What is Swing Dancing?

Swing Dancing is, in essence, dancing to swing music: think of the groovy beats of Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman and Ella Fitzgerald. There are many different swing dances, each of which grew out of Black American communities in the early 20th Century. What all swing dances have in common is their focus on joyful self-expression, improvisation and, above all, fun! At Kernow Swing Dance we strive to honour the cultural roots of these dances, and to promote appreciation of the communities that give rise to them.

Our main focus is on the most popular of the Swing dances, the Lindy Hop, but we also dabble in Blues, 1920s solo and partnered Charleston, and Vernacular Jazz.

Lindy Hop

Lindy Hop (also known as Jitterbug, East Coast Swing and later, Rock and Roll) was in Harlem, New York City in the late 1920s. Considered to have been created out of the Charleston and Breakaway (among other dances) by George “Shorty” Snowden and Mattie Purnell at Harlem’s Rockland Palace, the Lindy exploded in popularity, first into the (White) American mainstream and then, with the Second World War, around the world. Innovations in music, dance, fashion and more were all part of the Harlem Rennaissance: a movement centred in Harlem focused on raising the profile of African American culture. The biggest and most famous venue was the Savoy Ballroom, the “Home of Happy Feet” – a block long ballroom with two bandstands and constant live music that became home to Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers: the most famous group of Swing Era dancers, who appeared on stage, film and toured around the world.

Contrary to popular belief, Lindy Hop was not “traditionally gendered”: this misconception grew from Eurocentric dance values as the Lindy gained in popularity. Both the Savoy Ballroom and the Rockland Palace were havens for Harlem’s LGBTQ+ community, and it was common for dancers to be able to switch between leading and following.

Learn more about Lindy history and the Harlem Rennaissance here:

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09btgc2

https://swingdanceleeds.com/2020/02/12/meet-the-pioneers-of-lindy-hop/

https://open.spotify.com/episode/4KtaiOb7lROhzXJvkZMeH6

https://www.frankiemanningfoundation.org/archival-resources

About Kernow Swing Dance

Kernow Swing Dance was established in September 2023 with the aim to bring regular and inclusive classes and social dances to Cornwall. Our weekly sessions are every Wednesday night at Woodlane Social Club, but we run occasional “Boot Camps” and professionally-taught workshops throughout the year.

We’re run entirely by a group of volunteers, and any money we take goes towards insurance, venues and larger events. We’re always looking for more people willing to help, whether that’s a casual door duty or a larger commitment. If you’re interested, please get in touch!

We frequently team up with other community groups and events in Cornwall, including Truro Queers, St Tudy History Group, and the Great Estate Festival. We also work closely with Swing Dance groups in Plymouth, Exeter and around the UK as a whole. Spot our dancers across Cornwall where there’s Jazz and Blues music!