Was there swing in Washington, D.C. before the GAP ad?
In the late 1980’s, three things happened in the local D.C. dance scene that raised the swing scene significantly. First, Anne Townsend helped create the Washington Swing Dance Committee (WSDC) and began to put on swing dances in social halls. Second, the WSDC brought England’s Jiving Lindy Hoppers came to Washington put on a display of 8-count Lindy Hop. Prior to this, Washington had been exclusively 6-count Jitterbug or else 8-count West Coast Swing. Finally, Craig Hutchison began the Potomac Swing Dance Club (PSDC) and put on the Virginia State Open Swing Dance Championships. Although this club started West Coast Swing dance in this area, Craig’s love of dance compelled him to have divisions for all forms of swing, Jitterbug and Lindy Hop included. He was the first person of the contemporary scene to provide a venue for these dances to be performed in competition in their own division.
