Like a Puzzle...

There is not one style of Swing Dancing, but many. There are some styles that focus more on the basic steps, and there are others that place much more focus on the various moves that can be done. I have only been exposed to a few different styles at this point. The primary style that I dance is called East Coast Jitterbug. This type of Swing has a very basic step. Because of the simplicity of the step, there is much room for inserting various moves and even just improvisation on the guys part. Another considerably faster type of Swing is called Lindy Hop. This style is much faster, and the basic step is considerably more difficult. Different moves can be inserted into this style as well, but the primary focus is the step itself. Another type of Swing Dancing that I have just recently encountered is called Balboa. This style is much different because unlike Jitterbug and Lindy Hop, Balboa is a body led dance. The lead guides the follow primarily with the movement of their body rather than the use of their arms. One of the great things about Swing Dancing is that it is possible to transition from one style to another in the middle of a song. Therefore, if you are dancing Jitterbug and at some point want to speed it up you can quickly transfer into Lindy Hop. As you learn more of the different types of Swing, you can begin to piece them together in order to have a more creative dance.