The American Lindy Hop Championships

[shopper-lisa]

anyone know if the American Lindy Hop Championships would be a good "dance camp" type experience? I'd like to go to more camps but there doesn't seem to be too many more until 2005. Just wondering if this would be a good event to attend.

 

[d nice]

No it is not a good "dance-camp" type of experience. As the name suggests it is a competition and most competitions place limited focus on classes designed to help a dancer grow. The classes offered are usually more about exposing them to new and interesting variations on the standard material or introducing them to generally related dances or flavors of the month.

The social dancing can be awesome and the competitions themselves awe-inspiring... but it is not a good "camp" experience. Does that mean you shouldn't go? Not at all. Great crowds, great music, and great dancing. IF you really want a dance camp experience for lindy hop search around for one you really want to attend and do that even if it means waiting till next year.

Check out www.lindyexchange.com their website while devoted mainly to exchanges (an informal "convention" where dancers from various cities,states, and countries all descend on one location for a weekend) it also includes a large number of the lindy related events that happen in North America and provides links to their sites.