Seben) - in The Mid-Thirties, Frank. Manning Introduced The Angular Posture That Soon

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Introduction:   During the days of slavery in the United States, the African slaves
entertained themselves, and others, with musical and dance forms that contained elements
they brought with them from Africa. Some of the dances the slaves created went on to
become national dance crazes for all Americans, such as the Cakewalk, and later the
Black Bottom and the Charleston. When the Lindy Hop emerged in Harlem in the late
1920's it contained many of these African characteristics. However, it was danced in a
rigid, upright manner (as you can see on the Shorty George Snowden filmclip, After
Seben). In the mid-thirties, Frank. Manning introduced the angular posture that soon
swept the Savoy Ballroom. Manning had no idea that hewas bringing the dance closer to
its African roots-- he says, "I thought it looked better that way, that's all."

                              What follows are a list of characteristics of African dance that are
found in African-American dance forms.    
                                    Many of these characteristics are still very much a part of swing
dancing. Some of these characteristics are 
                                    seen primarily in Savoy style Lindy Hop, and less in some of the
other swing forms.

                This list is reprinted with permission from a book called "When
the Spirit Moves" which accompanied a 
                traveling exhibition of African-American dance art. 

African Movement
Vocabulary. African dance moves all
parts of the body, in contrast to many
European forms that rely mostly on
arm and leg movement. Angular
bending of arms, legs and torso;
shoulder and hip movement; scuffing,
stamping, and hopping steps;
asymmetrical use of the body; and
fluid movement are all part of African
dance.

Orientation Toward the Earth. The


African dancer often bends slightly
toward the earth and flattens the feet
against it in a wide, solid stance.
Compare this to traditional European
ballet's upright posture, with arms
lifted upward and feet raised up onto
the toes.
Improvisation. Within the patterns
and traditions of age-old dance forms,
an African felt free to be creative. A
dancer could make an individual
statement or give a new interpretation
to a familiar gesture.

Circle and Line Formations. Many


African dances are performed by lines
or circles of dancers. Traditional
European dance also incorporated
lines and circles, and this
commonality may have been
important in dance exchange.

Importance of the
Community.  Africans danced mainly
with and for the community. Solo
performers were supported and
affirmed by the group through singin,
hand clapping, and shouted
encouragement.

Polyrhythms.  African music included


several rhythms at the same time, and
Africans often danced to more than
one beat at once. Dancers could move
their shoulders to one beat, hips to
another, and knees to another. This
rhythmic complexity, with basic
ground beat and counterbeats played
against it, formed the basis for later
music such as ragtime, jazz, and
rock'n'roll.

Percussion. In much of Africa,


percussion often dominates music and
in many cases the drum is the leading
instrument. In America, enslaved
African created a broad range of
percussive instruments. Hand
clapping, foot tapping, and body
patting were also important
percussive sounds.

Pantomine. Many African dances


reflect the motions of life. Dance
movement may imitate animal
behavior like the flight of the egret,
enact human tasks like pounding rice,
or express the power of spirits in
whirling and strong forward steps.

Something in the Hand. African ritual


dance makes use of special objects,
including masks and costumes. In this
country, Afgrican Americans
continued to use sticks or staffs, cloth,
and other objects in dance.
Handkerchiefs, canes, and top hats
became part of the dance, as did other
objects in stage routines.

Competitive Dance.  Competing
through dance is a widespread custom
in West and Central Africa. In
America, this tradition continued in
"cutting" contests, challenge dances,
Cakewalk contests, Break Dance
rivalries, Jitterbug competitions, Step
Dance shows, and other events.

1st Jan, 1927 Jitterbug

Carolina's
1st Jan, 1930
Shag
West Coast
1st Jan, 1931
Swing

Burlesque Fan
1st Jan, 1932
Dance

1st Jan, 1934 Big Apple

1st Jan, 1938 Mambo

1st Jan, 1941 Jive

1st Jan, 1947 Salsa Dancing

1st Jan, 1950 Lindy Hop

1st Jan, 1952 Cha Cha Cha

1st Jan, 1955 Mule Walk

1st Jan, 1957 The Dip


1st Jan, 1960 Watusi

Texas Two
1st Jan, 1970
Step

1st Jan, 1970 Hip Hop

Charles Lindburg invented this dance in 1929


when the Great Depression hit. I think he invented
this because after ten years with the Charleston
Swing dancing dance it got a little boring. Anyway they the people
18th Apr, started during the called it the Lindy Hop first, then swing dancing or
1929 Great Depression in the jitterbug.They would have frazes for them, for
1929. example "let's lindy!", "Swing It Baby!", or "Let's
jitter or Let's Jitterbug hunn!". He also Invented it
because of The New Jazz Rage, they called it, it
was coming from Harlem it was clled Swin

Jazz is the name of the dance style that began in


the 70's. It was a new movement that was popular
in clubs. Although jazz music had been around
18th Apr, Jazz dancing started much earlier, it wasnt until the 70's that studios
1970 in the 1970s. began formalising the jazz steps and teaching
them, today jazz had levels and grades, and is a
recognised form of dance, prodominantly in the
commercial dance scene.

Hip Hop is a cultural and artistic movement (even


a way of life) which appeared in the United States
in the middle of the 1970. Originated from the
black ghettos from New-York, it combines feast
aspects with revolted ones. Hip Hop dancing is the
18th Apr, Hip-Hop Dancing
best known element of this culture. The four main
1970 began in the 1970s.
elements of hip hop culture are the rap and more
generally hip hop music dancing graffiti, DJ work,
break dance and the other hip hop dances.
Sometimes one can add beat box, even street
fashion, street l

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