Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The Lindy by Margaret Batiuchok NYU Masters Thesis 16 May 1988 History of Swing Dancing
The Lindy by Margaret Batiuchok NYU Masters Thesis 16 May 1988 History of Swing Dancing
by
Margaret Batiuchok
May 16,1988
1
Table of Contents
Preface................ iii
Proposal 1
Purpose 3
Justification......................................................................................... 4
Conclusion 7
Introduction 8
Chapter I: I...indy............... 12
a) General Forms...... 12
b) Technical Elements · 16
Table of Contents
References. 96
PROPOSAL
Thesis Statement
and the personal style and grace only they can offer. I
Purpose
in the world. Some are elderly and will not be around much
dance development.
Research Methods
Happy Feet are the two books which I have found discuss the
Lindy in most detail. I will conduct personal interviews
reveal the most about the dance will be the viewing of the
will attend dances at the Cat Club presented by the New York
Justification
There are very few films on Lindy dancing -- two that I know
any change must have been for the better! For historical
has changed. The video can only reveal dancing in 1988, but
are few rules and lId like to explore what those rules are
and look at the variety of forms that have been built upon
them.
influence all who see it now and in the future. The way
which they can experiment with and use as tools for creating
their own dance.
Conclusion
think are the best in 'the world, so their dancing and influ-
the project the spirit of social Lindy dancing and the many
possible forms of expression it can take. I want these
Introduction
ing the Lindy. This will reveal something about the nature
Lindy dancing.
distinguish the Lindy from other dances and the character is-
within it.
ties, one in his sixties, one in his fifties, and one in his
even though they are dancing the same dance, keeping to the
CHAPTER I
Lindy
Characteristics as a Dance
its step and rhythm patterns, its musical feeling, and its
General Forms
dance.
or in couples.
All this being true, the reason the Lindy took so long
aesthetic and welcome with open arms black people and their
talents.
which much is known are the European folk and peasant dances
ing and the ballroom dancing that has evolved from the
• When the large dance halls closed down after the war,
ballroom studios kept teaching the Lindy, without the
exciting input from the street dancers at the clubs. Thus
the dance that was taught became a watered down remnant,
taught with ten or so other dances that students were to
learn in eight classes, The use of improvisation and cre-
ativity. so important to the dance, almost disappeared,
until new swing dance enthusiasts recently banded tcgether
and organized new dancing clubs.
16
Technical Elements
Lindy well, one must understand the music and the timing of
the basic steps, interpret these, and play with them. Ball-
room studio Lindy and old jazz (authentic) Lindy are totally
studio Swing.)
man and woman can play within the phrase of the basic step
the baSic steps and phrasing, and how to le~d and follow.
are essential, but still not enough to execute the dance.
20
agility, are also needed so one can solo within the led
1 a2 3 4 5 a6 7 a
R L R-L-R L R
~_------------------triple timee----------------~\
where a slow gets two counts and a quick gets one. The
1 a2 3 a4 5 6
L-R-L R-L-R back front (triple time)
which would allow you the same foot free as if you stepped
even for each two counts, telling you how many steps you can
System.)
foot when he's on the left. The hold is more relaxed than
other ballroom dances. with his right hand on her back. his
side. All the moves stem from the basics, by playing with
the dance.
and Into
the Hop, and it was danced to the new swing music being
in 1927.
tor naming the Lindy. hOn June 17, 1928, the Manhattan
the new dance (the Lindy) from the dances that went before
it.
The basic step, "a kick and a hop about three times on each
25
and both had couples creating their own steps and groups of
Both have the same 8-count rhythm pattern that the Lindy
back wh~ch is nested in front of you ,do that for a few ba~s
25
day was over, they'd cross and uncross them, and that's how
the Charleston was born. The Black Bottom (1924) and the
the 30's and 40's, what dances the Lindy came from. He said
dance. George Lloyd, Savoy Lindy Hopper with whom I won the
1983 Harvest Moon Ball, said in the video tape that the
hypothesis that the Lindy came from the Two-step and the
of the Lindy.
ones found in the ballrooms, the Waltz being the most popu-
Somet im'es, rather than looking for sirui lar i ties, it makes
28
dancing the One-step, a new and easy dance that anyone could
evenly, one step on ev~ry beat of the measure, and was much
tion of the new ragtime music and dancing. The dance craze
of the music, new dances were called for. The New Orleans-
New York.
There was not much dancing during World War I, but the
Roaring 20's made up for it. With the war over, a new sense
was a dancer in her youth in the 40'S would say, 'Oh yea, I
avoids.
said that what he did then and does now Is Lindy Hop, not
Jitterbug. He said,
As you see, some have their own sp~cial meaning for the
dancing, some say it's six-beat only, or only fast, some say
34
refers to the Lindy, means the same thing, but I would not
use it unless someone did not know the word "Lindy." Be-
·were called swing dancers, the dance Swing. But now, Swing
West Coast Swing, and also to give the East Coast a better
name. Lindy, Shag, and West Coast Swing are all smooth
another.
many more small private swing clubs in the West, than in the
D.C.; and Boston Swing societies: plus many small Shag clubs
in the South.
accented.
dances which have evolved from the Lindy, there are also
mainly a 6-count, and thus lacks the flow and smoothness the
from.
J
heavy and rough, and he had trouble leading those who did
.not already know his routines. The Swedes are known for
the way people lounge and walk in the United States. The
or moderate tempos.
39
one that was followed not only by the Lindy, but by many of
time this happens the dance is so changed that only the name
the Lindy competition with young white kids from New Jersey
competing in Breakdance ensembles at Roseland!
I
Anne Barzel in the Danee ~neyclopedia writesl "M~d~rn
40
were danced for fun and spirited enjoyment rather than for
ful."33
the Lindy.
version of the dance (the Big Apple) .36 When blacks mov~d
North, they brought with them not only the Black Bottom and
the Big Apple, but afso the Charleston, Ballin' the Jack,
music and dances from the South came up with the people.
Turkey Trot, the Buzzard Lope, and the Possom Trot origi-
lots of training and lessons, and the wealthy had th~ money
and his black band. The Castles had spent time in Paris,
would combine steps long known at the jook houses and on th~
see the new dance and learn to do it, thus helping to popu-
the show.
dance was "as old as the hills" but didn't gain popularity
until the 1926 show with the new Black Bottom song with its
which were the next big dances to appear after the Black
Bottom.
With the excitement of the new swing music, the larger or-
and popularized.
the communi ty. 50 SO,cial dancing and dance halls 1ike the
.
Savoy ended up providing this center. Street gangs were
wi thin the group. Herbert White, "Hhi tey.;' proved that one
grew from 100 to over 600 in the 1930's.52 The Jolly Fel-
lows became lithe" club for the great dancers of the Savoy.
Whitey became the bouncer and his club ruled the Savoy. It
around New York, and was contracted for world-wide tours and
Lindy around the world in the late 30's and 40's. It was at
chanics night (when maids and cooks had the night off);
50
Tuesdays were reserved for the 400 Club (only the best
and practice for contests there and elsewhere (all the ball-
were a very big night at the Savoy to pic~ up cash from tips
by the very best big bands in all history. Two bands played
the drums, and Walter Page, who accentuated the 4/4 feeling
develop swing music, and thus the dancing done to it. The
copying one another and trading off ideas. One would see
Europe, who invented it. In any event, it was ~ore like" the
role models, and some blacks admired some whites. Black ana
the dance, nor teach the improvisation that was part of it.
that lindy dancing was 'a form of hysteria that will prove
aisles! This was also during the time when stars such as
56
stage, or even near it!61 This was the year that Whitey's
by many.)
students.
the weekly Sunday New York Swing Dance Society big band
night gigs at Northern Lights, you will find black and white
I
old-timers and newcomers, all dancing together, re-creating
Knowing the steps so well that one gets bored with repeti-
Cbllins invented the Lindy (he was the man responsible for
fornia dance are all called the Shag. All three are totally
different dances.)
Driver and 3030 Putnam) and West Coast swing (as seen in the
fine-tuned enough, one can play with the step, the music,
whereas the Shag and West Coast Swing usually are danced in
one spot. This may be due to the more crowded dance floors
more -danCing done in the South and in the West than in the
better than_ their ancestor dance, the Lindy, which they c~n-
bara, who like the Lindy. There are others, like Shirley
like Susan Hoffman, who like, them all too. Jonathan and
York Lindy Hopper brought the Lindy out West in the 30's,
that are working to keep swing dancing alive.* The New York
Lindy and emulate the older black dancers, the best of whom
say why, but she didn't seem impressed with the dancing.
Maybe it was that she didn't like the Lindy as well as West
ble for the Lindy; that black dancers are better than white
swing music. One might say it was not until Benny Goodman,
bands who were as good as his were not noticed until Benny
same piece.
jt's fun.
66
CHAPTER II
Artistic Aims
out as those who have used the Lindy form as a vehicle for
well ..
dancing with his partner than the space around him. He has
moves, and the earth moves. His hips move side to side, his
torso relates to the space around him, and his arms reach
out to his sides. His steps are large and placed evenly in
the music. He puts his whole body and energy into every
step.
the first Harvest Moon Ball in 1936, and second place in the
war he toured the U.S. with his own group, The Congaroos,
Basle.
which was danced by more than one couple doing the same
his left leg kicking away so that his whole torso is paral-
calm, isolating them from their hips and legs. Charlie does
a slight torso rock, but not like you see b~ginners or 50'~
He doesn't plan ahead; he stays right with the music and his
moves.
meant for just him and his partner, and if anyone else is
didn't win the second year, George said held never enter
the ~o~k for him. The slide looks elegant, graceful, and
72
allows him to keep his balance and not tug or pull on his
first to enter; the next year the Lindy portion was dropped
way he uses his feet and knees. His weight is mostly on the
balls of his feet and he uses his feet, ankles and knees
I
rocking back and forth from heel to toe and lifting and
did a lot of ankle and knee rolling and rocking forward and
off into flight. His feet can move like lightning under-
New York in the 1960's, he met with his friend, the famous
but I did anyway. And was I glad. We won the Lindy contest
there on our first dance! Six months later we ran into one
sets of fours and leads them not by calling out their names,
drops and low lunges to the floor, and then jumps up and
ally, low and high. He extends his arms out to his side,
lateral space and space above him with his arms, which are
little sidewards jumps, landing one foot and then the other,
hours a week privately, and with hard work became one of the
He lets the music change his mood. His movements have many
~ants to, he knows just how to signal her so they can come
new things all the time. He pushes out on his feet to the
side and into the ground for a side slide. He leans on his
fun.
Tom also follows his partner. This may have to do with
there.
79
how rich a dance the Lindy is and how much goes into and is
has made me apprec~ate how much life has to offer, how much
viewing the final edited tape was not the degree of body
with the energy of the beat moving through his whole body
his whole body dance in the space, more free of the struc-
alive in his dancing. His wide stance and wide arm reach
express his joy and his peace with it. It's like dancing
around in. It's like the real Charlie, free and happy,
Tom Lewis said on the tape that he entered the Cat Club
I
82
ing just the right thing at times, make Tom a bright joy.
his steps.
put the last song on, "You Brought a New Kind of Love to
and my life. And each of these four partners and all that
CHAPTER III
Technical Essay
first had to decide whom to ask, and then see if they would
four, is white and from the New York area. Frank, and
component parts.
TOM September
I
17, 19S', Frank September 22i Charlie Septem-
86
ber 30, and George months before that when I originally had
them would take any money for it, as I wasn't getting any.
ciated not having to pay them, but it put the strain of its
them at the Cat Club dances and at other Swing Dance Society
week for the nine months he studied with me~ and I dance
there before. I wanted to use the same studio with the same
to be in the same frame of mind, and not have any new chdnge
the same time of day for each one. Also, the only time that
dance, but it was a time the studio was available for rent-
ing and it was a time that none of the guys was working or
out socializing.
jazz with the American Dance Machine), and had done pro-
12, and George Lloyd and Tom Lewis on December 20, 1987.
sister, Susan Rummel, was visiting New York from Montana for
1988.
the dFnces ! wanted to do. I wrote this down and gave e&ch
89
what spontaneous.
it was visible for the camera, and all one color, for an
personal approaches.
more of a rhythm and blues jazz; and "You Brought a New Kind
same music.
one what they thought the basic step was. None of the three
older men had ever taken lessons. Frank Manning had done
added into their Lindy, and would they show them to me.
in the interview:
• Where did you begin dancing -- how old were you, who
taught you?
important?
How is it different?
satisfied and doing their best, was the most difficult task
while I was tense about the camera and getting things to run
believed the Lindy evolved from, and also the steps he con-
Hank Crawford's "The Peeper" with each one after his inter-
first, ending with Frank Manning, who had the most histori-
George and Tom), and I then danced to the same last song
with him.
These all are part of his dance history, and dance history
steps (in his answers he mentioned George and Tom) and how
REFERENCES
16 Cynthia Millman,
"The Roving Reporter Asks: Jitter-
but, Lindy Hop, Swingl What's the Difference?", Footnotes,
ed. Gabby Winkel, Vol. 2, No.3 (July-September 1987), p. 3.
17 Ibid.
18 Ibid.
33 Ibid.
34 Ibid.
35 Ibid. , p. 221.
36 Ibid.
37 Ibid.
38 Ibid.
39 Ibid.
40 Dixon-Stowell, op. ei t. , p. 13.
41 stearns, op. eit. , p. 96.
45 Ibid.
47 Dixon-Stowell, p. 13.
49 Ibid.
50 Ibid. , p. 318.
51 Ibid.
52 Ibid.
53 Ibid.
99
54 Ibid., p. 320.
64 Ibid.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Additional Sources
Visual Horks
Interviews
Dancers
Tom Lewis
George Lloyd
Richard Lieberson
Andre Lubart
,
Sevin Manson, faculty, Berkeley Sehool ot Music, Boston
104
• • •
And all my students, and all the members of the N~w York
Swing Dance Society.