Swing Dance

Many kinds of dance fit into the swing dance genre. Swing Central’s focus is on Lindy Hop, a street dance that grew out of the Charleston in the late 1920s. Legend has it that “Shorty” George Snowden was the first person to be seen in public doing the dance. Charles Lindbergh had just completed his solo trans-Atlantic flight and Shorty George declared, “I’m doing the Lindy Hop!” The dance has evolved, but the name stuck. Shorty, like many early Lindy Hoppers, lived in Harlem.

Because most of today’s swing dancers grew up dancing to Rock ‘n Roll, Disco or Hip Hop, they typically take lessons, studying footwork and connection from professional Lindy Hoppers.

If you live in the Washington, D.C. area, we recommend that you visit www.swingoutdc.com and www.jitterbuzz.com to find out where you can dance in this region, and who can teach you the footwork.