The Great Depression and World War II (1929-1945)

Arts

This collection uses primary sources to explore the cultural impact of swing dancing.

A photograph of crowds gathered to watch jitterbugs at the 1939 New York World’s Fair.

A photograph of a 1938 protest at the National Jitterbug Championship.

Ray Rand's Swing Octette was barred from the National Jitterbug Championship contest on September 18, 1938.

A 1938 photograph of a performance depicting the origins of modern jitterbug dancing and its relationship with African tribal dances. 

A 1942 photograph of a napping swing dancer.

During World War II, many young women worked late into the evening at defense plants and then went out swing dancing until the morning.

A 1942 photograph of a “swing shift” dance.

During World War II, crowds of young dancers would create their own social clubs swing dancing after working late shifts at defense plants. 

A 1939 photograph depicting an African American couple dancing the jitterbug in a juke joint in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

A photograph of the Big Apple Night Club, an African American juke joint housed in an old Jewish synagogue in the 1930s in South Carolina.

A photograph of an African American couple dancing the Lindy in the 1930s at an unidentified club. 

Excerpts from a 1938 book on *Popular Ballroom Dances for the Student of Social Dancing* by Thomas E. Parson.

Thomas E. Parson’s 1938 book on a selection of ballroom dances demonstrates the influence of “radical changes in the trend of not only the eccentric, or trick dancing, but the conservative styles as well.”


A 1950s photograph of Brigham Young University students dancing the Lindy.

Questions

1. Using the items in this collection, compare and contrast jitterbugs, Swing Kids, and Lindy Hoppers with members of contemporary music-centric cultural movements (i.e. hip-hop, rap, alternative, etc.). 
2. Using the photographs in this collection, discuss the significance of swing dancing during the 1930s and 1940s. 
3. Using the book *Popular Ballroom Dances for the Student of Social Dancing*, compare and contrast the varying forms of swing dancing in the 1930s. 

Activity

Divide the class into pairs. Traditionally jitterbugs and Lindy Hoppers were male and female, but any pair of students will do. Using the book [*Popular Ballroom Dances for the Student of Social Dancing*](http://dp.la/primary-source-sets/jitterbugs-swing-kids-and-lindy-hoppers/sources/452), teach students one of the many social dances. Have the class perform for another class or invite parents to a dance recital. Ask students to dress for the era and have fun!

Teaching Guide: Exploring Swing Dancing

Resources

1. [Photographs of Jitterbug dancing](http://dp.la/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&type=image&q=jitterbug*), Digital Public Library of America. 
2. [Between the Wars: The Swing Era](http://chnm.gmu.edu/courses/hist409/swing.html), George Mason University. 
3. [Archives of Early Lindy Hop](http://www.savoystyle.com/history.html), Savoy Style. 

Overview

Swing dancing refers to a group of social dances developed in the 1920s and ’30s and influenced by African American communities as well as the jazz and blues movements. Swing dancing is comprised of various forms of dances that include the Balboa, Collegiate Shag, Lindy Hop and Lindy Charleston. These dances were particularly popular with youth groups who were oftentimes referred to as jitterbugs, Swing Kids, and Lindy Hoppers. During the Great Depression and World War II, swing dancing provided a recreational outlet and morale booster in large social gatherings, exclusive clubs, juke joints and competitive dance events. 


English

Jitterbugs, Swing Kids, and Lindy Hoppers

jitterbugs-swing-kids-lindy-hoppers_04_ffedfcbe3e34c96a50b2b415ad141de8.jpg

Courtesy of Los Angeles Public Library via California Digital Library.

“Tired swing shift dancer,” Digital Public Library of America, https://dp.la/item/8c1d06b93d1d8d19f5a13279c8cb163b.

A 1942 photograph of a napping swing dancer.

Cite this item

Tips for Students

Item 4 of 10 in the Primary Source Set Jitterbugs, Swing Kids, and Lindy Hoppers