The dance most associated with the Savoy Ballroom was the Lindy Hop. Although the Lindy Hop’s creation is attributed to Charles Lindbergh, the dancers at the Savoy added a their own unique spin on the steps and the Lindy hop or jitterbug of today stems from these movements created and performed at the Savoy.

Steps that where created:

Breakaway -George “Shorty” Snowden

Shorty Snowden was a member of the Cat’s Corner who invented the breakaway moment in the Lindy Hop that is critical to the Lindy Hop today. Snowden himself states “…during the marathon at Manhattan Casino, I got tired of the same old steps and cut loose the breakaway…everybody did the same starting step, but after, that look out, everybody for himself.” (Stearns, 323)

 

Frankie Manning

http://youtu.be/ijYzqwJm7pw

Frankie Manning is the man attributed with creating the aerial step in the Lindy Hop. Born May 26th 1914, Manning became a regular at the Savoy and eventually earned his way into the Cat’s Corner. One night at the savoy in a Lindy Hop competition against George “Shorty” Snowden, he and his partner Big Bea danced an aerial step later known as the “back to back roll” in front of 2,000 sets of eyes.In 1935, when Herbert White organized the best dancers and named them “Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers”. Manning was created the groups first routine and function as the groups choreographer. He would later make a career out of his choreography skills.