Swing Dance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NOcW62tgBg&noredirect=1

Question 1:
What is swing dance?

Swing dance is an amalgamation of dance moves that are quite often crazy and exotic looking. Such is shown in Video 1.

Video 1

That video is a clip from the movie Hellzapoppin'

Swing dance officially started in San Francisco in the 1910s. But the dance did not take America by storm until the 1920s with the booming popularity of Big Band music. From the 1920s to the 1950s every region in the United States had created their local version of Swing Dance. For example, Blues and Charleston were created in the southern States while the Balboa and other dances were created in California and other West Coast States.
*See below videos

Swing dance did not just stay in the United States. There is a movie called Swing Kids and it is about Germany before the second World War and how the younger generation created an underground culture that was centered around Swing Dancing. The underground culture formed when Hitler banned all foreign music and made any dance besides the polka illegal.

Just like each region in the United States created unique spins on swing dance so did a few other countries. England came up with something called the Skip-Jive which is a variation of Jive dancing (Jive was brought over to England by American G.I.’s). This dance became very popular in England during the 1950s and 60s when traditional Jazz became a bigger player on the music scene.

But according to CBS news Swing Dance has not lost any appeal over the years.

The timeless allure of swing dancing

Every year in parks across the country, bands strike up tunes from a by-gone era, and dancers of all ages start to swing.
"It's the greatest social dance in the world, because everybody around the world can swing," said Norma Miller, a member of the original swing generation. At age 94, she still travels the world living up to her title as the "Queen of Swing."

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-timeless-allure-of-swing-dancing/

Swing dance still influences musicians, artists, dancers, and movie makers today. *See videos below.

How about a little competition? All around the world there are swing dance competitions. The competitions usually consist of Jack and Jill where the dancers rotate partners and Strictly Swing where couples compete against other couples. http://www.swingdancecouncil.com/ActiveServerPages/UpcomingEvents.asp

As an avid swing dancer myself I can relate to the enticement of swing dance and how it slowly took over my life. I was in a car accident a few years ago and one of the things that helped me to recuperate was swing dance. As soon as I could walk without crutches I went straight back to dancing and I have not stopped since. In fact, I am now the President of the MTSU Swing Dance Club. We meet Wednesdays and Fridays from 6-9 at the Murphy Center, Dance Studio A. All are welcome to join in!

Videos:

Cee Lo Green - Cry baby