Lindy Hop Singapore Lindy Hop Singapore Classes - Swing Dance, Lindy Hop, Charleston and Balboa

ABOUT

Max and Pamela

LINDYHOP

The Lindy Hop is an American street dance that evolved in Harlem, New York City, in the 1920s and 1930s and originally evolved with the jazz music of that time. It was first popularised during the Swing era of the late 1930s and early 1940s. Lindy Hop was a fusion of many dances that were popular during its development, mainly jazz, tap, breakaway and Charleston.

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. Based on the concept of leading and following in social dancing, this is most clearly illustrated in the Lindy Hop's basic step, the swingout. In this step's open position, each dancer is generally connected hand-to-hand; in its closed position, men and women are connected as though in an embrace.

Lindy Hop today is danced as a social, competitive, or performance dance, with a variety of classes, workshops, and camps. It is now represented by thriving communities of dancers all the world, from America and Europe, to Asia, and Oceania.

An example of Lindy Hop team performance routine

Balboa

BALBOA

The Balboa is a dance that originated in America during the 1920s and increased in popularity until World War II. It is named after the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, California, where the dance was invented. The Balboa (dance) is a contemporary of the Lindy Hop, and shares many similarities - it is a partner dance performed to Jazz music. 

Designed to take up only a small space, Balboa was originally a response to overcrowded ballrooms where the Lindy Hop swing-out or breakaway was often difficult or banned. Most movements occur below the knees; however, part of its appeal is its variations on turns and twirls that allow the lead to show off his partner's legs—an effect that is heightened when the follow is wearing an effective skirt and high heels. This original close-hold style of Balboa is now referred to as Pure Balboa. Balboa today is a combination of Pure Balboa and Swing movements, commonly referred to as Bal-Swing. Balboa is also danced to music from a variety of tempos, from 100 to 300 beats per minute.

Similar to Lindy Hop, Balboa today is danced as a social, competitive or performance dance, with its own series of workshops and events around the world. It is also common to find international swing dance events with classes for both Lindy Hop and Balboa.

An example of Balboa social dancing to live music

ABOUT US

About Us

Lindy Hop SG was started by a group of four avid dancers from Singapore, which has now grown into a small team of teachers. The team share a common desire to promote Lindy Hop and Balboa in Singapore and grow the local community of dancers. They have personally experienced the immense joy that Lindy Hop and Balboa bring, and hope to inspire more people to take up these dances. They have also had the privilege to travel extensively to learn from some of the best swing dancing instructors around the world, and wish to share their knowledge and inspiration with dancers in Singapore.

Apart from weekly events, Lindy Hop SG organises dance events in Singapore such as the annual Singapore Lindy Revolution and World Lindy Hop Day in Singapore 2018.



EVENTS

Lindy Hop Singapore Event - Singapore Lindy Revolution

SINGAPORE LINDY REVOLUTION

Started in 2014, the Singapore Lindy Revolution is an annual dance festival that celebrates the joy of Swing Dancing and Jazz Music, bringing the best of Lindy Hop from around the world to our sunny shores of Singapore.

Conceived and organised by Lindy Hop SG, the festival comprises a weekend of workshops with high-quality dance instruction by award-winning, professional Lindy Hop teachers, as well as 4 nights of social dancing parties with local and international live bands and performances.

As the name implies, the Singapore Lindy Revolution aims to "revolutionalise" Lindy Hop communities in Singapore and the region.


Website: www.lindyrevolution.sg

Facebook: Facebook Group Page

Event Videos: 2017  2016  2015  2014









Lindy Hop Singapore Event - Lindy Hop At The Centerpoint

Lindy Hop @ The Centrepoint

Lindy Hop @ Centrepoint is postponed for the time being due to COVID19. We will update again when things can resume























CLASSES

Coming Soon!

SWING ETIQUETTE

Social dancing is integral part of Lindy Hop. To make sure that every dancer has a good time at our socials, we have the following dancers etiquette to be strictly adhered to. In general, if you’re polite and considerate, and pay attention to your partner and others around you, then you’re doing fine!

Here are a few swing etiquette tips to think about when you go out social dancing.

Support the establishment putting on the Social event

Please support the studio, bar or restaurant putting on this event. Buy a couple of drinks over the course of the night. If you don’t drink, buy bottled mineral water or some food. If you like the music , feel free to buy the band or DJs a drink.

Asking for or accepting a dance

Politely respond when people ask you to dance – you don’t always have to say yes, but you should always be polite in your response. It’s okay to say no when someone asks you to dance. Reciprocally, if someone says no to you, they have their reasons too. Try not to take it personally. See it as supporting your own license to say no! If you’re too tired to dance, politely explain this to the person asking (they’ll understand), and perhaps promise to dance with them later on.

Dancing with your partner

This is a social dance, so engage with your partner! Be aware of how they move…and have fun! If something goes wrong, just smile and keep dancing! Don’t blame your partner and don’t expect an apology, it was neither of your faults. Remember, there’s no such thing as a wrong move, just a new move!

Don’t dip a girl if you don’t know her (or her dance level) very well. Some girls feel very uncomfortable about dips since it completely throws off their natural balance. Be considerate, and if in doubt, end with something else.

Here’s a big one – never instruct on the social dance floor, unless specifically asked! We go to classes to learn, but we go out social dancing just to have fun!

Floor Craft

Leaders, it’s your job to keep your lady safe. Be aware of the environment around you, including the stage, furniture, bystanders, and of course other couples. Dance appropriately for how crowded the dance floor is and always be careful where you lead your partner. The same goes for ladies – try to be spatially aware, and keep an eye out for any dangers behind your partner’s back. If you do collide with another couple, be sure to apologise and make sure no damage has been done.

NEVER do aerials on a crowded social dance floor – it’s just plain dangerous, for you and for everyone around you. The same goes for dips, tricks jumps or kicks which might be bigger than your average moves. Use common sense, and save these aerials for the jam sessions. While we’re on the topic of aerials, remember that aerials are dangerous and difficult, and you should never attempt them unless you’ve been properly trained and are with a partner with whom you’re very familiar. The place for aerials is clearly in a Jam Circle, performance, competition (Strictly and Showcase only). You will be disqualified if aerial is executed in category such as J&J, Luck of the Draw, Mix n Match, Lindy Roulette or similar category. Clearly, this is because the partner which you danced with for the first time has not train or practice the aerial with you. This is dangerous and may result in serious injuries.

Cleanliness

Swing dancing is a contact sport, and you can’t expect anyone to want to dance with you if you don’t have a certain level of cleanliness. Be sure you’re clean and deodorized before you start dancing. Bring your deodorant along with you, and let yourself cool down (and dry off) every now and again throughout the night. Breath mints aren’t such a bad idea either.

If you tend to sweat a lot, wear an undershirt, and always bring a change of shirt (or two or three!) and a towel. There’s nothing worse than Lindy Hop with someone dripping wet…except maybe Balboa with someone dripping wet! And we’re not just talking about the guys here, the same goes for ladies.

Clothing

Try to wear appropriate clothing. In general, ladies, tops that reveal a large amount of midriff aren’t particularly appropriate, and some leads may not feel comfortable leading you on bare skin. Strapless tops aren’t usually a good idea, and the same goes for guys with tank tops and the like.

Make sure your clothing is comfortable and you have a full range of movement. Tops that are overly baggy can be difficult to dance in, and any clothing which you need to keep adjusting during a dance is not good.

Remove any potentially dangerous accessories (watches, rings, bracelets, necklaces) which might catch, tangle or hit someone while you dance. Don’t carry keys in your pocket when you dance!

Dance in appropriate shoes with soles that allow you to move without slipping, and support you sufficiently. Ladies, be careful of long ponytails – no one likes to get whipped in the face with flying hair during spins and turns.

After the Dance

Though it doesn’t really need to be said, when the song is finished, thank your partner! With just a little commonsense and consideration, everyone can enjoy social dancing and get down to what it’s really about – doing the dance we love, making friends and always having fun! What do I do if…?

If you witness any behaviour that seems abusive, disrespectful, harassing, suspicious, unsafe, or behaviour that makes you or someone else feel uncomfortable for any reason, then you can (and should) do something

If possible, raise your concern with the person/people involved. If that’s not possible, or it needs reporting, tell someone. Talk to your teacher. If the issue concerns your teacher and you want to talk to someone else, then please speak to the organiser directly or contact us via email at info@lindyrevolution.sg. We will respond to your email as soon as we can and take it from there. There’s also a ‘Contact Us’ form on our website or the email addresses and contact numbers below. As the situation warrants, we reserve the right to take any action we deem necessary to deal with inappropriate behavior. Inappropriate behavior that cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of the organizers may result in actions ranging from a verbal warning to permanent exclusion from all Lindy Hop SG activities without refund.

Although these situations are extremely rare in our community, we take your concerns seriously. We’ll always make time for you and carefully consider any action that needs to be taken.


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