Swing & Social

The Swing family is remarkably diverse. At one end is Lindy Hop — the original swing dance, born at Harlem's Savoy Ballroom in the late 1920s, characterized by its elastic connection, improvised footwork, and the iconic aerial moves that made it famous. At the other end is West Coast Swing, a slotted, blues-influenced style that evolved on the West Coast in the 1950s and today is danced to everything from blues to hip-hop to contemporary pop.

In between are a rich variety of regional and stylistic variations: Balboa (a close-hold style from Southern California), Carolina Shag (the state dance of South Carolina, danced to beach music), St. Louis Shag, Collegiate Shag, East Coast Swing in its double-time and single-time forms, and the partnered Charleston. Each has its own musical home and social community.

Nightclub Two Step and Hustle occupy a slightly different space — they are the social dances of the nightclub era, designed to work with the popular music of their time. Nightclub Two Step, created by Buddy Schwimmer in the 1960s, is particularly versatile and is now one of the most popular wedding dances for slow contemporary songs.