What is Swing?

Swing is a group of dances including Lindy Hop, Balboa, Collegiate Shag and Charleston, which originated from African-American communities in Harlem, New York in the 1920s to 1940s. During the Harlem Renaissance, with the great migration of African-Americans from the South to North  emerged a cultural revival of African-American arts, fueled by the joyous defiance against segregation, systemic racism and  the Great Depression. They danced the night away in speakeasy bars to the swingin' tunes of big band jazz orchestras.

The Savoy Ballroom in Harlem opened its doors in 1926 with a no-discrimination policy, making it the first racially-integrated public space in the United States. The Savoy was the heartbeat of Harlem, and housed the most talented musicians such as Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and Chick Webb, to name a few. Known as "the Home of Happy Feet", the Savoy gave birth to the Lindy Hop, which is what we dance most today in swing dance socials. It's characterised by its swingin' rhythm, footwork and the smile erupting from our faces!