Aerial (dance move)

Aerial (dance move)

An aerial (or air step) is a dance move in Lindy Hop where one's feet leave the floor. The term has come to mean a wide range of special and unusual dance moves, including dips, slides, and tricks.

The firstfact|date=July 2008 Lindy Hop aerial was performed by Frankie Manning in 1935. Frankie Manning and George Snowden competed in weekly dance contests at the Savoy Ballroom. Shorty George and Big Bea had a move, where they stood back-to-back; they locked arms; Big Bea bent over, picking Shorty George up on her back; and then she carried him off the floor, while he kicked his feet. Frankie Manning wanted to outdo Shorty George, so he convinced his partner Freda Washington, to flip over his back. Called the 'over the back', this flip is considered the first Lindy aerial.

Aerials quickly caught on in Lindy Hop. In 1935, the troupe Whitey's Lindy Hoppers (aka the Harlem Congeroos) formed and performed at private parties in New York. From 1936 to 1941, they toured the world and performed in movies and some after 1945, showing Lindy Hop and aerials to the world.

Aerials had been performed in other dances before 1935. For example, the Nicholas Brothers used leaps and flips in their tap dance routines in the early 1930s at the Cotton Club. Flash dancers, who toured with big bands in the United States in the early twentieth century, performed acrobatic dances, often matched with tap dancers and contortionists in travelling shows.

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Aerial dance — Aerial modern dance is a sub genre of modern dance first recognized in the United States in the 1970s. The choreography incorporates an apparatus often attached to the ceiling, allowing performers to explore space in three dimensions. The ability …   Wikipedia

  • Aerial — can mean:Devices *A radio antenna. *Aerial apparatus, a device used for firefighting and rescue. *Aerial work platform, a device for positioning workers.Movement *Aerial (dance move), a dance move found in Lindy Hop. *Aerials (skateboarding), a… …   Wikipedia

  • Kip (dance move) — The Kip is a dramatic aerial (or air step) commonly performed in Lindy hop swing routines. The follower performs a moving jump over and around the lead s back landing in approximately the same spot as where the move began. The Kip is also known… …   Wikipedia

  • dance — dancingly, adv. /dans, dahns/, v., danced, dancing, n. v.i. 1. to move one s feet or body, or both, rhythmically in a pattern of steps, esp. to the accompaniment of music. 2. to leap, skip, etc., as from excitement or emotion; move nimbly or… …   Universalium

  • Aerial cartwheel — An aerial cartwheel is an acrobatic move in which a cartwheel is executed without touching hands to the floor. During execution of a standard cartwheel, the performer s body is supported by the hands while transitioning through the inverted… …   Wikipedia

  • dance, Western — Introduction       history of Western dance from ancient times to the present and including the development of ballet, the waltz, and various types of modern dance.       The peoples of the West of Europe and of the countries founded through… …   Universalium

  • Front aerial — [ right|thumb|316px|A acro dance routine.] A front aerial is an acrobatic move in which a person executes a complete forward revolution of the body without touching the floor. Front aerials are performed in various physical activities, including… …   Wikipedia

  • Lindy hop today — Lindy hop is only one of many swing dances popular today, and there are thriving local communities throughout the world. Structurally, lindy hop s basic step the swing out combines both closed position and open position, and is clearly related to …   Wikipedia

  • Michael Jackson — For other people named Michael Jackson, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation). Michael Jackson …   Wikipedia

  • List of snowboard tricks — Snowboard tricks are aerials or maneuvers performed on snowboards for fun, or in competitions. Most often, these maneuvers are performed on obstacles such as jumps, halfpipes, quarterpipes, hips, handrails, funboxes, or ledges, or on the surface… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”