Lindy Hop and Jitterbug: the Development of American Swing Dance in the United Kingdom

Lindy Hop and Jitterbug: The Development of American Swing Dance in the United Kingdom

David G. Miller, Nicole Zonnenberg, Rebecca Strickland Faculty Mentor: Professor Patty Phillips Florida State University School of Dance

Introduction Conclusion

The Lindy Hop is a swing-era social dance developed in the late 1920s and 1930s, which Based on this understanding of the development of Lindy Hop, my claim is that Lindy Hop as embodies the rich history and culture of American jazz music and vernacular dance. Until the an African American social dance was not common in World War II-era United Kingdom, as is twentieth century, the United States inherited its dance forms from other countries. It was not commonly believed. The Jitterbug dance that was introduced to the country appears to have until the emergence of swing dance, specifically the Lindy Hop, that America had its own folk had a few key differences to the authentic Lindy Hop. First, young Caucasian dancers were dance born on its own soil. The Lindy Hop is an African American social dance created on the typically more uninhibited and energetic, focusing more on kicks, tricks, and aerials than streets of Harlem, New York. It is a social, partnered jazz dance, which exhibits a fusion of social Lindy Hop dancers. This energy did, however, become more controlled as Jive became European ballroom dance and African rhythmic dance. Lindy Hop is characterized by its jazz popular. Second, the European influence on the Jitterbug changed the posture and rhythm of music, rhythmic feeling, athletic posture, and signature “breakaway” step, during which both the dance. The Jitterbug was no longer as reliant on swing music, nor did it necessarily retain the lead and the follow dancers may improvise independently.1 the African athletic, rhythmic movement. The posture of the dance was likely much more upright, somewhere between authentic Lindy Hop and modern-day Jive. In short, the British The Lindy Hop grew in popularity during the 1930s and eventually became a global form of Jitterbug removed, to a large extent, the ethnic quality of the dance. By the mid-1940s phenomenon, spurring the creation of new swing dance forms as early as the 1940s. This British ballroom dancers effectively overshadowed the Jitterbug with its altered form, the Jive, research specifically studies the development of Lindy Hop in the United Kingdom, where the which removed the “eccentric” movement that appalled the ballroom dancers, and allowed for Jive, a swing dance primarily seen in formal ballroom settings, was created. The common a more standardized, socially acceptable “swing” dance in the ballrooms. understanding among dancers and historians is that Lindy Hop spread to the United Kingdom during World War II. The short-hand explanation is that American GIs introduced the dance to the United Kingdom, where it grew in popularity but was eventually modified into the Jive.2 Leon James and Willa Mae Ricker demonstrating the Lindy Hop in 1943 (left). A couple dances the Jitterbug at the Paramount Dance Hall on Tottenham Court Road in London, 1944 (right).14,15 This project seeks to present a more accurate understanding of the growth of Lindy Hop in the United Kingdom through three claims. First, American swing dances were introduced to the United Kingdom before the GIs arrived in the country. Second, swing dance was introduced to the United Kingdom as “Jitterbug,” a derivative of Lindy Hop heavily influenced by European An early magazine advertisement for “Jitterbug Jive” dance lessons.16 ballroom dance and less authentic than the original Lindy Hop. Third, the Jitterbug was 2. Jitterbug and Lindy Hop quickly rejected by ballroom dancers in the United Kingdom, leading to the swift and effective alteration of the dance into what is now known as the Jive. The words “Jitterbug” and “Lindy Hop” are commonly used interchangeably to refer to the same dance. However, among historians, there is no consensus on the exact definitions of the terms. In Acknowledgements the United Kingdom, the term “Jitterbug” was used almost exclusively when referring to American swing dance. This language is significant because it suggests that authentic Lindy I would like to thank the Office of Undergraduate Research as well as Scott and Ina Hop—that is, Lindy Hop as an African American social dance—was not effectively introduced to McNichols for assistance in funding this project. I also thank Judy Cook, Ryan Francois, the UK. Rather, it appears that the Jitterbug in the UK was heavily influenced by European Simon Selmon, Lennart Westerlund, and Julie Oram for their assistance with this project. ballroom dances and was primarily danced by Caucasians. The main source of this argument comes from original Lindy Hop dancers, Al Minns, Frankie Manning, and Norma Miller, who all equated Jitterbug dancing to a more European, Caucasian form of Lindy Hop.5,6 Further, some reporters described Jitterbug and Caucasian swing dancing as wilder and more uninhibited than References authentic Lindy Hop—descriptions which match up with the descriptions of swing dancing in 1. Margaret Batiuchok. “The Lindy.” New York University, 1988. Print. the United Kingdom.7,8 In addition, the sources of information about American Jitterbug, such as 2. Jones, C. “The Lindy Hops the Atlantic: The Jitterbug and Jive in Britain.” Transmigratory movies and music, often featured Caucasian rather than African American performers, thus Moves: Dance in Global Circulation: Proceedings, 34th International Conference. Vol. 1. Congress on portraying a modified version of Lindy Hop.9 Finally, there is at least one record of a journalist Research in Dance, 2001. distinguishing “impermissible” American Lindy Hop to the more acceptable British Jitterbug.10 3. Ibid. Although this is a controversial point, there is evidence that Lindy Hop as an African American 4. Alback, F. “Competitors Run Into Form.” The Modern Dance and the Dancer 1938. Print. 5. Millman, Cynthia. "The Roving Reporter Asks: Jitterbug, Lindy Hop, Swing: What's the social dance did not gain a permanent foothold in British ballrooms. Rather, Jitterbug, a Difference?." Footnotes, ed. Gabby Winkel 2.3 (1987): 3. technically distinct dance, gained a lasting presence in the United Kingdom. 6. Produced by Tana Ross, Jesper Sorensen and Vibeke Winding. The Call of The Jitterbug. 2013. Film. 7. Margaret Batiuchok. “The Lindy.” New York University, 1988. Print. Jitterbug Dancing depicted in London newspapers.17 8. Stearns, Marshall Winslow, and Jean Stearns. Jazz Dance; the Story of American Vernacular Dance. New York: Macmillan, 1968. Print. 3. Development of the Jive 9. Newnham, J. “Ginger Rogers and Dancing: Dance Film Notes.” The Dancing Times 1939. Print. 10. Raines, I. “London Ballroom News.” The Dancing Times 1940. Print. 1. Introduction to the United Kingdom The emergence of Jitterbug dancing in the United Kingdom was viewed by ballroom dancers to 11. Raines, I. “London Ballroom News.” The Dancing Times 1940. Print. be a threat. Ballroom dancers generally felt that Jitterbug interfered with orthodox forms of 12. Moore, A. “Seen and Heard.” The Dancing Times 1944. Print. Despite common claims that American GIs introduced American swing dance to the United dancing, and some even viewed the dance as an abomination.11 Because the Jitterbug could only 13. Roberts, J. “Jitterbug is Dead—Long Live Jive!.” The Modern Dance and the Dancer 1944. Print. Kingdom, ballroom dance magazines from the 1930s and 1940s reveal that swing dance actually be danced in the ballrooms managed, often, by traditional dancers, the ballroom dancers were 14. David Scherman. Couples Dancing the Jitterbug. 1944. Print. arrived in the country as early as 1938, four years before the GIs arrived in the UK.3 According able to quickly transform Jitterbug into a new dance, the Jive.12 The new Jive dance, as one 15. Gjon Mili. Lindy Hop. 1943. Print. to the magazine The Modern Dance and the Dancer, the first Jitterbug competition was held in reporter explained, did not embody American swing dances—it lacked certain rhythmic and 16. “Jitterbug Jive: The New Dance That Makes Jitterbug Dancing Attractive.” The Dancing Times London in late 1938.4 Swing dance was likely introduced to the United Kingdom through a athletic qualities unique to authentic American swing dance. However, ballroom dancers 1940 : 504. Print. variety of means, including American tourists, Hollywood films, and touring American successfully altered Jitterbug in the United Kingdom, and by the mid-1940s, references to Jive 17. “They Can’t Dance for Nuts.” The Sunday Post 5 July 1945: 4. Print. musicians and dance troupes. became more common than Jitterbug in the ballrooms.13