Understanding Swing Dancing Music

One of the most appealing parts of swing dance is of course, swing dancing music. This form of dance originated from jazz music, which evolved into its own new form known as swing. Therefore, swing was and is a term used to describe both the music and the dance. The beginning of both happened at the Savoy Ballroom in 1926. The dance floor at the Savoy spanned a city block, with the club offering not only plenty of room for dancing but an elevated bandstand where the big bands made names for themselves.

The music played at the Savoy was known as swinging jazz. This form of jazz was up tempo and energetic, as were the dances being performed to it. The Lindy Hop originated at the Savoy and was named by a dance enthusiast named Shorty George Snowden after Charles Lindbergh's trip across the Atlantic Ocean. Band leader Cab Calloway gets credit for introducing the Jitterbug, which was not just a piece of music but a dance as well. Eventually, the dancers themselves were referred to as Jitterbugs, and sometimes still are to this day.

All swing music, and dance for that matter, features either six or eight beat patterns that are predictable. Although it looks like the dancers have memorized every beat of every song, the truth is that the music and the dance matches up in beat pattern which contributes to the well choreographed appearance. Of course, there are variations that are seen in different types of swing dance and music. For example, there is Western swing which is set to country western music. 50s style swing incorporates the style of the decade which included early rock and roll and boogie woogie.

There are plenty of old and new bands making swing dancing music for today's enthusiasts. Examples of modern swing bands include Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Squirrel Nut Zippers and The Brian Setzer Orchestra. The emergence of bands such as these is a testament to the lasting appeal of swing dance and swing dance music. Whether you prefer the older musicians or the newer ones, you'll find a great deal of similarities between them. Because this form of music and dance is quite popular in today's society, you won't have any problem finding plenty of swing jazz titles in music stores and online.

Copyright 2007 Janice J. Sterling - All Rights Reserved

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