Dancetalk Message Board

View My Cart

Sponsored Ad

Lindy Hop - Is It Thriving or Dying?

Posted by Ghostdancer

9/1/2003 6:03:00 PM

With regards to the traditional Lindy Hop movement which was going through a revival starting about six years ago; is it showing signs of declining or increasing?

I'm guessing that it depends on locality. I was reading a post on Yehoodi about six months ago expressing a concern that Lindy was loosing out to Salsa in New York.

What has happened here is that many of the Lindy Hoppers were students at the University of Arizona who have moved on after graduation and there are very few of them left and one of them expressed to me that he felt in would be dead here in a year's time.

While visiting Seattle in July I attended a dance at one of the big venues there and noticed a smaller crowd from what I saw last year and was told by someone that things had slowed down over the past year.

So how is it other areas of the country?

"Dancing is a contact sport; football is a hitting sport" - Vince Lombardi

Re: re: Lindy Hop - Is It Thriving or Dying?

Posted by George

10/30/2006 4:56:00 PM

Hi,

Fast Foreward Three Years:

www.kclindyhop.org

re: Lindy Hop - Is It Thriving or Dying?

Posted by Champion Dancesport KC

9/1/2003 8:15:00 PM

Ghost-

It is definitely dying in Kansas City. You can still get a good crowd out for a special event like a famous live band, but otherwise crowds are shrinking.

Unfortunately many lindy dancers did only lindy hop...doing only one dance all the time will always end in boredom, frustration and finally no dancing. Also, lindy hop seemed plagued by a crop of overnight instructors who taught patterns but had no understanding of technique...I personally saw many dancers quit lindy out of frustration that it never felt "right" or good because they had such poor instruction.

Salsa is huge here right now. It seems to appeal to a much more diverse audience. Also, many Salsa dancers become involved in other styles, like Argentine or Swing or other Latin dances...so I think Salsa has a better chance of surviving over time.

M

re: Lindy Hop - Is It Thriving or Dying?

Posted by Ghostdancer

9/2/2003 8:49:00 AM

Originally posted by Champion Dancesport KC:
Ghost-

It is definitely dying in Kansas City. You can still get a good crowd out for a special event like a famous live band, but otherwise crowds are shrinking.

Unfortunately many lindy dancers did only lindy hop...doing only one dance all the time will always end in boredom, frustration and finally no dancing. Also, lindy hop seemed plagued by a crop of overnight instructors who taught patterns but had no understanding of technique...I personally saw many dancers quit lindy out of frustration that it never felt "right" or good because they had such poor instruction.

Salsa is huge here right now. It seems to appeal to a much more diverse audience. Also, many Salsa dancers become involved in other styles, like Argentine or Swing or other Latin dances...so I think Salsa has a better chance of surviving over time.

M

I certainly agree with the part on being able to do only one dance; that would bore me no matter how much I enjoyed it or how well I could do it.

When you mention technique I think this is what a lot of lindy hoppers have a negative viewpoint of as that is too "ballroomy" and many of them have nothing but unkind comments about the way swing is done in ballroom. As you say for many of them Lindy Hop is the only dance they know how to do.

"Dancing is a contact sport; football is a hitting sport" - Vince Lombardi

re: Lindy Hop - Is It Thriving or Dying?

Posted by Ghostdancer

9/4/2003 6:46:00 AM

In those areas where LH is in decline what may also be at work is the fact that LH is a vintage dance that was replaced by it's modified forms ECS and WCS. This as a result of changes in the music and thus the latter two became and remain the more contemporary forms and instruction in these two is more widely available.

That's just a guess on my part and not neccessarily true of every area.

"Dancing is a contact sport; football is a hitting sport" - Vince Lombardi

Re: re: Lindy Hop - Is It Thriving or Dying?

Posted by apostle

8/7/2006 9:34:00 PM

Lindy is still going strong in Austin, TX!

Re: Lindy Hop - Is It Thriving or Dying?

Posted by Capt. Morgan

10/5/2005 4:37:00 PM

Lindy is going strong in Southern California!!!

Re: Lindy Hop - Is It Thriving or Dying?

Posted by SWING N’ IN THE DESERT

1/10/2006 9:24:00 PM

Lindy Hop is alive in Pasadena, CA . . . that is for sure! I occasionally travel 2 1/2 hours to take Lindy Lessons and attend the evening dance. GO LINDY!!

Re: Lindy Hop - Is It Thriving or Dying?

Posted by *swing crazy*

7/21/2006 2:48:00 PM

im really want to learn LH or ECS, but im having trouble finding a place to learn...
can you help me find a place in the san fernando valley area? the problem is im only 15...so my age is sorta a problem

Re: Lindy Hop - Is It Thriving or Dying?

Posted by Capt Morgan

8/7/2006 5:59:00 PM

Go to www.socalswing.com

+ View More Messages

Home • My BDC • Learning Center • Dances • Community

Message Board • Meet the Dancers • Privacy Policy • Contact Us