Introduction

Swing Bums is the Trinity University Swing dancing organization. Swing dancing is a type of dance that came into popularity during the 1930's and 1940's at the same time that jazz music started to become more main stream. Swing dancing is most often accompanied by big band music, or Swing music. While there are many types of Swing dancing, each generally has syncopated movements with triple steps and steps. At Trinity, every Friday in the Stiren Dance Hall, experienced Swing Bums members give free beginner and intermediate Swing lessons from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM. Currently, East Coast Swing, Lindy Hop, Blues, and the Charleston are being taught in the lessons. Once steps are learned and confidence is gained, many Trinity Swing Dancers go to the Blue Bubble Ballroom and Sam's Burger Joint to show off their swing moves.

Lindy Hop

This is a video of Jenny and Hack showing off their Lindy Hop moves. The Lindy Hop is a type of Swing Dance that evolved during the late 1920's. The Lindy Hop is based mostly on the Charleston and the Texas Tommy. The name of the dance was originally the Lindbergh Hop after Charles Lindbergh and his famous "hop" across the Atlantic. The name Lindy was coined by a dancer at the Savoy Ballroom, "Shorty" George Snowden in 1928. The basic step of Lindy involves a revolving motion between the two partners. Two steps are taken forward and then a triple step is taken while reversing to face the other direction. This "step, step, triple step" is continued in a circular motion, alternating open and closed position. The Lindy Hop is taught at Swing Bums lessons on Fridays from 5 PM to 6 PM.

Charleston

The first video shows Lindsey teaching the basic Solo Charleston step. The second video shows Lindsey and Kyle, the usual Swing Bums teachers, showing off their moves in a Partner Charleston. The Charleston, a dance developed during the 1920's, was named after Charleston, South Carolina. The Charleston originally became popular during the Prohibition period, and this type of Charleston is most commonly associated with the flappers and speakeasy's of that time period. During the 1930s and 1940s, a different variation of the Charleston, more adapted to swing music, became popular. The Solo Charleston resembles a natural walking movement with feet kicking forwards and back, while staying in place, with swinging arms. Partner Charleston involves the same sort of feet and are movements, just with the addition of a partner. Partner Charelston can either be done facing one another or by facing the same direction, called Tandem Charelston, where the boys and girls kicks are done by the same feet at the same time. Charleston is occassionally taught at Swing lessons, but does not have a set time every week.

East Coast

This is Lindsey and Connor demonstrating a type of Swing Dancing called East Coast. This type of dance was developed during the 1940's along the eastern coast of the United States. East Coast is also referred to as Triple Swing because of the "triple steps" that are most commonly done, as opposed to single steps that are used in another variation of this dance. The technique of East Coast Swing involves a six count basic step. For the Triple version of East coast, three small steps are taken to one side (right for the girl and left for the boy) and then the weight is shifted to the other side (left for the girl and right for the boy) for three more small steps, after which a "rock step" is done by both partners. The rock step involves the girl stepping back with her right foot and the boy stepping back with his left foot. The East Coast lesson is usually taught from 4 PM to 5 PM on Fridays evenings in the Stiren Dance Hall.

Pink and Black Swing Fling

The Swing Bums and Phi Beta Kappa hosted the Pink and Black Swing Fling to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House charities. Trinity students, faculty, and members of the surrounding community were invited to come in pink and black attire to do some Swing Dancing. Hosted in Trinity's Fiesta Room, the Pink and Black Swing Fling was the second Swing Fling of the year. The Trinity jazz band provided the swingin music for the night and everyone danced the night away. With food, drinks, and good music, even the wallflowers were able to enjoy the evening. From the experienced Swingers to those just trying Swing dancing for the first time, everyone was in agreement that it was a very exciting and successful event.