In the late 1920s, the Lindy Hop was created in the African-American communities of Harlem, New York alongside swing jazz. It’s very similar to early African-American dance styles but swiftly rose to its own fame due to its depiction in competitions, film, performances, and professional dance troupes.
In the 1930s, there was an upsurge of aerials injected into the dance style. Its popularity slightly decreased after WWII, thus it was diluted into other styles of dancing, but the original style never completely dissipated. Eventually, American and European dancers brought it back in the early 1980s.
Lindy Hop — or sometimes simply known as Lindy — is an old/new Swing dance style that continues to be a unique, innovative part of American culture. Although both the music and the dance have evolved from the Big Band era, the nostalgic appeal of those days lives on in new music as well as the exciting, retro dance: the Lindy Hop.
If you’re interested in learning to dance the Lindy Hop, visit one of our Arthur Murray Dance Studios to get started!
