Swing'N Snow

Two young 'Lindy Hop' lovers, give the 'wannabes' a demonstration!!

Scandinavia gets a bad name ….at least for its weather.  I won't deny that these long winters and extreme darkness, even though they last for 6 months and 3 months respectively can be really detrimental to your mental health.  But this post is about what people do in countries where it is very cold, very dark and well, very quiet.

The streets can be deserted, although they are not always----

My experience says that people find a way to thrive and not just live!!  A way to celebrate!  There is no country where people have not come up with ways of relaxing and celebration.  And yet, I think celebrating alone is not as much fun (although I still think traveling alone is a must, it is like a pilgrimage.  I have never asked anyone to travel with me.  I enjoy navigating and not knowing when I arrive in places). 

So, there are festivals and there are clubs, and there are celebrations and traditions.  On my way to the gym, about a month ago, I found a young couple, crisply dressed…were dancing away right in front of one of the University's cafe'. 

'Is that a dance club?" I asked.

'Yes' the delightful young woman gave me the paper with all the info on it.

'I will show up for sure,' I said, knowing fully well that winters prevent you from being that adventurous.

And when the day came, I was sort of unsure. Only a colleague said that he and his gal were going too. Ok then, I thought it would be nice to have some people I know there.

Regardless, I showed up…..

And 'Vad Kul'! What fun!!

The dance form they practice was 'Swing', my favorite, even to watch. But more specifically it was Lindy Hop, the most popular form of Swing dance.

Swing dance, according to wikipedia, "'is most commonly known as a group of dances that developed with the swing style of jazz music in the 1920s-1950s, although the earliest of these dances predate "swing era" music.'

And again according to wiki, 'The best known of these dances is the Lindy Hop, a popular partner dance that originated in Harlem in 1927 and is still danced today. Lindy was a fusion of many dances that preceded it or were popular during its development but is mainly based on jazz, tap, breakaway and Charleston.'

Remember one thing, the most soulful music and dancing in the US often came from African American communities. Not many people, unless they study this, know that Elvis was singing 'African' music and that is why was not appreciated in the beginning. However, Elvis, not only popularized it in the US, but internationalized that local form of singing and dancing, that is native to the southern USA.

However, that also led to some music and dancing that then developed strictly in the white/caucasian community, such as the Foxtrot and the Balboa.

Historically, the term Swing applied with no connection to the Swing era, or its Swing music. It is also important to note that every major city had their own way to dance, based on regional roots, and influences.

There is something beautiful about these partner dances. Dance is normally a collective form. In India, there are six classical dances alone and numerous folk dances. Folk dances are meant for the folk to immerse themselves in the spirit of their land, as they tell the stories of their own culture, generation after generation. The classical dances are often performed alone, although there is a tradition of collective performances. One major difference between classical and folk dances in India is that like all the highest forms of art, classical dances are devoted to Gods and spirituality. They require years of dedication, and study. Folk dances, of which bollywood-dancing is the newest amalgam, do not require that as much effort. Although some can be very complicated individual steps, but most require a coordination, between two or more people. Which provides another element in 'dance', that actually lends to it being a spiritual experience.

As I always say, India is a civilization, so it is has developed every aspect of life to the hilt. So we have classical dances dedicated completely to the development of the spiritual, or the fun folk dances, dedicated to the collective. Here are a few examples of Bhangra, the most popular of all Indian folk dances comes from the northern state of Punjab. Today Bhangra is played at dance clubs around the world, and has several 'mixed versions'. Following are a few links for you to check it out….

A sampler:

An example from National Bhangra Competition in the US (2010). Note how they weave, Michael Jackson in there….the part where Michael Jackson comes in states, 'we gotta do,what we gotta do, since we cannot dance' ( I don't think it was intentional)

Here is another example of the same group, with different formations...

Here you can see Bhangra as a part of a long-song, in a full length feature film, based on a love story between a Canadian Indian girl, and a Punjabi boy. Please note that Bhangra is usually associated with the male version of the dancing. When women dance in groups its called, 'Gidda'. The lyrics of these songs are all popular and often sung at weddings, by relatives and friends of the bride and groom. Most of them talk about life in the village, teasing between men and women, complaining about in-laws etc.

Jee Aaya Nu, the title of the film is a punjabi expression that literally means, 'I give my heart to those who come to my home'--an expression in praise of guests.

And one example of gypsy dance from the desert people of India--Notice how the young boy's singing and girl's lively dancing bring life to the desert where nothing can grow, but may be love….and hope.

Each of India's dance can require a blog post. Depending on time, I might devote space to that ---sometime.

If you grow up with Bollywood around you, you have seen it all at some point. Here is an example of 'Swing' and few other things, in a Bollywood Movie from the late 1980s, Meri Jung …Bol Baby Bol--talk Baby talk!!

Back to the partner dances in the west. Swing, Ballroom, Waltz, Foxtrot, Rock'n Roll, and of course let us not forget what the Latin world's given us--the most sensual of all dances--Tango.----

Partner dances were often fun, energetic and celebrated the interplay of male female energy. All of them developed when even in the west the sexes did not interact with each other that much and therefore 'dance' became an initiation into that interaction. 

And here was I standing in a small town in Sweden…..witnessing this beautiful tapping and hopping, and jumping and smiling ---as it snowed outside…..gently.

I ran into two other people there, one of them an old student.

I had to leave early, so i took my leave. But even then I stood outside watching the snow fall on me slowly as it created an interesting pattern on my black wool coat….I watched the cars drive by, the blinking vehicle lights, and turned around to the faint music that I could still hear, the lively figures I could see glide, and jump and skip on the floor…..

And could not but help and smile…how all over the world, we have created these ways of breaking the monotony, getting together, celebrating for no reason, so much so that yearly celebrations for no reason other than to break monotony has created traditions…..and all we can remember about them is that 'we must celebrate'…..

I knew, I must return to this group, whenever I can to remind myself of the undying, hopeful spirit for celebration and joy that resides in all of us!!

Yes, even in Scandinavia!!

Even though I was standing in the snow, the image of people having fun kept me warm….