1. Swing dance and the lindy hop
Venue, Media, and tradition By: Howard Spring
Mike Bortnowski
Elements of Dance 11/19/14

2. History of swing music
How swing originated and transitioned through culture change of the great depression

3. How it all started: Began in new York city in the early 1920s
A more modern form of jazz in the era of the great depression
Transitional era
Widespread commercial popularity, but difficult to study
Stylistic form of music
The Lindy HOP- Catalyst for the development of swing music

4. How it all started: Stable for more than a decade
Music shifted from late 20s into 30s with new media technology and recording equipment
New venues
Access to old recordings
Benny goodman
Direct relationship to social dancers.

5. The lindy hop
From the African American subculture to eastern European entertainment ,the lindy hop was a widely popular dance movement throughout the 1920s and 30s

6. The lindy hop African American origin
High degree of physical energy and vigor
Driving rhythm -4 beats per measure
Popular-spreading from minority subculture to the majority population
First introduced in theatrical setting-SAVOY BALLROOM
Music changed to meet the rhythmic drive of the lindy hop.

7. The home of the lindy hop
The savoy ballroom
The home of the lindy hop

8. The savoy ballroom Harlem , new York Opened on march 12, 1926
Attracted all crowds of ethnicity and origin
Inclusive
Widely popular and could draw more than 5000 people on the weekend.
“LindyHOPPERS”

9. Troupes of lindy hoppers
The lindy hop became so widespread that American culture groups would form teams
Called themselves “Lindyhoppers” For Example: “Whitey’s lindyhoppers”
Toured the usa
Toured overseas throughout Europe
Performed street side, live, and in the theatrical setting

10. The transitional period:
Late 20s into the 1930s
Great depression came to an end
Swing music developed itself into swing dance, or one entity
Modern media technology for cleaner recordings
The “lindy Hop” eased this transition of old to new swing music

11. From old to new: Music became more “riffy”
More emphasis on big band instruments
Solos throughout
Percussions throughout and banging cymbals
In the early 1930s the lindy hop became much more compatible to the music

12. The nature of the lindy hop
The rhythm, movement, technicalities, and description of the most popular dance in the 1920s

13. The nature of the lindy hop
“The Charleston”-From the show running wild was the first popular form of the lindy hop in 1923.
Use of the entire body:
Hips, buttocks, head, and neck along with extremities
Voluptuous, flamboyant, and energetic
Epileptic
Physically demanding

14. The nature of the lindy hop
Improvisation
Difference in rhythm from old swing dance to the lindy hop
Old swing dance- “The Foxtrot” and “Black Bottom” is in 4-4 time or counting 1,2 beats for each walking step
The lindy hop-4 beats to the bar rhythm

15. The spread of the lindy hop
The savoy ballroom brought the lindy hop to fame
Norma miller
The savoy had strong ties to the community-racially integrated
Affordable
4000 to 7000 people in attendance on the weekend

16. WAS THE LINDY HOP TABOO?

17. Relationship between music&Dance
Musicians had to change their style of play to accustom the lindy hop style of dance
Eddie Barfield
Old swing music and dance- 2 to 4 beats per rhythm
Lindy hop and modern swing music rhythm
4-4 rhythm bY ted brewer.

18. PROGRESSION OF MODERN INSTRUMENTS
Bango Guitar
Brass bass pizzicato string bass
Guitar solos and riffs
Drumming filler solos

19. Dancer and musician feedback
Constant feedback
Creating momentum
Improvising based on dance movements or the tempo of the swing music
Dancing added to the music, music added to the dancing
Constant rehearsal together and improvising in unison created a new dance movement called “airstepping” led to the “aerial lindy hop”

20. Swing and lindy go mainstream
The commercialization and widespread popularity of the swing movement

21. THE END