What is the difference between Lindy Hop, East Coast, or any other type of swing dance?
The main difference between the dances arises in the footwork. Many people will say that the footwork for Lindy Hop is more advanced than East Coast Swing, but there is a good reason for that. Lindy Hop originated in 1920’s and 1930’s through an evolution of Tap, Jazz, and Charleston. From, and along with Lindy Hop, a number of other dances evolved, including Carolina Shag, West Coast Swing, Jitterbug, and Balboa. Often different dance styles are suited to different styles or speeds of music. • Lindy Hop/Jitterbug – The primary form of dance we teach. This dance is the original swing dance. Lindy Hop is danced in 6 or 8 counts and its “basic” move is the swing out. • East Coast Swing – A popular form of swing dance that grew out of the Jitterbug in the post-war period. It is generally considered less complex than Lindy and can be danced to fast tempos without expending as much energy. • West Coast Swing – A very smooth, sultry dance that evolved from the Lindy Hop in crowded California
