| Swing dancing rocketed to popularity with the advent | | | | messages sent from the leader; no matter how tall or |
| of the big band, especially during World War II, though it | | | | short her partner is, the woman decides the height at |
| was popular throughout the late 1920's, 30's and 40's. | | | | which the two have their arms. The man leads the |
| The most common types of swing are the Jitterbug | | | | woman with pressure on the hands and back to |
| and its more difficult counterpart, the Lindy Hop. (The | | | | indicate where she should move her body. |
| Jitterbug is done on an eight count, and the Lindy Hop | | | | In ballroom dancing competitions, East Coast Swing is |
| is a triple step.) | | | | the standard used for swing dancing. East Coast is a |
| There are dozens of styles of dance that fall under | | | | 6-count variation of the Lindy Hop perfected in the |
| Swing Dancing: the Charleston, the Lindy Hop, the | | | | 1940s. East Coast can be danced to slow or fast |
| Jitterbug, the Balboa, West Coast Swing, East Coast | | | | paced jazz; Rockabilly is more of a West Coast style. |
| Swing, Jive, and St. Louis Shag to name a few. But all | | | | Today, swing dancing is most often found in social |
| are done to big band jazz music, and all are partner | | | | settings; local dances often have large followings of |
| dances led by the male. | | | | swingers who dress in period costume and dance the |
| Women dance with their elbows tucked in close to the | | | | night away to live big band artists. |
| body and their hands at waist height to receive the | | | | |