Mad Hot Ballroom (What type of Swing Dance)?

[Geriatric Mike]

I saw the movie Mad Hot Ballroom, just curious what
type of swing dance the kids were doing? Was it the
Lindy? Looks like fun.

Geriatric Mike

[SDsalsaguy]

Just wanted to welcome you to the DF GM! :D

[Sagitta]

Welcome GM! I think it was jive. That's what it should be given that the kids were learning ballroom dances.

[SDsalsaguy]

I think it was jive.
It wasn't though!

[discovery]

I can't remember... wasn't it single-time swing with more of a "lindy" flavor than a ballroom one?

[Porfirio Landeros]

I finally saw Mad Hot Ballroom at a local Indie theater... it was a great movie. Those kids were sooooo into it, and they also looked like they were developing skills that would transfer into so many areas, like presentation, relationships, respect for others.

I would say the swing they did was Jitterbug, very similar to the way I learned to swing when my mom dragged me into a Cotillion - single time, with some swivels and kick steps occassionally.

It seems like the teachers are on some slightly rogue syllabus, that has different figures and principles that I wouldn't necessarily call mainstream ballroom, but were still fun and done in the right spirit.

The final competition was great, and it was cool to see that Charlotte Jorgensen (Dancing with the Stars) and Michelle Officer (Former U.S. Smooth Champ) were judges, which at least leads me to assume that the teachers are getting some outside professional consultation for their program.

Either way, I can't think of anything better for those kids, and I hope the program keeps expanding.

[chandra]

Hmm, I had thought it was ECS, very weirdified... Shows what I know!

[pygmalion]

I wonder what dnice would say. Something definitive, for sure. 8) :D

[discovery]

I would say the swing they did was Jitterbug...

Isn't that like saying "the swing they did was swing"? :D When people say they dance jitterbug I have no idea what they mean. Is there a definitive definition to the term Jitterbug? Does jitterbug=single-time swing? I think I have also heard people say that jitterbug=double-time swing (i.e., tap step rather than a triple). It seems like it's an umbrella term like the word swing itself.

[Porfirio Landeros]

Well, WHAM! defines the Jitterbug as follows:

http://www.porfland.com/hosting/wham-jitterbug-01.gif
http://www.porfland.com/hosting/wham-jitterbug-02.gif

(please don't ask me why I have this music video or why I took the time to make these segments into animated gifs... it's too embarrassing)

[discovery]

:D

[SDsalsaguy]

:shock: :shock: :shock:

[pygmalion]

(please don't ask me why I have this music video or why I took the time to make these segments into animated gifs... it's too embarrassing)

I was SO not planning to ask. :lol: :lol:

[Vince A]

Me either . . . :?

[d nice]

Welcome GM! I think it was jive. That's what it should be given that the kids were learning ballroom dances.

There are a number of swing dances that can be taught at a ballroom, ECS is the default for American/Standard and Jive is for International. I know of a number of ballrooms that also teach WCS, Lindy Hop, Shag (both double and Carolina), Bop, and Steppin'.

Jitterbug was a catchall term for swing dancing in the 40's and in the 50's it pretty much ended up refering to Lindy Hop with a more six count emphasis. These days Jitterbug has been used (incorrectly) to refer to all different kinds of things, single, double and triple time swing, lindy hop, any swing dance that is not WCS, any street/club/folk form of swing dance that is not the "proper" form of swing i.e. Ballroom Swing.

I haven't seen the movie so I have nothing to say about what they were dancing. Definitive or otherwise. ;)

[pygmalion]

I haven't seen the movie so I have nothing to say about what they were dancing. Definitive or otherwise. ;)

Darn! I was hoping. :wink: 8)

[Sagitta]

I agree...I thought it looked something like what you suggested discovery and Por... REminds me of something....I just haven't done swing in a long time, but I know that I have seen videos of people dancing like this or maybe in soem movie? :?

[Medira]

Well, WHAM! defines the Jitterbug as follows:

{insert animated gif images here}

...wow...

:shock:

[pygmalion]

{singing} Wake me up! Before you go -go. Don't leave me hanging on like a yo-yo.


(Isn't it amazing how inane the lyrics sound twenty years later? :lol: :lol: )

[Swingolder]

The movie hasn't come around here yet. It seems like it takes forever to make it to mid-America sometimes.

[pygmalion]

I can relate. I used to live in Allentown, PA. It was easier to just drive two hours to New York, if you wanted to see a film. 'Cause it was NEVER coming to town. :lol: