The Orange County Swing Scene and Beyond…

Jazz and Jazz dancing was once a world wide phenomena.  From New Orleans to Old Shanghai, jazz bands played for throngs of eager dancers and club goers.  Now, nearly a century later, after some quiet years of change and revival, jazz is alive and well in communities strewn about the globe.

Lindy Hop and swing dancing has spread from the USA to Europe, the Middle East to India, and South America to Asia.  Our very own Atomic Ballroom teachers, such as Nikki Marvin and Mikey Pedroza, have taken their individual brand and love of lindy hopping around the States, Europe and Korea.  And if you are a traveling swing dance enthusiast, you can travel to (nearly) any country and find a local community of other lindy hop enthusiasts swinging out, boogie walkin’ and jivin’ around.

A World Community Connected in Dance

Despite its humble ‘origins’ in New York, the Lindy Hop, whether in its improvised, social dance or competition form, has traveled from country to country.  The unofficial mecca of swing is over 5,500 miles away from Orange County, in a little town in northern Sweden called Herräng – a town with less than 450 inhabitants, except when over 750 people from over 30 countries descend on the village each week in July.  And one of the largest emerging dance communities is in Seoul, Korea with over 5000 dancers in 14 venues!!

Here in Orange County, we welcome a number of traveling swing dancers who come to events such as Inspiration Weekend, the 24-Hour Dance-a-Thon, or just want to check out our local and long lasting community.  We go about the world on business trips and vacations yearning to swingout no matter where we find ourselves – in fact, your faithful blogger is currently writing this from a rainy cafe in Stockholm.  It is a beautiful thing to have something in common with people miles and cultures away.  And all we need is to find the scene and put on some music to forge our bonds on the dance floor.

Get connected to Lindy and Swing Dancing Around the World

thelindyhop.com – Search for Lindy Hop and Swing Websites, Forums, Stores and more…in every town and country you can find them!  If you’re set to travel, check out this excellent and useful site to get connected with a local venue or community!

One Dance to Rule Them All & in the Darkness Bind Them

Frankie’s Shim Sham – performed by dancers in over 20 countries in honor of his 95th Birthday in 2009.  Frankie may have passed away a month before the unveiling of this video, but I doubt he was blind to fact that his legacy had spread far and wide, bringing together people from all walks of life, in many countries and all with a passion for lindy and swing.  The legacy continues here…