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curriculum for many years, (even today still not wanting to recognize
it) with Lindy
Hop later becoming known as the Jitterbug.
In the early days of ballroom
dance these associations were formed to try to improve the dance
scene. As time went on, if you were not a member of the associations
mentioned, you could not use their name or logo. If you were a member,
you could only teach their dance syllabus and nothing else. If you
were a dance studio owner of the time, not being a member could
prove fateful to your business (98% were members).
Finally in 1942, realizing
they were loosing a lot of money to the street teachers and independent
dance studios teaching the Jitterbug/Lindy, the Associations got
together (as they did every year) and announced the new dances
nd curriculum for that year. Stating (in writing) that:
"The Jitterbug, a direct descendant from the Lindy hop,
could no longer be ignored ---- IT'S CAVORTING's COULD BE REFINED
to suit a crowded dance floor" and refined it they did!
This, "quote - refinement"
above, is what gave birth to what we call the East Coast Swing today.
The Association's refined the Lindy/Jitterbug. They took out all
the laborious parts such as the 8 count steps and made it more racially
permissible for "white America," and used a Foxtrot basis
for the dance, so you could shift from one to the other. This left
the dance much easier to teach and master, but the real gut of swing
was eliminated, making it spiritless compared with its older brothers.
However, they did not want
to use another label for the dance. Knowing that people wanted to
learn Lindy or Jitterbug, not some dance called "the such and
such" and the newer dancer would not recognize the difference
(most all the studios would be teaching it this way), soooo
... they called it the Lindy and Jitterbug, (however it was NOT!)
and later Bop and Rock and Roll. Nevertheless, it did gain some
embracing by the newer (naive) swing dancers of the era who did
not know the difference from its similarities. The true Jitterbug,
done by the better street dancers was the older Lindy and West Coast
Swing type style, depending on the year and location.
Most of these "Ballroom
studio teachers" would dance the true Jitterbug/Lindy or today
what's called Hollywood style (an older West
Coast Swing style) and entice the public into taking lessons
from them. These studio instructors would educate them in this "refined
version" that today we call "East Coast Swing" (instead
of what they were really doing). The newer dancers, not knowing
any better would learn how to do this refined version and then go
out and dance it. (This still is a common practice today with
some of the newer teachers.)
These Associations were world
wide and this was right around W.W.II, the U.S.O.
, Canteens etc., which lead to the Europeans reasoning
that true swing was in this refined form. That is generally whymost
of the U.K. does not have a clue about the true swing done in America!
(Jitterbug, West Coast, Carolina
Shag, Push, Whip and of course Lindy.)
The East Coast swing gained
acceptance with DJ Allan Freed in some of his Rock
and Roll movie's of the 1950s, as the famed swing choreographer
Dean
Collins was not available (Putting it nicely) to Freed's
movies. In the middle of the 1950s, the associations again tried
to resell the public on an old dance, by identifying Swing as...
"Rock
and Roll" dancing. This new term flustered the public and
was soon abandoned, but it again helped open the door for East Coast
Swing to spread. During the late 1950's, it would be known as Eastern
Swing.
On the positive side of East
Coast Swing:
The dance is extremely easier to learn than the original forms such
as Shag, Lindy, West Coast. It teaches the essential swing rhythm
(doubles and triplets) in a simplistic form. It can be learned
in a few lessons. Can be easily taught at weddings etc. to dancers
who have never danced and who will have alot of fun doing it. In
addition, it is alot of fun to do due to its simplicity. It is an
easy intro to Swing dance in general, but it does lack something
after learning, like the original framework ... "The Soul of
the dance is missing."
Many folks ask what style
of swing is best, West Coast, East Coast, Whip, Push, Lindy, Shag
etc. However, there is no best style. The best style would depend
on what type of music you are dancing to at the time, the theme
of the dance being held, the speed in which the music is played
and the dance knowledge of you and or your partner. If you're partner
only knows one style of swing, then their style would be the best
style to dance with them at that time. If they only know one style
they usually will declare that the style they know is the best style
above all others and usually will make derogatory statements for
many varied reasons.
Swing is a wonderful dance
form in all it's versions that fits all types of music, Personalities,
Finances etc. Calling yourself a swing dancer means you can at least
do the basics in many forms of swing and a few well. So learn to
swing dance whatever style, you're unique and your dances should
be varied and your style should represent your knowledge of dance
that other, newer dancers (and they are the majority) don't
posses, not limited to only one. However you will eventually find
you like them all and soon you will understand the importance of
them all and understand why there are different styles to begin
with. So enjoy them and mainly smile, laugh and have fun.
Note:
Technically, we did not have a term "East
Coast Swing" until there was a "West
Coast Swing" and vice-a-versa. However West Coast is not
even remotely similar in style or technique to East Coast except
for the use of 6 count TIMING and patterns done in reverse order
(WC starts with the double and ends with a triple). However
all styles can be danced with each other with a little forgiveness.
Subsequent to the Lindy in the 1920s, all forms of swing were called
"Jitterbug" (an umbrella term). Laurie
Haile is credited in determining the different swing
styles for Arthur
Murray in the early 1950s by documenting the distinct
styles we use today, outside of Lindy, Jitterbug, and Rock and Roll.
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