Swing Dance Sydney

What is lindy hop?

We teach Lindy hop in our swing dance classes!

Lindy hop is a Black American dance, born in Harlem in the late 1920s, the most popular swing dance of the 1930s and 40s.
Black lindy hop matters.

Today lindy is danced all over the world, and we owe everything to the Black dancers of the swing era who taught us how to dance: Frankie Manning, Norma Miller, Sugar Sullivan, Al Minns, Mama Lu Parks, and so many more.

Lindy hop is a partner dance, but it's stuffed full of solo jazz steps and rhythms inspired by tap dance. You would probably recognise it for the crazy aerials and flips. But lindy hoppers are all about connecting with a partner on the dance floor, and enjoying the music of the swing era. It's a dance for all ages!

Check out this footage of Frankie Manning and Whitey's Lindy Hoppers in the film Hellzapoppin'.

What is jazz dance?

Dancing alone is great for improving fitness, balance, and coordination. But more importantly - it's crazy fun!

Soft shoe, black bottom, charleston, tranky do, the big apple...dancing alone was just as popular as partner dancing in the swing era!

Solo dance is the heart of lindy hop, and old time dancers like Frankie Manning, Norma Miller, Al Minns, and Leon James couldn’t imagine lindy hopping without a grounding in solo dance. We take our inspiration from historic dancers like Bessie Dudley, Florence Hill, Josephine Baker, and Bill Robinson. Today solo jazz dance is hugely popular, and the best lindy hoppers in the world are all enthusiastic solo dancers.

Check out Whitey's Lindy Hoppers dancing the Big Apple routine in this scene from the short film 'Keep Punchin'.