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From its unlikely origins in the African slave trade, one of the saddest chapters of American history, swing dance emerged as a celebration of the soul. Swing is now recognized around the globe as a joyous partnered dance, uniquely Afro-American in origin and an American treasure.
This book examines how the original swing style of the 1920s, the Lindy Hop, branched out and evolved with the changing dynamics of popular culture, paralleling the development of the nation. Swing Dancing covers the dance through the years of minstrelsy, the jazz age, the big band era, bebop, and the decline of partnered dancing in the 1960s. Swing experts and instructors Tamara and Erin Stevens have combined a compelling historic examination of swing dance with an assortment of riveting personal interviews and photographic documentation to create a comprehensive reference book on this important art form.
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Swing dance is the only partnered style of dancing that is truly "made in America." Even its original name—the "Lindy Hop "—is rooted in American history, having been inspired by Charles A. Lindbergh's historic 1927 flight from New York to Paris. After fading into obscurity in the 1960s and 1970s, the Lindy Hop and swing dancing are riding a new wave of popularity.
About the Author
Tamara Stevens is a swing dance performer and instructor who co-owns and operates the Pasadena Ballroom Dance Association (PBDA) in Pasadena, CA, where she teaches all styles of American Social dance. Stevens holds a degree in philosophy from California State University, Los Angeles, CA. She has produced countless numbers of Swing dance events in the Los Angeles area and has performed and taught swing dancing across the country. Erin Stevens is co-owner of the Pasadena Ballroom Dance Association (PBDA) and is credited with bringing legendary Lindy Hop dancer Frankie Manning out of retirement in the mid-1980s, thus reigniting his swing dance career. Internationally renowned as a swing dance instructor and preservationist, Stevens graduated from the University of California, Irvine, CA, with a degree in dance instruction and choreography.
Tamara (Tami) Stevens is a Swing dance performer,instructor,and Swing preservationist who co-owns and operates the Pasadena Ballroom Dance Association (PBDA) in Pasadena, CA, along with her sister Erin Stevens. Since 1983, the Stevens sisters have taught thousands of students the art of Social dancing (all styles of American Social dance), and they are internationally renowned for their knowledge of the Lindy Hop, the original style of Swing dancing. Tami holds a degree in philosophy from California State University, Los Angeles, CA. She has produced countless numbers of Swing dance events in the Los Angeles area, and has performed and taught Swing around the globe.
Erin Stevens (editorial contributor) is credited with bringing legendary Lindy Hopper Frankie Manning out of retirement in the mid-1980s, thus reigniting his swing dance career and helping to ignite the "second era of Swing" of the 1990s. Internationally acclaimed as a Swing instructor and preservationist, Erin graduated from the University of California, Irvine, CA, with a degree in dance instruction and choreography.
The Stevens sister's book provides a clear example of their deep knowledge of the subject, and reflects their true love of, and appreciation for, the American art form: Swing dancing.
An excellent book written by the individuals who are a large part of the swing dance resurgence of the 1990s. It was they who "rediscovered" Frankie Manning in New York. This is a well-researched fun book.
This book is very informative but also a fun read. You can tell the authors love swing dance. If you have a friend or family member who likes swing this is a great book. It's got everything. Really enjoyed it.
I picked up this book for a couple reasons. First, I am aquainted with the author because I went to their swing dance camp in 1998 and 99. Second, I started swing dancing in the "resurgence" era and I got the bug like so many people of that time did.
Stevens book is both informative as well as entertaining. Learning about the roots of the dance, how it evolved from each musical progression, and how a few people resurrected it in the eighties and nineties, giving it new breath and a life that will surely take it to the next several generations.
Stevens includes many anecdotes from the legendary dancers Frankie Manning and Norma Miller, as well as Dean Collins, Jean Veloz and many more, too numerous to count. Her personal interviews as well as research has created a handy book for historians and novice enthusiasts alike.
It is a great book that every swing dance enthusiast should buy and keep in their library.
