What if we travelled back in time to Swing-era New York?
In the first episode, we look at the intricacies of time travel: would a present-day Lindy Hop dancer be able to social dance if they travelled back in time to 1930s or 1940s New York? *** Contributors...
View ArticleWhat is globalisation doing to swing dancing?
In this episode, we debate regionalism vs globalisation in swing music and dance: what role do regional or historic styles and traditions play in an increasingly globalised world? *** Contributors to...
View ArticleWhat's it like to be a swing musician today?
Episode 3 looks at what it's like to be a swing musician today. How close can you get to the true sound? Do you need to? And it is possible to make original swing music in our technology-savvy age? ***...
View ArticleHealth, well-being and social conventions
Episode 4 is all about health and well-being for dancers: staying in shape with Jo Hoffberg, alcohol and social conventions with Kevin St. Laurent, plus some disturbing injury statistics from Dance UK....
View ArticleGender roles in dance
This episode is all about gender roles in swing dance and society. Does the Lindy Hop accentuate the divide between men and women or mitigate it? And what effect has the feminist project had on swing...
View ArticleFashion and swing dance
The Lindy Hop does not necessarily involve dressing up, retro or otherwise - indeed, when a group of Swedish pioneers revived swing dancing in the 1980s, they did it in true 1980s style. Even so, more...
View ArticleTeaching the Lindy Hop
In this special episode recorded live at Lindy Shock University 2015, From the Top sits down with eight swing dance instructors to talk shop. We ask what it's like to start out as a Lindy Hop teacher -...
View ArticleThe limits of swing dance
Swing dance can be many things, but where exactly does it begin and end? We ask four swing dancers who push it to the limit. *** Contributors to this episode: Ksenia Parkhatskaya, Russian-born dancer,...
View ArticleBeginner dancing
We look at the trials and tribulations of being a beginner dancer, with personal stories and anecdotes mixed in with some professional advice as well as insights from Alexei and Marcus. ***...
View ArticleTake Five: the other side of the story
Jean-Charles Zambo, a.k.a. Joyss, shot to overnight fame after this video of his Take Five routine at Montreal Swing Riot 2015 went viral. www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5iMNzDG_g4 In a preview of our...
View ArticleVideo and swing dance
Modern swing dancing has been deeply influenced by the rapid dissemination of video content and the corresponding revolution in video recording technology: videos have become much easier to get and...
View ArticleAlina Sokulska: Rebel Rebel
In this second of our special features, we hear from Alina Sokulska about how she sees herself in the world of swing and jazz dance. Originally from Kiev, Ukraine, Alina is IG HOP's Dancer in Residence...
View ArticleTravel and swing dance
In this our summer-minded episode, we look at something that binds us all together: travel. Man's deep-rooted desire to travel and explore, coupled with the increasing globalisation of the swing dance...
View ArticleDave King: loving irony
Drummer and composer Dave King is perhaps best-known as a co-founder and one-third of the U.S. jazz trio The Bad Plus. He has also co-founded a number of other groups, including Happy Apple and...
View ArticleSwing dance: art or what?
Swing dance isn't usually classified as art. This title is normally applied to ballet, tango, folk dance or contemporary dance. But is this fair? And does swing dance need to be on a par with these...
View ArticleAnaïs Sékiné: swinging academic
In this fourth of our special series, we talk to Anaïs Sékiné, a dancer and researcher (or, to use her own definition, a dancing researcher) in Montreal who is conducting PhD research in modern swing...
View ArticleA world without borders
We return to the topic of globalisation with an episode that is full of stories of border-crossing. From London to Vienna to Leipzig to Seoul, we hear from those who started dancing in one place but...
View ArticlePeter Loggins: Enough with the shoebox mentality
Veteran performer and instructor Peter Loggins has a powerful message for his fellow dancers: go out and do it in public. Peter is also featured in Episode 12 - Swing dance: art or what? Cover...
View ArticleThe economy of swing dance
Swing dancing seems far removed from the daily grind of business life but in fact it's just as much about money and value as any other human activity. It's just that its financial system is extremely...
View ArticleSwing dance and disability
Swing dancing may seem like a carefree world that is "open to all" but even some perfectly fit and healthy people can have a hard time entering it, to say nothing of people with disabilities. In this...
View ArticleSmall and tall
A person's height affects all aspects of their life, and it matters when it comes to dancing, too. We hear from both ends of the spectrum. *** Contributors to this episode: Sofi Mirkovic, Maria...
View ArticleSwing dance and drugs
Drugs don't seem to play a big role in the swing dance community but they are there - though it's mostly just cannabis and other soft drugs. In this episode, we hear from two anonymous dancers that...
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