What is Lindy Hop?

Today is a perfect day to followup my last post where I had a few people ask me, “What is Lindy Hop?”

Lindy Hop formally began in 1927 using elements from jazz, tap, breakaway, and Charleston; and evolved with jazz music to become what we see in early videos like the infamous Hellzapoppin:

Today’s Lindy Hop is the embodiment of a man named Frankie Manning, who passed away this morning just shy of his 95th birthday and a huge event celebrating his contributions to the community.

Frankie Manning was a member of the troupe featured in Hellzapoppin and instrumental in the revival of swing in 1986. There were, of course, countless others to thank for this revival, however to many Frankie was truly the “ Ambassador of Lindy Hop.”

He will be missed.

But his legend lives on with Lindy Hop. Lindy Hop is a swing dance (and can use moves from all kinds of dances) but is primarily characterized by a moved called the swingout:

There are thousands of ways to do it, quite a few theories on how to do it properly, and thousands of variations you can tack on to the beginning, middle, or end of the swingout. It just isn’t Lindy Hop without the swingout.

I like to think of Lindy Hop as a hip, fun way to let loose and dance. I’d never dress in a goofy outfit. On the right night you might see me dress up in vintage clothing (shirt, tie, slacks, dress shoes, belt, vest, etc). I dance to meet people. I dance to smile.

And tonight, I’ll be dancing for Frankie.

I can’t leave just yet. Lindy Hop today is better than ever thanks to those who have continued its memory. It is amazingly widespread and each year yields new innovation and material. This first video is a jam-style video from UHLS 2006, similar to the Hellzapoppin video above only done 65 years later. It captures the raw energy and pureness of the dance:

Second, one of my favorite choreographed performances ever, by Skye and Frida. This is most similar to what you saw the people on DWTS trying to emulate yet worlds better:

I hope this gives you, my friends and family, a much better sense of what Lindy Hop is about and why I love it so much. Thanks for reading.