Updates

Swingout Spring! 10/04/2025

For our April theme, we're going to focus all of our classes on Swingouts: the defining move of Lindy Hop. Schedule is as follows:

7pm Improvers Class: you can swingout confidently with a variety of partners, and different tempos on the social floor. Last Wednesday of the month (April 30th) this slot will be all-levels vernacular jazz steps.

8pm All levels/Beginners Class: suitable for everyone, including absolute first-timers.

9pm-late Social Dancing: music from local DJs and a fully stocked bar!

Tickets for our workshop with Sonny Spoon! 22/02/25

We've got the delightful Sonnie Spoon joining us from London for a day of slow Jazz and Blues! Followed by a big swing and blues party in the evening, with local DJs.

This is an all-levels workshop, no particular dance experience is needed, though dance experience of some form is advised.

Tickets available to purchase here: https://kernowswingdance.dancecloud.com/dance/37281

HISTORY OF THE SAVOY BALLROOM - 21/02/25

THE SAVOY BALLROOM - THE HOME OF HAPPY FEET

If you’ve been Lindy Hopping for any period of time, you’ll have heard of the Savoy. Situated on Lenox Avenue in Harlem, New York, the Savoy hosted some of the largest events in Harlem, and was considered the Place To Go if you wanted get out there Lindy Hopping [1] [2].

The Savoy opened in 1926 as an upmarket but racially integrated venue, primarily aimed at Black patrons. This was in contrast to similar venues such as the Roseland or the Cotton Club, which - despite Harlem’s majority-Black population - remained segregated and were aimed at White audiences from outside Harlem to view Black entertainers (this was known as “slumming”). This kickstarted a social shift, and soon similar venues began opening across Harlem [3]. Like other popular Lindy Hop venues such as the Rockland Palace [4], the Savoy was also a haven for the local queer community, hosting numerous popular drag balls [5], even staying open as late as 5am to protect attendees from homophobic attacks in the street [6].

In keeping with the Savoy’s brand as a luxury club, it initially enforced a strict dress code, which was in time relaxed as the Lindy Hop started to emerge there, and the venue was “invaded by youth”. New and innovative dance steps were not initially permitted, including the Lindy Hop. Manager Charles Buchanan even felt that the Charleston was “uncouth”, but too popular to ignore [7]. However, by the 1930s, Lindy’s exploding popularity in places like the Rockland Palace earned it a place in the Savoy, with the venue being considered the “adoptive home” of the dance, and the biggest and best place to go for dancing [2] [8].

An entire city block long [1], the ballroom had two (sometimes three) bandstands [3], and never-ending live music, as one band would play their set while the other took a break. The most famous house band was Chick Webb’s Orchestra, which was taken over by Ella Fitzgerald upon Chick’s death. The northeast corner of the dance floor was known as “Cats’ Corner”: unofficially monopolised by the best and most confident dancers: usually Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers, a group of regulars-turned-professionals [2].

The Savoy was temporarily shut down in 1943 on vice charges after a riot in Harlem (Lindy Hopper and civil rights activist Malcom X wrote in his autobiography that the real reason behind the shut-down was to prevent people of different races dancing together [7]), before finally going out of business in 1958. The ballroom is today commemorated by a plaque [1] on Lenox Avenue, unveiled by arguably the two most famous members of Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers, Norma Miller and Frankie Manning.

Sources:

[1] http://www.savoyplaque.org/

[2] Frankie Manning: Ambassador of Lindy Hop, by Frankie Manning and Cynthia Millman, 2007.

[3] Swingin’ At The Savoy: Memoir of a Jazz Dancer, by Norma Miller and Evette Jensen, 1996.

[4] https://www.abhmuseum.org/when-harlem-was-as-gay-as-it.../

[5] https://archive.org/.../gaynewyork00geor/page/n9/mode/2up...

[6] https://www.history.com/.../harlem-renaissance-figures...

[7] https://www.messynessychic.com/.../where-the-harlem.../

[8] https://atlanticlindyhopper.wordpress.com/2015/10/09/7/...

January Classes - 06/01/25

2 days until we're back folks! Introducing our new format for our 7pm class: the Monthly Special! A different theme every month, usually focused on Improver Lindy Hop, always ending the month with solo steps.

This month it's the January Blues!

For the next 3 weeks, we're doing all-levels Blues classes at 7, followed by our Beginner Lindy and then Social. No experience of any kind of dance needed.

Happy New Year! - 03/01/2025

Happy new year everyone! We’re starting up again on the 8th (this wednesday) and we’re kicking off the new year with all-levels Blues at 7pm! So even if you’re only currently attending the beginners/fundamentals classes you’ll be able to access the 7pm slot and have a great time. Hope you’ve all had a fun and restful break, see you soon! 🥳

Changes in format for the New Year starting January 2025 - 16/12/24

When we come back in the New Year, we're going to have a slight change of format for our 7.00 class: introducing the Monthly Special - starting with January Blues!

These Monthly Specials will most often still be Improver Lindy Hop, but we'll be branching out on occasion into some Collegiate Shag, Blues or Balboa. When it's Lindy Hop, we'll theme the classes together a little too. All our classes will still be drop-in friendly, so don't worry if you can't make them every week.

Also, our end-of-the-month solo specials are absolutely here to stay, in between blocks of Specials.

Blues Showcase - 05/12/24

One of the best ways to stretch your Lindy Hop skill is by learning related dances: and as Wynton Marsalis says, all the best jazz has Blues in it! Aside from Charleston, Blues is one of the Lindy Hop's closest living relatives! Here are some videos showcasing some blues dancing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZc0T8nxlFc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIscVcn93YY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eobmv8wa3M

Solo Jazz Steps - 02/12/24

In our solo steps class last week we looked at some classic (and tricky!) moves, and ways to style them, when we're jammin' out on the social floor.

The steps we looked at in the class were Tackie Annies, Hitchhikers, Suzie Q's and Tick-tocks. If you're looking to practise them at home, you can check out more about them, their history, and a whole bunch more jazz steps in this video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAIwJd2tQo0

Music Monday - 18/11/24

Happy Music Monday! Here's 7 real dirty tunes.

Tune Tuesday - 12/11/24

With yesterday being Remembrance Day, it didn't really feel right to do a Music Monday. So for one week only it's Tune Tuesday!

This week we're going for a blues theme in advance of our Christmas blues dance workshop!

Updates

Swingout Spring! 10/04/2025

Tickets for our workshop with Sonny Spoon! 22/02/25

HISTORY OF THE SAVOY BALLROOM - 21/02/25

January Classes - 06/01/25

Happy New Year! - 03/01/2025

Changes in format for the New Year starting January 2025 - 16/12/24

Blues Showcase - 05/12/24

Solo Jazz Steps - 02/12/24

Music Monday - 18/11/24

Tune Tuesday - 12/11/24

Music Monday - 04/11/24

Introducing our S.T.E.P.S volunteers! - 31/10/24

Music Monday - 28/10/24

Music Monday - 21/10/24

Music Monday - 14/10/24

Music Monday - 07/10/24

Music Monday - 30/09/24

Music Monday - 23/09/24

Music Monday - 16/09/24

Music Monday - 09/09/24

Music Monday - 02/09/24

Music Monday - 26/08/24

Music Monday - 19/08/24

Music Monday - 12/08/24

Music Monday - 05/08/24

Music Monday - 29/07/24

Music Monday - 22/07/24

Music Monday - 15/07/24

Music Monday - 08/07/24

Music Monday - 01/07/24

Music Monday - 24/06/24

Music Monday - 17/06/24

Music Monday - 10/06/24

Music Monday - 03/06/24

Mamas Stew! 30/05/24

Music Monday - 27/05/24

Music Monday 20/05/24

Music Monday - 13/05/24

Music Monday - 06/05/24

Music Monday - 29/04/24

Music Monday - 22/04/24

Music Monday - 15/04/24

Whitey's Lindy Hoppers - 11/04/24

Music Monday - 08/04/24

Music Monday - 01/04/24

Music Monday 25/03/24

A new facebook group! - 20/03/24

Music Monday 11/03/24

Music Monday - 04/03/24

Music Monday - 26/02/24

Music Monday - 19/02/24

Music Monday - 12/02/24

Chick Webb's birthday - 10/02/24

Music Monday and Shim Sham resources 05/02/24

Music Monday - 29/01/24

Music Monday - 22/01/24

Music Monday - 15/01/24

Music Monday - 01/01/24

Music Monday - 25/12/23

Music Monday - 18/12/23

Music Monday - 11/12/23

Music Monday - 04/12/23

Music Monday - 27/11/23

Practise Videos 25/11/23