Welcome to Rug-Cutters Lindy Hop Club
The Origins of Lindy Hop
Created by Black Americans in Harlem in the late 1920s, the Lindy Hop developed out of four previously popular social dances: the Charleston, the Collegiate, the Breakaway, and, according to dance historian Marshall Stearns, the Texas Tommy. Certain elements of the Lindy can be traced back to African and early African-American dance forms.
Danced in couples with the man traditionally leading, the Lindy incorporates steps danced in an unset order as well as improvisational dancing. As the Lindy became popular in the late 1930s, dance schools created a simplified six-count basic Lindy. As a performance art, the Lindy may involve choreographed routines, and acrobatic airsteps.
Most sources agree that the name Lindy Hop became attached to the dance shortly after Charles Lindbergh completed the first solo transatlantic flight on 20 May 1927. ’Shorty George’ Snowden, a much-admired dancer at the time, is credited with naming the Lindy Hop when, shortly after the momentous event, he was asked by reporters at a Manhattan Casino dance marathon what dance he was doing. Perhaps Snowden was influenced by such headlines as "Lindy Hops the Atlantic”.
The Ambassador Of Lindy Hop
Frankie Manning created the first airstep and synchronised ensemble Lindy routines.
Earlier he had developed his style of dancing more horizontally to the floor in order to create a wilder, abandoned effect.
The famed Savoy Ballroom in Harlem was the centre of the universe for Lindy hoppers. Encouraged by Herbert "Whitey" White, a Savoy bouncer, Manning and a new generation of enthusiastic young black dancers continued to expand the vocabulary of floor steps as well as airsteps. This feverishly creative period was often stoked by a friendly competitiveness among the dancers for prizes awarded at weekly dance contests held at the Savoy, the Apollo theatre and at the annual Harvest Moon Ball competition in Madison Square Garden that began in 1935. Impromptu performances for appreciative, often tipping Savoy patrons also inspired the dancers.
In the mid-1930s, as the swing music of Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Jimmie Lunceford, the Savoy house band of Chick Webb and Ella Fitzgerald and many others,was embraced by the nation, the Lindy Hop became the rage among the younger set.
From the latter half of this decade, the Lindy Hop was commonly known as the Jitterbug. Thi s enormously popular social dance, as practiced by the masses, might have lacked the acrobatic airsteps of performance Lindy but not its enthusiasm or energy.
Whiteys Lindy Hoppers
Whitey beganorganising professional dance troupes in 1936. Appearing under various names, but most often as Whitey's Lindy Hoppers. This group toured the globe until WWII; they performed in nightclubs, theatres, revues, on Broadway (Hot Mikado, 1939, Swingin' the Dream, 1939), at the 1939 Worlds Fair Hall Of Music, in a Soundie (a brief film shown in Jukeboxes to accompany the record) with Duke Ellington & his Orchestra (Hot Chocolates, 1941) and in several films, including: A Day At The Races (1937), Hellzapoppin' (1941), Sugar Hill Masquerade (1942) and Killer Diller (1948).
These exceptionally talented dancers were knownfor their frenetic ensemble routines, uniquely expressive solos and breathtakingly daring airsteps. Frankie Manning, recruited by Whitey as a dancer, soon became his chief choreographer as the young man's choreographic and leadership talents became apparent. Among the many notable dancers in the troupe were Norma Miller, Willamae Ricker, Leon James and Al Minns.
The term swing dance became associated with the Lindy as swing music came into vogue. After the war, swing dancing slowly declined in popularity as other social dances, particularly non-touch dance types (the twist was a huge cause of the decline of partnered dancing), came into favour and big bands became too expensive to run and hire.
A revival of swing dance took place in the mid-1980s in America, Sweden and London, and the revival has continued.
Films Containing Lindy Hop
• After Seben – 1929 Short featuring Shorty George Snowden
• Day at the Races – Marx Brothers
• Hellzapoppin’ – shows Whitey’s Lindyhoppers at their best choreographed by Frankie Manning and Dean Collins & Martha Raye dancing to ’Watch the Birdie’
• Manhattan Merry-go-Round – musical review with Cab Calloway, Louis Prima
• Radio City Revels - 1938
• Big Apple (Jittering Jitterbugs) – 1937 Short from Keep Punchin’
• Hot Chocolates (Cottontail) – 1942 Soundie
• Killer Diller – 1948 featuring the Congaroo Dancers
• Malcolm X – 1992 [airsteps are shown in this film as being done on the dance floor but in reality they were only used in competitions and demos]
Of course on today's dance floors (as in the 1920s,30s & 40s), the accent is on social Lindyhop,
Aerials are saved for demo or performance and competitions.
Many dance movies and clips to show and demonstrate Lindy hop on our video page.
Our dance club was established in the Huntingdon and Peterborough areas in 2006 for people wanting dance classes to learn swing dancing - the original Lindy Hop / Jitterbug / Jive.
Come along and learn to swing dance to music from the 1930's to current style swing and Big Bands found at many hangar dances, parties and music clubs.
Set up by Paul and Fae, we encourage people of all ages to try out and have fun learning dances of the 1930's/1940's era.
Informal classes in a friendly atmosphere mean a great evening out where you can meet friends; have a laugh and gain some exercise all at the same time!
We aim to have all visitors to our club dancing within their first hour of attending classes and being able to progress at their own rate.
No partner is required, as we normally rotate the class to improve lead and follow (which also adds to the social element too).
One of the hottest dances on the scene!
As seen in the final of the BBC’s “Strictly Come Dancing” 2009 & 2018,“Strictly Dance Fever” in 2005/2006, performed in “Strictly Come Dancing” in 2008, danced at Hangar Dances across the country, the Lindy Hop is the original fun and heart pumping form of Jive, danced to lively music ranging from 1920’s Big Bands to current top action Swing Bands.
The earliest form of Swing / Jive / Rock ‘n’ Roll, it includes an eclectic mixture of simple and flashy moves, many based on the dances of the roaring 20’s, with an injection of new steps and styling from its resurgence in London, New York and Sweden in the 1980’s.
It has not only swept the nation, but is now also danced all over the world by nationalities caught by the bug of this fun and crazy dance.
So, if you love those hip and swinging jazz tunes, this is the dance to do.
As well as our regular classes (see Classes section), we have our own authentic period clothing from the 1930’s, 1940’s and 1950’s so we can offer our services for re-enactment events, films & TV, schools & more!
We can provide performance demonstrations for your event: for example, it may be a corporate event, wedding, birthday, 40's event, music video, or whatever you would like, to add a special "swing" to the event. We can even teach a fun class to have your guests dancing within 30 minutes!
Workshops & Private lessons can easily be accommodated too (even in your area!).
We also teach “Collegiate Shag” classes! Until recently, every Thursday at St Neots (see our classes section), the first regular collegiate classes in East Anglia at present! Collegiate shag is another fun and enlivening dance style of the 1920/1930’s era (perhaps overshadowed by the famous “Charleston”); often then known as the "Fleahop" it is danced to medium to up-tempo music ranging from traditional Dixieland style jazz to Swinging bands.
The Shag was popular in the late 1920's and supposedly pre-dates the Lindy Hop with the collage students. It was primarily danced to fast Ragtime - Jazz type music. There were many Intercollegiate Dance Contests held in NYC in the 1920s-1930's which held a "Collegiate Shag Division".
We have been teaching and dancing the collegiate shag since around 2003.
now primarily taught as workshops.
Paul & Fae first started dancing Lindyhop together in 1999 and in 2002 our teaching began with the intermediate classes for a club near Cambridge.
Our own classes commenced in 2006, starting from scratch in a new area where there had previously been no swing dance classes, teaching further North than formerly to encourage new people into the "swing dance scene".
We have been fortunate enough to also be asked to guest teach at a host of other local clubs & events in the East Anglian region, including "Swing's The Thing" for 3 years based in Leicester, working with our friend Geof Connelly of Northampton Swing Dance Society, "When Jive Met Swing" for 2 years, working with Jiveswing.com. We have also been invited to cover some of the local teachers during their holidays.
We have also taught for "Rock The Block" in Norfolk, for "South West Lindy Hoppers", based in Devon, "DJam" festival in Durham, "Jumpin At The Woodside 2" in Gloucester, "Brighton Lindy Hop festival" & "Hullzapoppin" to name just a few.
We have also performed and taught fun classes at the Twinwood Festival at RAF Twinwood since it's debut
We have been lucky enough to perform for the Twinwood Festival every year from its debut (now its 21st year), the last 17 years as our own venture, Rug-Cutters Lindy Hop, always choreographing our own routines. For the last 17 years we have been very fortunate to be able to run and co-ordinate the dance marquee at theTwinwood Festival (since 2008), as well as workshops in the hangar/Tin Hat for the last 9 years.
We have previously danced for the American ambassador on his visit to Bletchley Park, won two small local dance competitions in Lindy hop as well as performing at countless dance weekends and 40's events, corporate events, birthday parties, charity events, film and TV work and more.
We love the dance so much we want everybody to learn - hence why we started teaching!
From teaching primary school groups right up to pensioners we are happy to help everybody find their dance feet and "swing dance" to their heart's content.
At least 12 of our students have gone on to teach themselves!
Our future plans are:
• to encourage newcomers of all ages to swing dancing,
• help boost the ability of more experienced dancers ranging from beginner to advanced levels,
• encourage dancers of other styles to try out more dance styles,
• boost the local swing dance scene
• to help to improve the general UK swing dance scene as a whole.
DROP-IN Classes.
Please note changes/updates below in the class changes/updates section
Classes can now resume without bubble pairs, rotation of partners during classes- so all welcome. Do not come along if you have tested positive for COVID. please read notes below
DROP-IN Classes.
Please note changes/updates below in the class changes/updates section
Cost of evening: £8.00
Classes can now resume without bubble pairs, rotation of partners during classes- so all welcome. Do not come along if you have tested positive for COVID. please read notes below in changes/updates.
Evening Details
Absolute Beginners Lindy Hop class starting at 7.30pm
Freestyle/practice for around 15-30 minutes
Improver/Intermediate (second class)
starting at 9.00pm-ish
Both evenings finish at 10.15pm
Feel free to "drop-in"
Starting with absolute beginners
Cost of evening £8.00
All are inclusive of freestyle time
FUN classes, great to keep fit too!
Friendly atmosphere
Plenty of free parking
NO PARTNER NECESSARY! (we rotate people during the class)
Please tell your friends/families
ANY changes to classes can be found below
Every Monday (except Bank Holidays)
Christie Hall, Wansford (nr Peterborough).PE8 6JS
At this venue since 23rd June 2008.
2024: DROP-IN Classes!
Please note changes/updates below in the class changes/updates section
Evening Details
Absolute Beginners class starting at 7.30pm
Freestyle/practice for around 15minutes
Improver/intermediates 9.00pm-ish
Further practice until end of evening at 10.15pm
Feel free to "drop-in"
Cost of evening £8.00
All are inclusive of freestyle time
FUN classes, great to keep fit too!
Friendly atmosphere
Plenty of free parking
NO PARTNER NECESSARY! (we rotate people during the class)
Please tell your friends/families
EVERY TUESDAY
Hemingford Abbots village hall
High Street
Hemingford Abbots
Cambs. PE28 9AH
2024: DROP-IN Classes!
Please note changes/updates below in the class changes/updates section
Evening Details
Absolute Beginners class starting at 7.30pm
Freestyle/practice for around 15minutes
Improver/intermediates
starting at 9.00pm-ish
Further practice until end of evening at 10.15pm
Feel free to "drop-in"
We deliberately don't run our classes as a course, but are working hard to run as a "drop in" class so anyone can join in at any point.
Starting with absolute beginners
Cost of evening £8.00
Class changes/updates
Any changes to classes will be added here:
Drop-in classes /back to normal- no booking required (currently).
ANY QUESTION? please do contact us. Thanks!
Normal classes still resuming on a Monday and Tuesday evening.
Please support these nights and tell your friends, family and anyone you bump into in the street. Thank you.