In this case, the triplet is approaching becoming a straight sixteenth note. The reason we call it “tight” is because the triplet has been moved to closer to the next beat. In this example, the original triplet swing is played for a bar, and then a tight swing is played for three bars. What happened here is the triplet was moved back a bit, to further away from the next beat.
In this example, the original triplet swing is played for a bar, and then a loose swing is played for three bars. The following audio examples show how this works. There are a myriad of others ways you can describe it, but basically what they’re saying is this: that last triplet in the audio example can be moved within the beat to be closer or farther away from the next beat. Have you heard these terms before? People will often describe swing as “tight” or “loose”. Ways To Make Swing Music – Swingin’ The 16th.
The follower mirrors the above basic dance step, starting off with her right foot rocking backwards as the leader rocks backwards with his left foot.Īs you progress with the Lindy Hop, you can add more elaborate moves, including turns and spins. Step to the right with your right foot.Shift your weight back to your right foot, completing the “rock step.”.Step back with your left foot, putting all your weight on it in a rocking motion.Start in the closed position, i.e., your feet close together.The following is the basic Lindy Hop step for the leading partner: Keep your shoulders relaxed and your head up. Partners begin facing each other in closed position.The same applies to swing dancing: keep your eyes up, or you’re almost certain to make a misstep. Remember what your mom told you when you were learning to ride a bike? Staring at the ground only guarantees a face plant. Try not to look down at your feet as you dance.
Begin with some of the slower swing dance songs and work your way up to those with faster rhythms as you become more confident. Fortunately, the basic moves can be learned quickly and lend themselves beautifully to improvisation. 1Although many musicians have composed slower, more “user-friendly” swing music, in general, swing music tends to be relatively fast and energetic.Keep the following in mind as you begin to learn to swing dance: The Lindy Hop is a relatively simple partner dance that can easily be learned in one lesson. And of course, the original dance moves - the Lindy Hop, Charleston and Jitterbug - remain some of the most popular with dancers of all ages and abilities. Many people think of swing dancing as the fast, almost gymnastic-type choreography often seen in films and reality show competitions, but over the years most dance studios - including the Arthur Murray Dance Studios - have successfully developed styles of ballroom swing dancing appropriate for the general public. Regional variations have also contributed numerous unique moves, from the Imperial Swing in St. The Lindy Hop, Charleston, and Jitterbug are some of the earliest and most popular swing dances, but in the ninety-plus years since its invention, swing dancing has evolved as swing music itself continues to absorb influences from other musical styles, from R&B to country and western. Hollywood picked up on the craze and made a number of movies about this homegrown American music style, and soon the entire country was rocking and swinging to a new set of dances inspired by the lively tempo of “swinging jazz.” Later, famed clarinetist and bandleader Benny Goodman took the then-nascent music and brought it to the mainstream, creating a hot trend that reverberated all the way to the West Coast. Swing dance came out of the electrifying New York City club scene of the 1920s and 1930s, a time when African-American jazz bands ruled the nightclubs and dance halls. The basic dance steps of each style are relatively easy to learn, and as you gain more confidence you can layer on different moves as the mood - and the song rhythm - strikes you. Three dances, in particular, make up the basis of swing dancing: the Lindy Hop, the Charleston and the Jitterbug, but the beauty of swing dance is that improvisation is encouraged. Swing dancing remains one of the most popular dance styles in modern dance clubs.