I have noticed a few couples who dance extremely well but are old school dancers. Is there still a place in the community for them? Do young people still want to dance like it's 1999? These new couples are most likely in their late 30's or early 40's. It seems strange to see them dance but…
Originally posted Monday, December 14, 2009 (2 years ago)
Quoted from "Chuck Knuckles" Lindy should not be trendy if it was originally a street dance. [...] Why change it to make it trendy? We once liked that retro look of the dance.
Like back in the day, when everybody invented their own style/own moves, and there weren't any trendsetting dancers that people wanted to be like?
Originally posted Monday, December 14, 2009 (2 years ago)
Quoted from "Chuck Knuckles" You are correct about bodyrolling (yecch) but trends? Lindy should not be trendy if it was originally a street dance. Sure, the kids danced in ballrooms but it was not a structured, ballroom dance. Why change it to make it trendy? We once liked that retro look of the dance. Some people are making it too precise and less improvised. Did people really think of "lines" and perfect frame in 1935? I don't think there were many group classes in 1935. My parents never went to a dance camp or an exchange and they won dance contests.
This reverts to the "Revivalist" vs. "living art" arguments that have been around forever.
Because Lindy is a street dance it will evolve and change and people will innovate.
The "trends" happen as people imitate whatever cool innovation went by and suddenly everyone has to do it. This isn't actually any different than how the dance developed in the first place or what was happening in our parents/grandparents day. We just have benefits of technology that allow trends to spread more rapidly.
I personally always come down in the middle--- I hope people keep the flavor of the original but the innovation is also wonderful. It is great that the current "trend" is going back to old-school- time to get back in touch with the root of the dance. Anyone who has been in on the "revival" of lindy since the late 80's or early 90s has seen this cycle a few times already.
Originally posted Monday, December 14, 2009 (2 years ago)
Actually I see them at dances but they sort of keep to themselves. I danced with the lady once. She was very nice. I just feel like either they are incredibly shy or they just like dancing together. I don't see them as being approached by many people except maybe me. They rarely dance with anyone else. In some communities people would be all over them to try to learn some new and unusual moves.
Originally posted Monday, December 14, 2009 (2 years ago)
Quoted from "Chuck Knuckles"
Quoted from "Signet" Anyway, why would anyone want to dance like it's 1999? I'm embarassed to be seen dancing like it's 2008. If somebody isn't willing to adapt their style to the most recent trends and disregard everything else, they might as well put on "Wade in the Water" and commence the bodyrolling, as far as I'm concerned.
You are correct about bodyrolling (yecch) but trends? Lindy should not be trendy if it was originally a street dance. Sure, the kids danced in ballrooms but it was not a structured, ballroom dance. Why change it to make it trendy?
...huh?
It is specifically because Lindy is a street dance that it is intrinsically trendy. The core of why music and dance changed over the years and over distances, the very vernacular nature, is entirely about trends. Everything else is simply something that influenced those trends. Trends moved us from Foxtrot to Charleston. Trends moved us from Charleston to Lindy, Shag, Balboa. Trends moved us from Lindy to WCS. Trends moved us from those to Westie Hop. Trends are neither good nor bad in and of themselves, but they are a significant aspect of the human condition.
Quote I don't think there were many group classes in 1935.
Originally posted Monday, December 14, 2009 (2 years ago)
I quickly read over this thread; and perhaps it was by doing so in haste that caused what I am about to say to "jump out" at me . . .
I like to think of "Lindy Hop Swing Dancing" as the practice of a vintage swing dance style; much like "Civil War Re-enacting" is the practice of re-enacting historical battles and period daily life that occured during the Civil War.
"it is, what it was" you might say.
Agreed much of the 90's Neo resurgence wasn't "what it was" and we have thankfully been put on the right path in the years since.
From what I am reading, could it be said that there are two Lindy Hop disciplines? One that is indeed vintage, a re-enactment if you will; and one that is the modern evolving form that "started over" as the Neo-Swing fad faded and Lindy Hoppers with an understanding of the old, began a modern evolutionary path for Lindy Hop.
Hmmm, perhaps worthy of it's own tread (will leave that to the hard core regulars on here). Vintage vs. New Age Lindy Hop
Originally posted Monday, December 14, 2009 (2 years ago)
Quoted from "Lowkey_Lindy_George" I like to think of "Lindy Hop Swing Dancing" as the practice of a vintage swing dance style; much like "Civil War Re-enacting" is the practice of re-enacting historical battles and period daily life that occured during the Civil War.
"it is, what it was" you might say.
Agreed much of the 90's Neo resurgence wasn't "what it was" and we have thankfully been put on the right path in the years since.
From what I am reading, could it be said that there are two Lindy Hop disciplines?
Yes, but there is a problem when it comes to re-enacting swing dancing. If you think of it simply as a static photograph, a snapshot of time, you could do an authentic re-enactment ala the way the Civil War battles are done. But unless you're re-enacting a specific event (lets say, the Hellserpoppin scene) you aren't really taking a snapshot.
If you take a complete view of swing dancing, even if you limit it to a particular number of years, you must include innovation to do an accurate re-enactment or you are missing a large core of the art form. Creativity, originality, inspiration from non-dance life of the times are all a large part of what Lindy Hop was about. Remove it and you only have a photograph of Lindy Hop, not actual Lindy Hop. It's a catch 22: You can't have real vintage Lindy Hop that doesn't innovate, and yet if you allow it to innovate by definition you won't have the same thing as they did in the '30s.
So authentic re-enactment isn't really possible and a choice must be made, neither of which is better or worse but a choice which can not be avoided:
A: Do you wish to capture the look and feel of 1930's Lindy Hop?
B: Or do you wish to capture the heart and soul of 1930's Lindy Hop?
Personally I like to take a little from column A and a little from column B.
old school dancers
I have noticed a few couples who dance extremely well but are old school dancers. Is there still a place in the community for them? Do young people still want to dance like it's 1999? These new couples are most likely in their late 30's or early 40's. It seems strange to see them dance but…
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Like back in the day, when everybody invented their own style/own moves, and there weren't any trendsetting dancers that people wanted to be like?
Nah, things will never be like that.
- James
This reverts to the "Revivalist" vs. "living art" arguments that have been around forever. Because Lindy is a street dance it will evolve and change and people will innovate.
The "trends" happen as people imitate whatever cool innovation went by and suddenly everyone has to do it. This isn't actually any different than how the dance developed in the first place or what was happening in our parents/grandparents day. We just have benefits of technology that allow trends to spread more rapidly.
I personally always come down in the middle--- I hope people keep the flavor of the original but the innovation is also wonderful. It is great that the current "trend" is going back to old-school- time to get back in touch with the root of the dance. Anyone who has been in on the "revival" of lindy since the late 80's or early 90s has seen this cycle a few times already.
Actually I see them at dances but they sort of keep to themselves. I danced with the lady once. She was very nice. I just feel like either they are incredibly shy or they just like dancing together. I don't see them as being approached by many people except maybe me. They rarely dance with anyone else. In some communities people would be all over them to try to learn some new and unusual moves.
...huh?
It is specifically because Lindy is a street dance that it is intrinsically trendy. The core of why music and dance changed over the years and over distances, the very vernacular nature, is entirely about trends. Everything else is simply something that influenced those trends. Trends moved us from Foxtrot to Charleston. Trends moved us from Charleston to Lindy, Shag, Balboa. Trends moved us from Lindy to WCS. Trends moved us from those to Westie Hop. Trends are neither good nor bad in and of themselves, but they are a significant aspect of the human condition.
Perhaps, but they did exist.
I quickly read over this thread; and perhaps it was by doing so in haste that caused what I am about to say to "jump out" at me . . .
I like to think of "Lindy Hop Swing Dancing" as the practice of a vintage swing dance style; much like "Civil War Re-enacting" is the practice of re-enacting historical battles and period daily life that occured during the Civil War.
"it is, what it was" you might say.
Agreed much of the 90's Neo resurgence wasn't "what it was" and we have thankfully been put on the right path in the years since.
From what I am reading, could it be said that there are two Lindy Hop disciplines? One that is indeed vintage, a re-enactment if you will; and one that is the modern evolving form that "started over" as the Neo-Swing fad faded and Lindy Hoppers with an understanding of the old, began a modern evolutionary path for Lindy Hop.
Hmmm, perhaps worthy of it's own tread (will leave that to the hard core regulars on here). Vintage vs. New Age Lindy Hop
Yes, but there is a problem when it comes to re-enacting swing dancing. If you think of it simply as a static photograph, a snapshot of time, you could do an authentic re-enactment ala the way the Civil War battles are done. But unless you're re-enacting a specific event (lets say, the Hellserpoppin scene) you aren't really taking a snapshot.
If you take a complete view of swing dancing, even if you limit it to a particular number of years, you must include innovation to do an accurate re-enactment or you are missing a large core of the art form. Creativity, originality, inspiration from non-dance life of the times are all a large part of what Lindy Hop was about. Remove it and you only have a photograph of Lindy Hop, not actual Lindy Hop. It's a catch 22: You can't have real vintage Lindy Hop that doesn't innovate, and yet if you allow it to innovate by definition you won't have the same thing as they did in the '30s.
So authentic re-enactment isn't really possible and a choice must be made, neither of which is better or worse but a choice which can not be avoided:
A: Do you wish to capture the look and feel of 1930's Lindy Hop? B: Or do you wish to capture the heart and soul of 1930's Lindy Hop?
Personally I like to take a little from column A and a little from column B.
It is fortunate that it was moved indoors. The rain was one thing but dodging cars wasn't always possible.
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