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About Us

Swing Club at UVA is an all inclusive, student-run organization with weekly dance lessons and several dance events throughout the year. Not only will you dance to boppin' jazz music, you'll also make a bunch of amazing new friends! No experience or partner is necessary, so swing on over!

Our lessons are held in AFC Multipurpose Room 2 on Tuesday evenings.

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Workshop: 6:30 PM

Beginner Lesson: 7:00 PM

Policy

Our goal is to ensure that everyone has a safe experience when dancing with Swing Club at UVA. To make that happen, we ask our club members and guests to observe a few important guidelines.  

 

1. Aerials/air-steps/lifts are not permitted on the social dance floor. 

 

2. Anyone may ask anyone to dance, and anyone may say “no” to a dance for any reason (barring racism, sexism, trans and homophobia, etc). Be respectful of someone’s “no,” and do not pressure them to dance. 

 

3. On the social dance floor, do not give unsolicited dance advice. However, if your partner is doing something that makes you uncomfortable or hurts you, please tell them and ask them to do something differently. 

 

If you feel uncomfortable or unsafe during an event, please find a Council member. You can also get in touch with us at swingclubatuva@gmail.com. 

 

For more information on Safe Spaces policies, visit  Richmond's "What is a Safe Space?" and SwingCville's Code of Conduct. 

History of the Dance

Want to learn a bit more about swing dancing and its origins? Read below for a better understanding of what swing is and where it came from!

History

 

The Lindy hop is an American dance that was born in Harlem, New York City in 1928 and since evolved with the jazz music of that time. It was very popular during the Swing era of the late 1930s and early 1940s. Lindy was a fusion of many dances that preceded it or were popular during its development, but it is mainly based on jazz, tap, breakaway, and Charleston. Lindy is frequently described as a jazz dance and is a member of the swing dance family.

 

In its development, the Lindy hop combined elements of both partnered and solo dancing by using the movements and improvisation of African-American dances along with the formal eight-count structure of European partner dances – most clearly illustrated in the Lindy's basic step, the swing-out. In this step's open position, each dancer is generally connected hand-to-hand; in its closed position, leads and follows are connected as though in an embrace on one side and holding hands on the other.

 

There was renewed interest in the dance in the 1980s from American, Swedish, and British dancers and the Lindy hop is now represented by dancers and loosely affiliated grass-roots organizations in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania.

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Visit yehoodi.com, Swungover and Lindyfocus.com to learn more!

Organizations

There are numerous organizations that devote themselves to preserving the history and culture of the Lindy Hop. A few of these organizations include:

  • Guardian Baltimore

    • “Guardian acts as a preserver and restorer of culture and heritage by studying, teaching and performing dance styles that emerged as modes of personal and group expression within African American communities.”

  • The Frankie Manning Foundation

    • “The mission of the Frankie Manning Foundation is to carry on the work and the spirit of Frankie Manning in spreading the joy of Lindy Hop, danced to big band swing music in safe and welcoming settings throughout the world.”

Books

Want to learn more about Lindy Hop and where it came from? Have a read of one of the books below:

  • Frankie Manning: Ambassador of Lindy Hop

  • American Allegory: Lindy Hop and the Racial Imagination

  • Swingin' at the Savoy

Videos, Documentaries and Original Footage

You've talked about Lindy Hop and read about Lindy Hop, now watch it! Take some time to check out the links below:

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