Savoy…it’s a popular word in Lindy Hop circles. It’s a style, it’s a place, it’s a great tune by Lucky Millinder. But what is it? Well, it was a Ballroom on 596 Lenox Avenue in Harlem, New York City and one of the most popular dance venues in Harlem between the 1920s to the 1950s. It was also one of the few places where white and black Americans danced together. Of a weekend you might find yourself dancing to bandleaders such as Chick Webb, Cab Calloway, Count Basie and Duke Ellington while the dancers perfected a new style of dance that was yet to be named. Among the countless dance styles originated and developed at the Savoy were: The Flying Charleston, The Lindy Hop, The Stomp, The Big Apple, Jitterbug Jive to name but a few.
This great clip on Youtube gives you a sneaky peek inside what some people refer to as the “mother church of swing dance.” Enjoy
You can find out more about the ‘world’s most beautiful ballroom‘ here www.savoyballroom.com
A lot of footage from the recent Blues baby Blues festival is popping up on YouTube and I just couldn’t resist sharing this video from the Strictly Blues
finals featuring the slowest aerial in history? I don’t know, you decide. But the first couple definitely make you want to dance in Heidelberg in January!
If you haven’t seen this footage, I recommend you watch it! It’s the team form Swing Patrol London compteing on the Dance Off stage at this years Secret Garden Party. Swing Dancing in a boxing ring…yes, you heard me.
It’s fair to say that the Andrew’s Sisters can do no wrong in my eyes, which is probably why this clip from the 1941 movie Buck Privates is one of my favourites. The Andrews Sisters perform four songs in this film: You’re a Lucky Fellow, Mr. Smith, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, [I'll Be With You When It's] Apple Blossom Time and this one – Bounce Me Brother with a Solid Four. The Lindy hop sequence features Dean Collins, Jewel McGowan, Ray Hirsch and Patty Lacey – which is amazing in itself…but not as amazing as the super daggy Shim Sham by the Andrew Sisters in the middle, I just love those flippy legs and the wierd sideways shuffles! My Shim Sham suddenly feels less comic…. next Swing Pit anyone? See you in the middle
Take a peek at this amazing video of Mable Lee, the sassy chanteuse and jazz dancer with the million-dollar legs! Mable is often called ‘Queen of the Soundies’ – an early version of music videos three-minute musical films, produced in New York, Chicago, and Hollywood between 1940 and 1946. If you’ve never seen a soundies have a hunt for them. There’s some great ones with Fats Waller, my personal favourites !
Anyway, after you’ve seen ‘the legs’ speed through the wooden looking white folks and straight to the jams at the end. There’s some pearlers!
I love clips like this…they remind you that dancing is just fun, done rhythmically
Shorty George Snowden is widely cited as one of the top dancers at the Savoy between 1926 and the early 1930s. He formed the first professional Lindy Hop troupe, the Shorty Snowden Dancers and is widely recognised for two things; the Shorty George dance step and coning the term Lindy Hop.
His famous dance step ‘The Shorty George’ – in which his bent his knees, swinging from side to side, exaggerate his closeness to the ground- is a parody of himself and his general tininess!
George was barely five feet tall. But he didn’t let that stop him. His dance partner Big Bea was huge in contrast and paired up they were considered comic dancing phenomenon. They often ended their routines in a comic move in which she carried him off the dance floor on her back.
Take a look at this clip from 1937 which shows George and Bea dancing…
In case you hadn’t noticed the sun is out and we’re feeling summery. So in that great British tradtion of running to park and lying there all day with a beer why not get yourself down to Newington Green for a spot of Jazz on the Green?
To support the local area Swing Patrol will be attending this event and dancing and handing out flyers. It will run from 12.30 to 3.30pm and feature The Brass Volcanoes. As the old saying goes, only mad dogs and Englishmen bask in the mid day sun. Buck the trend and come and dance instead The lovely Ashleigh is in charge of picnic location and would love your support!
Psssttt….don’t tell anyone but we’ll be at the Secret Garden Party this year. Yes, rehearsals have been underway and planning is a go-go for an exciting array of classes and performances at one of the UK’s best small festivals. Among the acts performing are Caravan Palace and we’ve been getting very exciting about the prospect of swinging out to them in a field in Cambridge shire. Swinging out to electro-swing?! I hear you cry. Yes! That’s right. And just in case you thought it couldn’t be done, take a look at this amazing performance form the Ninjammerz at with the very same Caravan Palace at Festival de Jazz de Montréal.
Next challenge…swinging out in wellies. Oh dear… Share
