Learning Lindy

In the 20s and 30s, Harlem was bursting with new life. Jazz, the black literary renaissance and new swing dance the Lindy hop swept through the city and the nation forever changing American culture. Lindy hop or the subway swing was a fusion of popular swing dances like the Charleston's and African dancing. The name Lindy hop was thought to be coined when famous dancer Shorty George, while dancing in 1928 dance marathon, was asked by a New York Times Reporter what he was dancing. With out missing a beat he replied,"The Lindy Hop... Were flyin' just like Lindy did!" He was referring the Charles Lindbergh's famous quote about flying non-stop from New York to Paris as doing the 'Lindy hop.'

The dance is most recognizable by its sling shot movement in which the the lead throws out and pulls back in the follow in one basic count. The the most prominent styling is a very cool, grounded, with a kind of gorilla bounce. In this video Randall Barnes and Rachel Holland teach the basic footwork and styling technique.

Couldn't get enough of Latin Week--Get some style

Last week's Dancing with The Stars featured the spicy Latin dances, the samba and the rumba. These dances along with cha cha, paso doble, mambo and tango all use basic Latin styling.

While it may seem like Latin styling is just a lot of ‘booty shaking’ it does take a lot of practice to do and look good. The key is to the keep control of your hips and to move fluidly into to each weight change. Most challenging part of styling is that while your hips and legs are moving your upper body is isolated and still. Working your abs to keep to your ribs and hips separated is quite a work out and explains why all those dancers have pretty flat mid sections.

In this video Randall Barnes and Rachel Holland explain the Latin styling from the waist down.