a blend of African and European dance influences

that is both uniquely American and now spans the globe.

Lindy hop takes its name from the famous

Charles Lindbergh flight to Paris in 1927.

If tango is sultry

and ballroom dancing is aloof, lindy hop is joyous and playful.

Lindy has a grounded flowing style that closely reflects its music

from the late twenties hot jazz to the early forties big bands.

The dance evolved over the decades

along with the new swing music and was based on earlier dances

such as the Charleston and the Black Bottom. And while the dance continues to evolve today,

contemporary lindy hoppers still strive for that same spirit,

inventiveness and musicality of the pioneers of lindy hop

like Norma Miller, Dean Collins,

Frankie Manning

and many more.

Lindy is at its heart a social dance, with each step improvised

on the fly on the dance floor.

But it is also a popular competitive and performance dance,

with competitions and shows taking place all over the world.

The "air step" created by the late Frank Manning

is one of the most iconic images of lindy hop. Demonstrating the most athletic

and energetic side of lindy, air steps were first seen globally

in such movies as "Hellzapoppin'" and "A Day at the Races".

Lindy hop as a movement continues to grow internationally

with vibrant dance scenes in as far-flung places as

Taiwan, Mozambique and Brazil.

Just like the newspaper headline at 1927,

Lindy has hopped the Atlantic, the Pacific

and every other ocean there is.