Swing

Perhaps the most uniquely American of all dances, the Swing brings forth a buoyant, carefree movement. It is a spot dance (meaning it is danced primarily in one place) with a relaxed style that is easily mastered. The various speeds of music are excellent training for quick footwork and good leading and following that will add comfort and ease to all rhythm dances.

Characteristics of the Dance

A side step or triple step (shuffle) followed by a rock step is the fundamental pattern for this dance. It is done to lively, energetic music in a wide range of tempos.

Sample Songs

Swing music is normally written in 2/4 or 4/4 time with the accents occurring on the second or second and fourth beats of a measure. Swing may be danced over a wide range of tempos and has two rhythms: swing (1, 2, 3, “and” 4, 5, “and” 6) and lindy (1, 2, 3 “and” 4, 5, 6, 7, “and” 8).

Stuck on You
Elvis Presley

Think
Aretha Franklin