Lindy Hop is primarily a street dance and probably originated in Harlem in the 1920s. It consists of both 8 or 6 count steps and includes footwork borrowed from the Charleston and tap, but with the addition of a breakaway, where the partners can improvise new steps as the music inspires them.
It can be wild and spontaneous, with frenzy kicks and body movements or cool and sophisticated.
The Savoy Ballroom in Harlem is where the dance became more popular and was launched on a national scale.
The Savoy was a huge ballroom which took up an entire block at 141st Street and Lenox Avenue. It was one of the very few truly integrated clubs were patrons could mix and dance together, exchanging steps and inspiration.
The name seems to have had a colourful origin. The dance became extremely popular in the second half of the decade. That’s when Charles Lindbergh succeeded in his solo flight across the Atlantic, his ‘hop’ between continents. It was a grand fit that produced great news coverage. Everybody spoke about that, those words became a refrain of those years. And attached themselves to this popular dance.
RESOURCES
The Lindy Circle – Lindy Hope History
Swungover – Swing History 101: the birth of Lindy Hop (1900s – 1929)
Drop Me Off in Harlem – Lindy Hop in Harlem: the role of social dancing
Hepcats! – Lindy Hop
17 Comments
Zeljka
Great post Sarah! I love dancing (although I’m not very good at it). Music is alive and vivid, the steps remind me of Quickstep dance 🙂
jazzfeathers
I love dancing too, and I’m quite good at it… but it’s been a long time since I last danced.
Ehhhhh……
Tasha
I always wondered where the name came from – that is a great origin story.
Tasha
Tasha’s Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)
jazzfeathers
Me, too. Especially because I knew Lindbergh was also called Lindy. In the end, there was really a connection 🙂
Kathleen Valentine
The more I read your blog, the more I am convinced I was born in the wrong era!!!
#AtoZchallenge
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jazzfeathers
Same here. Heeeee!!!
But no, I don’t know. I always say I like the Twnties because they have so much in common with our times. We are going through huge changes ourselves, though different ones from those of nearly 100 years ago. I think we should take inspiration from the Twenties. Scary as some new things looked back then, everything turned for the best in the end 🙂
Yolanda Renee
This is one dance even I might be able to do. 🙂 Well, at least in my head, it looks like fun.
I’d no idea it caught it’s name from Lindbergh.
jazzfeathers
All the 1920s dances look like fun. I want to try… sooner or later 😉
Megan Morgan
Looks like such a fun dance! I’d like to learn it!
jazzfeathers
Me too 🙂
Glenda
I love the Lindy Hop! So much fun!
jazzfeathers
Do you dance it?
Glenda
Not well but yes, I try.
Sir Leprechaunrabbit
I was not aware the Lindy came from Jazz
These topics are very informative, Dearie
Thank you
Sir Leprechaunrabbit
@leprchaunrabbit
jazzfeathers
I think the lindy hop was most popular between the 1940s and 1950s, am I right?
Alex Daw
Ah – now I am more informed about the Lindy Hop! Lily High Fly – what a great name!
jazzfeathers
I would have liked to find some more info about the Lindy, but hey, who knows, maybe another post 😉