Tony Williams

Says Tony Williams, Swing dancing began in the 20’s when the noticeably festive African American community (*clears throat), brutha’s and sista’s, refashioned their homeland dances to fit the new music craze sweeping across the country, Big Band Jazz. The dance would take on many names throughout its evolution. Some would refer to it as the Lindy Hop, the name coined by one of the most famous swing dancers in swing dance history, Shorty George, who, while showing off his dance moves at the Savoy in 1927, was asked by a reporter the name of the dance he was doing, looks around and sees a newspaper heading , “Lindy Hops the Atlantic”, referring to the successful flight of the Lindenburgh to Paris, off the cuff gives the dance it’s name, the Lindy Hop. On March 26, 1926, the Savoy Ballroom opened its doors in New York. The Savoy was an immediate success with its block-long dance floor and a raised double bandstand. Nightly dancing attracted most of the best dancers in the New York area. Stimulated by the presence of great dancers and the best black bands, music at the Savoy was largely Swinging Jazz.”We” soon would be found dancing the night away on the dance floor alongside some of the world’s most famous jazz legends. By 1934, the dance would reach another historic milestone as famous jazz legend Cab Calloway, introduces a new tune, the Jitterbug that became a hit. The upbeat tempo of the tune was the perfect accompaniment