Lindy Hop

The Lindy Hop was born in black communities in Harlem, New York City in the 1920s and '30s and originally evolved with the jazz music of that time. Lindy was a fusion of many dances that preceded it or were popular during its development but is mainly based on jazz, tap and "Breakaway" (a popular swing dance developed from the "Texas Tommy" and "Charleston". It is frequently described as a Jazz dance and is a member of the "Swing" family.

In its development, the Lindy Hop combined elements of both partnered and solo dancing by using the movements and improvisation of black dances along with the formal eight-count structure of European partner dances.

The first generation of Lindy Hop is popularly associated with dancers such as "Shorty" George Snowden, his partner Big Bea, and Leroy Stretch Jones and Little Bea. Savoy dancer "Shorty" George Snowden, stated that.. "We used to call the basic step the "Hop Long" before Lindbergh did his hop across the Atlantic. It had been around a long time and some people began to call it the Lindbergh Hop after 1927, although it didn't last. Then, during the marathon at Manhattan Casino, Snowden got tired of the same old steps and cut loose with a "Breakaway". Fox Movietone News covered the marathon and took a close-up of Shorty's feet. When asked, "What are you doing with your feet," Shorty replied, "The Lindy". The date was June 17, 1928 and the Lindy was born. At this time it was all floor dancing.

Some sources credit Frankie Manning, working with his partner Freida Washington, for inventing the ground-breaking "Air Step" or aerial such as the Hip to Hip, Side Flip, and Over the Back in 1935. "Air Steps" are widely associated with the characterization of lindy hop, despite being generally reserved for competition or performance dancing, and not generally being executed on any social dance floor. Frankie Manning, was part of a new generation of Lindy Hoppers, and is the most celebrated Lindy Hopper in history.

Dance studios began teaching Lindy Hop. By the early 1940s the dance was known as "New Yorker" on the West Coast.