If you’re looking for a new hobby that’s creative, active and social you need to have a go at lindy hop! This dynamic partner dance, created by Black dancers in Harlem, New York, developed alongside swing jazz. It really captures the spirit of the swing era with intricate rhythms, improvisational flair, and pure joy!
Many people first encounter lindy hop as a high energy performance dance characterised by fast footwork and aerial tricks. But you don’t need to be a world class athlete to join in the fun. Lindy hop is, at its core, an expressive improvisational social dance that can be danced at a range of tempos (not just fast and furious!). Many lindy hoppers start out thinking they have two left feet and no sense of rhythm but discover that with a bit of practice they can DANCE!
Reasons to learn lindy hop
For fun and friendship Moving your body to great music and making a creative connection with other humans is a great way to relieve stress, make friends and build community.
To get fit Get your steps in, improve your balance, and body awareness, and learn to engage those core muscles. You’ll also become more aware of your posture, where you hold tension, and how to relax.
You need a creative outlet At its core lindy hop is an improvisational dance offering endless opportunities to explore rhythms and shapes and your own creative expression, taking inspiration from the music and your partner.
You love learning Though you can pick up the basics relatively quickly, lindy hop offers endless opportunities to learn and grow. After decades of boundless innovation lindy hop offers an infinite number of moves, footwork variations, styles and techniques. And why stop there? You can expand your repertoire with other related dance styles (Balboa, Charleston, Shag, Blues, and many more).
What to expect at a lindy hop dance
At most lindy hop social dances you’ll find a diverse crowd of dancers ranging in age from 18 – 80. Some dance evenings will have a live swing band while others will have a DJ playing tunes from Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and other swing era bands as well as modern bands who play in a similar style. The music is usually a range of tempos to keep everyone comfortable with a few fast and furious numbers for those who want to throw down!
Lindy hop is partner dance, a collaboration between two dancers performing complementary roles, a Leader and a Follower. Some dancers will stick with just one of these roles while other dancers learn both and change roles throughout the evening or even swap roles with their partner mid-dance. You’ll see people of all genders dancing together and changing partners frequently, often between each song. Once you’ve learnt the basics you can dance with anyone even if you’ve never met. If you stand on the edge of the dance floor someone is likely to ask you to dance.
Deep roots, modern values
The modern lindy hop community has a unique relationship with the dance’s rich history. We still primarily dance to swing jazz because this is the style of music that lindy hop was made for. Some lindy hoppers enjoy wearing vintage clothing but many don’t, it’s a real mix. Historical re-enactment isn’t the goal but learning about the roots of the dance enhances the experience. Many of today’s teachers and scene leaders have had the privilege of taking classes at some point from the original dancers from Harlem and hearing their stories. This deep connection to the revolutionary roots of the dance is an important part of what lindy hop is.
Check out our Classes page for details on lindy hop classes in Leeds
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Explore other resources on our website including our online classes and history and culture blog
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