the end of these tips.

6. Do you need a partner to start ballroom dancing? No. Lots of classes accept singles. If you already have a partner then you can have fun learning together.

7. Should you have private lessons or group classes? This depends on your preference and your budget. As a beginner you may prefer the privacy of individual tuition and certainly you will learn quicker, they can also be useful if you have missed some group classes and do not want to get left behind or you feel that you need extra tuition. However when starting out consider the social aspect of group learning which most people find stimulating, challenging and lots of fun. Group classes are also less expensive.

8. There are no special clothes for social dancing, except that they need to be comfortable and give you freedom to move. However for learning professional ballroom dancing you may find that exercise clothing is more appropriate, ask your instructor if you are unsure. When choosing shoes think about not only appearance but also comfort, support and protection.

9. Selecting your instructor is an important decision and you want to ensure that your instructor has professional qualifications. Obtain a copy of their resume for professional examinations and their experience in teaching beginners. The United States Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association will be able to advise you further.

10. Finally, just in case you didn't get the message before - have fun! Learning a new skill can and should be fun, that way you'll stick at it and before you know where you are you have mastered it!

About the Author, Lynsey Leigh -

To get Lynsey's free book,  Your Complete-Guide-to-Ballroom-Dancing, go to her website: http://www.Complete-Guide-to-Ballroom-Dancing.com.

Zumba - the New Latin Dance Fitness Workout

What is Zumba?

Zumba is the new dance fitness class that is sweeping the world.

With varied dance styles from meringue & salsa to bollywood & belly dancing they are blended together in to a class with a wonderful party atmosphere.

Zumba was created by Beto Perez from Columbia who one day forgot the music for his aerobics class. All he had was a selection of music CDs from his car. With that mixed bag of music the class he taught proved to be very popular & the rest is history.

It was discovered that a lot of people were intimidated by the traditional method of teaching a fitness class. So in comparison all Zumba classes are taught with no or minimal verbal queuing & with no pressure from the instructor to perform the steps correctly.

The people in the class just follow the moves the instructor is doing but if they can't or don't want to do that move, all they have to do is to do their own thing, keep moving & to have fun fun fun!

Zumba is suitable for anyone over the age of 16 and is great for all levels of fitness and experience. But for people younger than that there is Zumbatomic. There is no dress code (Lycra is NOT mandatory!).

Just wear what you feel comfortable in but do bear in mind you will get very hot! The best shoes to wear are ones that will give your foot support (like an aerobic style shoe). It is best not to wear a shoe that has too much grip as this can cause pressure on your knees.

People are advised to bring a towel & a bottle of water along with them as you will get very hot! There is a break in between each track allowing everyone to get a quick drink of water before the party continues.

Finding a Zumba Class near you:

With Zumba classes popping up everywhere, towns are slowly starting to tremble as if hit by an earthquake, as people shimmy, shake & gyrate to the strong Latin music that is Zumba Fitness. To find local classes just visit the official Zumba website and enter your zip code or post code.

Zumba has recently arrived in Edinburgh, Scotland and is taking the city by storm! Tom and David Lowe's Zumba class is the only male team taught Zumba class in Edinburgh.

David originally fell in love with Zumba every since he attended his first class with Donna Giffen who is Scotland's own Zumba Master Trainer. David has always had a passion for all types of music & dance which reflects in his style & movement.

Tom is a very experienced fitness instructor and qualified Pilates instructor. Tom has taught in most health & fitness clubs across Edinburgh & has been lucky to have full classes across the years.

Warning:

Zumba is infectious with some people having to go to 4 or 5 classes per week because they enjoy the class SO much. In an average hour long class, you will burn between 500 - 600 calories but can reach up to 800 if you pull all of the stops out.

by, Suzanne E. Morrison

How To Dance The Tango Like They Do In Argentina

It's time to tango! Few dances rival the passion and showiness of the tango, the dance that everyone associates with Argentina. Celebrity dancing shows like Dancing With The Stars and Strictly Come Dancing are popping up all over the world, showing us all that anyone can have a go, but where do you start? Try these useful pointers...

1) Listen to the music a lot to get the "feel"

Familiarity with music gets your body moving nicely to it, and feeling is everything with the tango; experts say that you must really learn to listen to the music before you start to dance. Do it whenever and wherever you can; in the car, at work, just before you go to sleep. If you find after a few weeks that you can't stop listening, you may have just found a life-long passion!

2) Get comfortable with the basic steps to find you dancing feet

Tango as a dance is very free-form, based in improvisation. However, before you can let your feet do the talking, you need to train yourself in the basic moves and steps. To get helpful pointers and be surrounded by others to keep you motivated, find a local dance school or, even better, dance with someone who already knows it. Failing either of these, don't let circumstances kill your passion; try finding instructional videos on the Internet, a much easier alternative to reading a list of foot movements or trying to decipher pictures.

3) Persevere...

Like everything in life, only regular practice will get you going smoothly, and tango is no exception. Beginners must devote lots of time to solo practice and it is widely acknowledged that big advances can, and must, be made in tango without a partner. As you "walk your miles", try to move like you are already an excellent dancer; the dance is as much about attitude and communicating yourself as anything else. You may find yourself more convincing than you think! Also try and make your practice a regular commitment; it is common knowledge that the successful dancers are those that book a month of classes and show up to every one.

4) It takes two; find a partner

Once you've put in the time with your own steps, it's time to get someone else involved. Even though tango isn't a subtle way to meet people, make sure you dance with lots of different partners so that you don't get lazy being accustomed to the way one other person dances; everyone is different, and if you are improvising you should be ready for that!

5) More practice; get out there and enjoy your dancing!

Hopefully if you've dedicated yourself regularly to the previous steps, you'll have a group of people with whom you can go out and dance for fun, as well as knowing some good spots. The free-flowing aspect of the dance will come easier with time, as moves need to come automatically from "body memory" and not from actively thinking about them; this naturally only comes with a lot of practice.

Which style to learn?

Tango evolved in Argentina as a melting pot of cultural influences from world-wide immigrants that flooded into Argentina at the beginning of the 19th century. Lonely and looking for company in their new surroundings, the arrivals developed tango as a means to mix and express themselves beyond language. Thus, tango is a portrayal of Buenos Aires and its people. Over the last 100 years many different styles have evolved, including Ballroom, Social and Stage. Many consider the styles to be so drastically different that if you have learnt one, it won't form a basis to help you learn another.

True or not, the best way to learn Argentinian tango is to follow it to the source. Numerous companies run entire tours based around exploring Buenos Aires through learning to dance the tango. As well as an unforgettable adventure, you'll be sure of learning a pure-blooded form of the passionate, dramatic and beautiful dance that everyone wants to be good at.

About The Author -

Gary Sargent is the Managing Director of the tour companies Escaped to Peru and Escaped to Latin America and has lived in South America for over 10 years. Gary is passionate about life here, the people, customs and places. To learn more or to book your next personalized adventure please visit http://www.escapedtolatinamerica.com

The Difference Between On1 & On2 Salsa Dance Steps

Have you ever wondered why one salsa dancer seems to take salsa dance steps one way while another takes them a complete different way. Well, let me clear up any confusion you might have.

First of all, there are many different styles of salsa dancing: Puerto Rican Style, New York Style, Miami Style, Colombian Style, LA Style, Cuban Style, and some even claim Aussie Style and London Style. However, no matter what style of salsa you dance all salsa dance steps and styles can be categorized into two main categories: On1 & On2.

This means that no matter what style of salsa you dance, all of the styles emphasize either the first beat of the music or the second, and thus the names On1 and On2.

When you dance salsa On1, emphasizing the first beat of the music, the leader generally steps with his/her left foot while the follower steps with his/her right foot on the first beat of the music, like in the LA style, Cuban Style, and Colombian Style. Depending on which of these styles you dance, the leader either takes the step forward like in LA style or back like in the Cuban Rueda style. In either case, both men and women emphasize the first beat of the music.

When dancing On2, however, men and women emphasize the second beat of the music. Another way to explain this is to consider whether someone is breaking On2 or On1, meaning whether someone changes his or her body's direction on the first or the second beat of the music.

When dancing On2 Puerto Rican Style, for example, the leader steps forward with his left foot on the second beat of the music and steps back on the sixth beat of the music. On contrast, when dancing New York Style the steps are reversed, while rhythmically speaking the emphasis stays the same beats. That is to say, a leader steps forward on the sixth beat of the music and back on the second.

Hopefully, this will at least give you the outline to recognize whether someone is dancing On1 or On2. And so the next time you see someone taking salsa dance steps that you cannot recognize, make sure you have considered what style and which beat are they on before judging them.

About The Author -

Mikko Kemppe is credited to be the founder and creator of two prominent salsa dance communities in Louisiana: Salsa Monroe & Salsa Shreveport. In 2009 he studied and trained for 6 months under the current world salsa champion Luis Aguilar. Along with his partner Ashanti Altovese he placed 4th in the 2009 San Francisco International Salsa Congress. Visit Mikko at http://www.salsaadventures.com

Creative Dance Training - Need and Importance

Creative dance training is important for people looking for options in cheerleading and other dance performances. High schools, middle schools, youth teams, colleges, and university dance and cheerleading teams requires dance training from creative dance experts.

Creative Dancing Camps

High schools, middle schools, youth teams, colleges, universities, and other school organizations organize dance camps for development of their student's dance skills. Especially for dance and cheerleading teams dance camps are arranged before dance and cheerleading seasons and competitions. The motive of these dance camps is to equip their dancers and cheerleaders in creative dance choreography, technique training, team building activities and discussions.

Benefits of Creative Dance

The scope of creative dance is not limited to dancing and cheerleading only. There are multiple advantages of creative dance training. Creative dance training helps people in developing confidence, self-esteem, and time management. It also enhances decision-making skills and makes people more extrovert and confident in front of masses. Several health benefits are also associated with creative dance training as it closely involves almost every part of human's body.

Role of Dance Instructors

Role of instructors in any kind of learning is very important. Whether you are learning dance as your personal hobby or to serve your professional ambitions as a dancer or cheerleader, your dance instructor plays a very active and important role. To perform according to the competitive requirements dancers and cheerleaders need formal dance training from expert dance instructors.

A professional dance instructor not only teaches you dance skills and techniques. They also make you ready for dance competitions by choreographing your routines. Under supervision of experienced dance instructors you can extract the real dancer hidden deep inside you.

Nowadays, visual training through real videos is a popular aspect of dance training. It gives you opportunity to learn choreography through videos. With the help of instructional dance videos you can rehearse and practice in the privacy of your home without any instructor and enhance your dance skills.

Some creative dance training agencies also organize dance camps for school and college going students as well as for common people. The purpose of these dance camps is to provide basic to advanced dance training to interested people.

Well, it does not mean that creative dance only prepares cheerleaders and professional dancers. People learn creative dancing for their self-development also. Such forms of dance are always associated with a group's performances rather than solo performances.

About the author, Lynette Mattice -

Creative Dance Vision - Customized on-site dance camps, team building activities and discussions, dance choreography,dance apparel and staff opportunities to dance and cheer teams in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, or any other on site location in the US. For more information visit us: http://www.creativedancevision.com

Learn To Dance Like A Seasoned Pro

If you have set your thoughts to learn to dance like a seasoned professional, you ought to work towards it. Getting recognized as a seasoned dancer is not the most simple of tasks. The enthusiast has to go the extra mile as when he plans to know how to dance to get recognized as a seasoned professional. Apart from the passion to learn to dance, the enthusiast should also possess talent and skills in spades to become a recognized professional. The ardent enthusiast who wants to make a mark as a recognized dancer should take efforts to learn how to dance effectively as well as graciously. The enthusiast should also embrace quintessential features to sharpen his dancing skills, and with it be on his way to get recognized as a seasoned campaigner. 

Take cue from dancing legends 

While you are taking efforts to know how to dance, getting registered in a dance class or other mediums is a surefire way to learn the basic steps and movements of a dance style. Most importantly, when you are keen to learn to dance, getting inspired by looking at the dance movements of the legends is sure to set the tone up for an exciting learning process. You should make it a point to take cue from the dancing legends, as in a way to know about the hardships they went through to acquire the needed skills, which is sure to be a motivating factor during the learning process. It is an ideal way to get started to know how to dance, and to make a good progress to get recognized as an established professional. 

Motivate yourself 

To get to grips with any art form, passion is an element that kindles the desire to master the art form and dancing is no different from the other art forms. While you are passionate to learn to dance and are exploring avenues to know how to dance, you ought to motivate yourself in your quest to become a recognized dancer. 

Make use of various mediums to learn 

While you are looking for ways and means to get initiated to know how to dance, there are several powerful mediums that impart skills and techniques pertaining to a dance form in the most effective way. As an enthusiast, you can make use of the various mediums to sharpen your dancing skills and be on your way to learn to dance and get recognized as a seasoned professional. The dance class is a traditional medium that imparts dance lessons to enthusiasts who fall under various skill levels, as you can also make use of online dance lessons and DVD to learn the tricks of the trade. 

Observe skilled dancers 

Apart from the efforts put in during the dance class, an enthusiast should also observe skilled dancers as when he craves to learn to dance and be on his way to get recognized as a seasoned campaigner. Be it the dance class, online dance lesson or even that of dance clubs, an enthusiast should be on the look out to learn a few tricks by observing the dance movements performed by skilled dancers. 

Remain focused 

When the learner is yearning to know how to dance, and is also eager to unearth the nuances of a dance form, he should remain focused during his quest to become a recognized professional. When the focal attention is lavished upon acquiring the dance skills, it becomes easy to learn to dance effectively and get recognized as a seasoned professional. 

For the enthusiast who dreams to become a seasoned professional as when he gets initiated to learn to dance, there are effective measures that help him convert his dreams into reality.


If you are keen to learn to dance like a seasoned professional, read here and embrace effective measures to know how to dance effectively. The author, Vasanth Rajan invites you to visit: http://www.salsabootcamp.com.

Dance Shoes Can Add Grace to Your Performance

Having the right dance shoes is just as important as mastering a well-choreographed routine. If your feet are uncomfortable or if your dance shoes are slipping off, there is no way you can perform to your ultimate ability. But the right pair of dance shoes can add grace and style to your performance.

Dance Shoes for Graceful Performances

There are several types of dance shoes that are made to cater to the type of dance the dancer performs. There are ballet shoes that allow for gliding, sliding, twirling and standing or spinning on toes. Jazz dance shoes can range from the traditional black, thin leather shoes to a more contemporary type of thin flexible sneaker; but all jazz shoes are thin soled and usually a bit slick on the bottom to allow for easy sliding while the shoe itself is very thin and flexible for all types of movement.

Tap dance shoes are typically slightly thick and durable with metal taps on the bottom. The taps are placed under the toes and under the heels for the dancer to strategically hit the taps at just the right time during the performance. Ballroom dance shoes are very formal and dressy looking but are also made to glide across the floor, spin and stomp. Women's ballroom shoes are generally high heeled with very sturdy heels and support structure while the men's ballroom shoes are thick, shiny and normally have a type of platform added to the sole that also allows or gliding across the room and extra support.

Dance Shoes for Fitness

Sandals are even included in the dance shoes list, such as Lyrical and Hermes sandals that can be used for various types of dance. Some need dance shoes for fitness purposes, such as the current Zumba dance craze that is forms of Latin dance used as a workout routine. Some dancers also choose to practice in half-sole sandals, foot mittens, gymnastic shoes, footie thongs and more. Whatever works best for each dancer to practice in and then perform in is what should be used.

Whether dance shoes are needed for an individual or an entire group of dancers, most dancers trust Dance 4 Less for their dance shoe purchases. Offering the most brand names, highest quality and lowest prices, Dance 4 Less is the choice dance shoes provider for various types of dancers, gymnasts, cheer teams, dance academies, schools and more.

Dance 4 Less offers hassle free returns, great customer service, fast shipping, group rate discounts and much more. Most items are always in stock, even on bulk orders. For more information on dance shoes and other dance needs, please visit Dance Shoes from Dance 4 Less.

Andre Justin from Dance4less is the author of this article. Find more information about dance shoes and accessories at http://www.dance4less.com.

What to Expect at Your First Ballroom Dance Lesson

If you're new to ballroom dancing, you might be a little apprehensive coming to your first lesson at a dance studio. Exactly what happens? How difficult will it be? Who will be your instructor? What should you wear? Many questions will run through your mind. Here's some information to help you prepare. 

When you arrive at the studio you'll be greeted by the studio manager and introduced to your instructor. In any of the Fred Astaire Dance Studios, teachers are experienced in teaching beginner students through advanced dancers. Your instructor will quickly make you feel at home in the studio environment. 

You'll be asked if you have any short-term dance goals, such as an upcoming event or vacation, and what kind of music or dance styles you like. If you aren't sure which specific dances you want to try, your teacher will choose a few for you. 

Don't worry if you haven't had prior dance experience; each figure will be broken down into very basic, natural movements. Under the guidance of your instructor, the lesson will never feel too fast or too slow and dull. It will go at your pace. 

By the end of your first lesson, you'll probably be surprised just how easy it was to get started and you'll already be dancing a few steps in several different dances. 

If you come alone, you'll get to dance the entire time with your “easy-to-dance-with” teacher. If you participate as a couple, your instructor will assign each of you your own responsibilities as the leader and follower so that you can succeed as a team on the dance floor. 

You should wear comfortable clothes which allow easy movement. Dressing in layers is a good idea because as the session progresses, you'll get warm just as with any other exercise. You should wear shoes which fit securely on your feet – slingbacks and sandals are not good choices and rubber-soled shoes have a tendency to stick to the floor. So it's preferable to wear either a leather-soled shoe or, ideally, a ballroom dance shoe with suede sole. If you're a woman who normally wears a high heel when going out, we suggest you wear a similar heel height on your lesson. 

Dance shoes aren't necessary for your first lesson, but if you'd like to shop ahead of time, we recommend you find and visit a local dance shoe store. They will help you select a pair of shoes appropriate for someone getting started in ballroom dancing.

About The Author Meg Sommers is a life-long ballroom dance professional having competed in and taught ballroom dance for more than twenty years. She is a former Fred Astaire National Standard Champion and Ohio Star Ball Rising Star Champion. Presently Meg is the proud owner and director of Westchester County's premier Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Mamaroneck, New York. http://www.BallroomDanceWestchester.net