Jive Dance Styles

Modern Jive is split into a wide number of essentially similar styles (often for commercial reasons) including:

While all these forms of dance have Swing and Rock-and-Roll moves in common, moves from many forms of dance including Salsa and Tango may be included, according to the specific style and even the particular dance teacher.

Similarly, identical dance moves often have different names in each style, and different signals to indicate the next move. For example the Lindy Hop Swing Out is similar to a First Move in Ceroc.

Despite this there is rarely a problem dancing with people who have been taught another styles, at least with the less advanced moves. Because of it’s eclectic nature there are hundreds of moves and variations that can be learnt.

Modern Jive is generally danced to music with 4 beats to the bar (4/4 or Common time), from latest chart hits to big band music and everything between, in a wide variety of tempos from slow to very fast.

Some styles may concentrate on particular musical styles, such as swing.

How does Jive differ from Swing?

Characteristic	Jive	Swing (Lindy-hop)
Music	Any music with a beat, 100-180 bpm 2/4 or 4/4 time	Always swing music (8 beats), can be much faster
Formality/precision	Only the arms defined	Steps, posture and arms defined
Footwork	Usually none! One step per half count	6 beat (rock step triple step triple step) or 8 beat (rock step triple step step step triple step) or Charleston
Speed	One turn in 8 beats approx	One turns in 12 beats approx
Basic move?	No basic, although man-spins and shoulder slides are “fill-in” moves	Yes, the basic triple-step
Posture	More Upright	More bent
Interpretation	Limited by the music and opportunity at the speed of the dance	Breaks and mood part of music and time to interpret.  There are many standard specific moves for breaks.  A false happy-clappy-smiley sort of world – each dance is “acting”.
Move type	The synchronisation between partners comes from an in-out compression and tension. Suddenly blocking and changing direction common	Generally more twirly and smooth with synchronisation on the rock-step
Difficulty	Easier than Swing!	Needs perseverance – difficult learning curve
Partnership	Always partnered	Sometimes side by side or mirrored

There is some snobbery around, both from Lindy-hoppers looking down on jivers, as some jivers look down on line-dancers!

Lindy-hoppers would argue that the music jivers dance to leaves no room for interpretation, one just goes from one move to the next.

Whilst jivers do seem in general to interpret the music less so than Lindy-hoppers, if that is what they are comfortable with, then why not!

Jive is not a well defined dance.

That is deliberate so everybody with a little sense of rhythm can do it. A little effort can give lots of satisfaction in jive.

Other dances take much more effort to get anywhere – the learning curve is much steeper, steeper than some people can be bothered with. They thus serve different audiences.

Blues

Blues is a form of dance currently enjoying a resurgence.

Principally researched, popularised and taught by Nina and Nigel of Jump ‘n’ Jive, Blues allows for slow, atmospheric dancing with sizzling (and sometimes spectacular) flourishes and tempo changes.

You will probably want to spend some time learning set moves and routines to begin until you feel comfortable with the beat, the formal and less formal style, the general dancefloor etiquette for Blues and so on.

Then you will want to build free interpretation into your Blues dancing. Whilst choreographed move routines are sometimes seen on the blues dance floor, experienced blues dancers will tend to use Blues techniques to free-flow from one form to another.

My personal aim is usually to use as few set moves as possible.

Ideas from many other forms of dancing can be adapted and incorporated into Blues with great effect – eg jive, salsa, tango, zydeco, even aerials. Mix them carefully until you achieve a victory of irresistible style over routine.