The Joy of Lindy Hop in Harlem

Few dance styles capture the spirit of joy and improvisation like Lindy Hop. Born in Harlem during the late 1920s, Lindy Hop emerged from the vibrant cultural life surrounding one of the world’s most famous dance halls, the Savoy Ballroom, aka “Home of the Happy Feet.”

At the Savoy Ballroom, dancers experimented with movement, rhythm, and creativity to the sounds of legends such as Chick Webb, Duke Ellington and Count Basie. These dancers developed a style that blended African American vernacular dance traditions with the excitement of jazz music.

Throughout the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, Lindy Hop spread across the United States and around the world through films, touring performances, and social dances. Today, dancers everywhere continue to celebrate the dance that began in Harlem nearly a century ago.

Harlem Swings is proud to share this joyful tradition with new generations and to keep the spirit of Harlem’s swing era alive.

Sources:

Stearns & Stearns, Jazz Dance (1968); Manning & Millman, Frankie Manning: Ambassador of Lindy Hop (2007); National Museum of African American History and Culture.