Lindyfest 2014 - Invitational Strictly Lindy Hop Finals

Top swing dancers compete in the Invitational contest at Lindyfest and the Lone Star Championships in Houston, Texas. Featuring Peter Strom, Jo Hoffberg, Skye Humphries, Frida Segerdahl, Mike Roberts, Joanna Lucero, Brooks Prumo, Laura Glaess, Kevin St-Laurent, Gaby Cook, Nick Williams, Nina Gilkenson, Michael "Dargoff" Darigol, Brittany Johnson, Todd Yannacone and Ramona Staffeld.
Live music by Naomi Uyama and Her Handsome Devils: Naomi Uyama (vocals), Dalton Ridenhour (piano), Jake Sanders (guitar), Jared Engel (bass), Jeremy Noller (drums), Evan Arnzten (reeds), Charlie Halloran (trombone).
For more on Lindyfest and Lone Star, visit lindyfest.hsds....

[@TheLeaf424]

The woman in the red dress and gold heels is really good i love her! That move at 6:10 is so sassy!

[@jojobeanie]

Watching the slow motion one first and then watching the regular speed makes me appreciate everyone's quality of movement even more!

[@katej392]

When youve actually started learning, you can apreciate how good these guys are, and how effortless they make it look.

[@trophy1999]

This makes Salsa look tame... no wounder these guys loo so fit..LOL

[@vatozl0c0z]

love this type of dancing so much, lots of energy and attitude!!!

[@johnstill9490]

+Jacob Meth YES!! Love their ATTITUDE...lots of SMILING!!

[@ginoginoh]

Go do it! It's amazing :D

[@ilovejbf7]

How can anyone not smile while watching lindy hop...its impossible!

[@Pip2250]

At some point, it's just like, "Good luck, judges. You'll need it." Thanks for sharing, Alain!

[@ibarzabal]

A mention about this dance style in Stephen King's 11/22/63 book brought me here. And I am glad I did :)

[@farmergiles71]

A mention of this in Malcolm X's Biography brought me here :)

[@SPennell]

Alain...Always love your Lindy Hop videos. Thanks for sharing with us who appreciate the art but can't be there.

[@RomanAdar]

Alain another great video and of course excellent dancing and music as well. Thanks for sharing.

[@AlainWong]

You're welcome, Roman. Glad you appreciated it :)

[@VehementSecondary]

Alain Wong I feel lucky you're so generous! Cheers. :D

[@oliviaaloe9069]

My first exposure to this style of dance was just a few days ago! It's so happy and energetic!

[@rocketdawg3000]

0:21 to 0:32 front and center.....so smooth....jeez!

[@jayherzog7683]

One of the most beautiful art forms in the world.......Swinging to Lester Leaps In

[@donniehagy970]

I love to see dancing like this! They are DANCING--not rubbing all over each other!

[@glamourdaze]

Rock and Roll - thirty years before it's time!

[@Esralabu]

Flow state. Absolutely phantastic.

[@clg850b]

I really enjoyed watching that, thanks for posting.

[@SwingTime]

It's great to see how this amazing dancers have improved throughout the years and are still better now :D

[@KarlosAMRR]

que cosa mas emocionante ver las parejas bailar de esa forma. me encanta el espectaculo. Salon de bailes que se basan en estilos de bailes del 1920 al 1950 y 1960 los estilos son varios entre ellos el swing , charleston , lindy hop y varios mas, y donde las parejas compiten segun el estilo lento, medio y rapido como el jazz el blue y rock and roll . gracias a Alain Wrong por subir el video

[@jasonpatowsky6929]

first time seeing this kind of dance. Love it!

[@sixteenstringjack]

Going to my first class on Thursday. Can't wait / kinda scared I'll be rubbish!

[@happyfreethinker]

sixteenstringjack how did it go? Is it worth it for someone that has never danced sth else?

[@RoshinrajRavi]

@@happyfreethinker absolutely, it is.

[@59cadcoupe]

Fabulous! Everybody is wailing!

[@cesaremaffei3078]

TOP ! I love it ! Cesare from Italy

[@siartanas4195]

girl in red dress! you are the best really! hello to u from 2018!

[@drteeth7054]

Alain, you have the best videos.

[@venetiansiren]

Can't wait to go to my first lesson in pasadena this Thursday!!!!

[@nicolanero996]

Bellissimo

[@johngustafson2605]

Great band !!

[@jochun8]

Thanks for sharing and I congratulate you.

[@johnstill9490]

WOW!! Just love this!! Awesome, REALLY...

[@feebus1]

Cookin' band too!

[@ernestolapiedracanovas1959]

esto si que es música...

[@lovelaffin36]

Wow Wow!! So fantastic! So fun!!

[@brianbentley13]

Great dancing so professional

[@Jehielucas]

Ohhh i love it!

[@TrickyPat88]

Oh oh he's doing the Lindy Hop!

[@SheLeftALittleGlitter]

When the man casts the woman out, is the arm twirl a technical thing or is it just a natural movement? I'm not a dancer but I've been wanting to learn to swing for years.

[@starogre]

what arm twirl? when the guy swings the girl's arm around her back and spins her? that's called texas tommy

[@bluesharp59]

Very Nice ! Thumbs Up !!!!

[@gungriffen]

This has made me wonder, I've always assumed that film from the 1920s was sped up but watching this it may not have been.

[@elenkaInn]

Великолепный танец!

[@tiarailic4086]

must be sooo much fun!

[@user-yv2vq4tn3i]

Великолепно! Браво!!! )))

[@bluesharp59]

Shared to Facebook

[@txann9273]

Pre nils And Bianca

[@mort7380]

I cringe so much now bc when I was four I was at my grandparent's house I brought my backyardigan show and I found this dance on that episode and I followed EVERY MOVE. Then guess what? THEY WENT ON THE FRICKIN TABLE LOL AND GUESS WHAT I DID??? THE LINDY HOP ON THE TABLE AND MY GRANDPARENTS ASKED WHAT I WAS DOING THEN MY MOM EXPLAINED AS I CONTINUED TO DANCE😂

[@marciaross5921]

THE SAVOY KING is now on DVD! Don’t miss the film Dee Dee Bridgewater called, “A Masterpiece!” It celebrates the legendary Savoy Ballroom, Frankie Manning, Ella Fitzgerald, the amazing Lindy Hop dancers, and drummer / bandleader Chick Webb, the true “King of Swing.” www.thesavoykingdocumentary.com/shop?olsPage=products/the-savoy-king-dvd&olsFocus=false

[@kelleherkevin]

Nina Gilkenson!!

[@germanomondino6951]

Tai chi

[@MaryStellaRose]

Is it difficult to learn? Compared to other dances? It actually looks easy but many things which look easy are actually pretty difficult to do.

[@ExitSiign]

You can do the dance at any skill level and it can be a blast. It takes many years and lots of training/social dancing with lots of people to make it look as easy as the people in this video do. :)

[@dellmanification]

Brittany Johnson ticks the box!

[@rfwielebinski]

LIKE IT A LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT; CIAO FRANCIS

[@wallflower-lo3yx]

Can this type of dancing be done to modern music?

[@LaPenserosa1]

The music you hear in the video is being made right then and there, I think that fits the definition of 'modern.' ;) Jazz/Swing is a genre of music and the beat you're looking for is a fox trot/quickstep. If you can find something by an artist of another genre that plays in that tempo then you can do this dance to that.

[@LadyNeko]

Hermoso :3

[@TheGrapes156]

i wanna learn this XD

[@freakyfurby7953]

SHUT UPPP same XD

[@GerardJanin]

c'est autre chose que les danses d'aujourd'hui ou on danse seul en regardant les autres danser

[@joehelfenberger]

anyone know the name of the song they are dancing to beginning at 1:45? So catchy!

[@Mikos2408]

I think it's "Lester Leaps In" :)

[@johnstill9490]

Mikos2408 Fantastic dancing!!! Fantastic music!!! Yes, I think it was "Lester leaps in"...Lester Ferguson, tenor saxaphone...1960s? :)

[@samuelpope7798]

Does anybody know the name of the first song in this video? thanks

[@tracey7209]

I agree with the winners except, I think the couple with the woman in the gray dress should've been there instead of the woman with the tan dress lol. They were all awesome!

[@Choochin]

Soooo fuckin coooooool! I'd be hangin out with Trent and Sue watching Mikey dance with Loraine though. I cant dance.

[@SpeegBJ]

Wow, sure ain't Hellzapoppin'!

[@SonOvaSon]

That's cuz there is no black folk in this

[@davidm3946]

Also, because this is a "strictly" lindy competition, it means no air steps or aerial maneuvers which can look more dynamic to a non-lindy audience. As to Anhelito, I used to dance a lot in Tacoma, and I always lamented the fact that there weren't more black people (young or old) interested in participating.

[@SonOvaSon]

David Mortensen That is quite unfortunate :(

[@Dmiche02]

David Mortensen Because they'd be put to shame. That's why.

[@dogperson432]

Nothing about this contest says no aerials, aerials are just out of style and the music is frankly too slow for them to look cool.

[@nataschaschraib766]

SWING-Baby da kann ich nicht mehr Sitzen Jea:-):-):-)

[@vappukuivamaki5636]

Natascha Schraib

[@MrERNESTOSOTOGARCIA]

HI ALL PEOPLE!!! MY NAME IS ERNESTO I FROM TO MEXICALI, BAJA CALIFORNIA,MEXICO I LIKE SO MUCH THIS VIDEOS ALL DANCING GREAT, MY QUESTION IS WHY NOT INVITED A AFROAMERICANS AND THIS LINDY FEST, THANS`K. BYE...

[@RomanAdar]

I think they are more into Hip-Hop now and less to Lindy Hop. Only the best are invited regardless of their race, etc.

[@CalifaJohn]

Yeah, it is just not popular any more in the African-American community. The younger generation sees it as something of their grandparents.

[@JohnnyV83]

other invitationals have black and even asian competitors, it just depends on the year. Hell, one champion in AZ is black

[@CalifaJohn]

JohnnyV83 Yes, it is making a comeback among more and more people.

[@Dmiche02]

Because they'd be put to shame. That's why.

[@jovial111]

5:36 nick nina swingout :-D

[@tootz1950]

But who won?

[@cappyhope4023]

It's funny, but compared to last year, this video looks tame. (As if the Lindy Hop could be tame...)

[@estebannemo1957]

Does anyone know what band and song this is?

[@elliebeee7]

The band is Naomi and her Handsome Devils. I don't know songs

[@estebannemo1957]

Thanks!

[@SheLeftALittleGlitter]

For this being just last year, the outfits sure are drab. (no that's not ALL I'm focused on. ALL of the dancing was obviously superb)

[@redanvo]

The outfits are meant to be drab ;)

[@SheLeftALittleGlitter]

I mean can you add a pattern or something? haha. Or does that count against them in scoring or something? I don't know how this works at all.

[@brahimmekni6534]

Sara Wolfe

[@tiarailic4086]

If I ever get a boyfriend we are going to do this!

[@Butterx22]

I love this dance! I notice that black people dont take part in this, I kinda feel like I wouldnt be accepted if I competed. :/ :|

[@AlainWong]

Butter-Butter Although there may seem to be less representation in the context of this video, I assure you that many efforts have been taken and continue to be taken to make you feel included and accepted. Among other things, there is the Frankie Manning Foundation that you can learn about. Also, there are international teachers such as Remy Kouakou Kouame who are present in competitions around the world: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bpO8nHp7bb9lqqM

[@AlainWong]

Efforts have also been taken to bring closer together the street dance community and the Lindy Hop community. Watch this Street Dancers vs Lindy Hoppers battle: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4uqhYqhZt1-bLc in which dancers exchange and share their respective dances. There is collaboration and inspiration coming from both sides.

[@alyasgrey9370]

Butter-Butter Nah dude, these folks are just about as cool as they come with new faces. Most of the instructors would be really excited to see a young black man wanting to learn.

[@veronicabloemeke2688]

Butter-Butter Get into Swing, man! Every swing dance I have been to has been fun and welcoming of ALL people of ALL abilities. Most big (and medium) US cities have Swing Dancing clubs, just google it. Start out with East Coast; it's the easiest and many open dances start off with a free hour long crash course in the basics.

[@Artimusk]

Butter-Butter I feel you... I want to dance too!

[@darlitomamaril9893]

I think it look better when the guy is shorter than the gal .

[@cornholio9186]

I came here because of Malcom X 😂😂

[@FelixDance88]

This is another black art form appropriated by whites. Most whites thought Jazz was an unrefined dirty "black thing". Eventually people forgot (as Americans tend to do) and whites laid claim to it as their own. Alot of our American identity is owed to our fellow African Americans. Happy late Juneteenth.

[@darlitomamaril9893]

s for the word look..sorry .

[@nacionalista1779]

Playing dress up is not necessary, can be done in modern clothes

[@vino140]

For the Lindy, women should always wear skirts and shoes w small heel. Pants/flats are a NO!

[@HConstantine]

I came here from a trail through Chick Web and George Snowden . This is sort of pathetic.

[@balboabound]

It's Chick WEBB. We look forward to you showing off how much better you are next year superstar.

[@Branche11]

I think it's really impressive hwo smoothly they dance, especially since they aren't with their partners.

[@mdance4life]

very bad form very very bad