Blues Dancing

What is Blues?

Blues dancing is dancing to blues music. There are in fact many ways to dance to blues music, from vintage African-American blues dances, to modern West Coast Swing. Usually modern blues dancers prefer slow blues music, but blues dancing can include medium and fast tempos as well.

Origins

Blues dancing is as old as Blues music. As Blues music appeared in the American black community, people adapted West African dance movements to the new music style.

Dancing to blues music became an important feature of Jook joints (small shacks in the country where people would come to drink and dance) and "rent parties," where individuals would organize a party with musicians and alcohol, and charge an entry fee. Other styles of dance evolved for dancing to slow blues music in large dance halls such as the Savoy.

Blues Dancing Styles

Most early styles of blues dancing used very simple basic movements, which were then interpreted by the dancers according to the music.

Ballroomin', The Ballroom or Savoy Blues - This is a fancy, complex style of dancing that draws on Lindy Hop movements for inspiration. The best way to describe the original dance may be as a black American imagining of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, dancing to slow blues music.
The Fish Tail - One of many dances drawing on African movements, but done with a partner, the Fish Tail accentuates the movement of the hips.
Struttin', or the Strut - A rhythmic walking dance.
Slow Drag - A popular dance originally done to ragtime music.
West Coast Swing - While West Coast Swing is often danced to contemporary music, its origins are in R'nB music, and slow blues is a popular choice of music for WCS dancers.

Blues today

Blues dancing has been the Lindy Hop community's answer to the need for slow dancing. Many dancers are more interested in the slow, connected aspects of the dance than in the historical roots or the relationship to actual blues music. However, as interest in slow blues dancing has increased, more swing instructors have researched the roots of blues dancing as done in the swing era, and blues dancing is being revived as an authentic dance form.

Blues in Ottawa with Swing Dynamite

At Swing Dynamite we emphasize the roots of blues dancing, and the ways that great blues music can inspire your dancing. If you're looking to start dancing blues in Ottawa, we have regular blues classes as well as a few annual blues events! Sign up for classes here.

The Blues Fuse

Our Blues Fuse workshops emphasize that there are many ways to enjoy blues music, by featuring both vintage blues and West Coast Swing dance styles. The Blues Fuse.

Ottawa Blues Blast

Every year we hold our annual Blues Blast, one of Canada's biggest blues dancing events! Don't miss the next Blues Blast!