May 26th is a very special day in the Lindy Hop Community (the original Swing Dance) as it’s ‘World Lindy Hop Day‘ AND the birthday of one of the founders of the dance, Frankie Manning. Many communities around the world will be celebrating and here in Toronto we are hosting a Big Band Swing Dance. I’m the emcee for the night and it’s going to be a wonderful night of music and dance.

For today’s Vintage Photo Tuesday (collection of vintage photo posts) I wanted to share images of the Lindy Hop/Jitterbug that myself and so many others have enjoyed over the years.

Let the dancing begin!

Vintage Photos of the Lindy Hop

Lindy Hop at the Savoy Ballroom.

1930s vintage photo of Lindy Hoppers at the savoy ballroom in 1930s fashions dancing. — Source: Pinterest

The History of Lindy Hop

It begins in the African American communities of Harlem, New York during the late 1920s in conjunction with swing jazz. Lindy Hop is closely related to earlier African American vernacular dances but quickly gained its own fame through dancers in films, performances, competitions, and professional dance troupes. It became especially popular in the 1930s with the upsurge of aerials. The popularity of Lindy Hop declined after World War II, and it converted to other forms of dancing, but it never disappeared during the decades between the 1940s and the 1980s until European and American dancers revived it starting from the beginning of the 1980s (Source).

NOTE: For a much more detailed and excellent read on this dance, please check out Yehoodi’s-Lindy Hop: Its Origins, Innovators, and Legacy

The Vintage Images

Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers was a professional performing group of Savoy Ballroom swing dancers, started in 1935 by Herbert “Whitey” White. Frankie Manning mentioned above was part of this troupe.

Whitey's Lindy Hoppers vintage photo — Source: NYPL Digital Collections

Frankie Manning & Ann Johnson in 1941, demonstrating an Aerial Step that Frankie was the original creator of.

Original swing dancers Willa Mae Ricker & Leon James, dance the Lindy Hop for Life Magazine in April 23rd, 1943.

Jitterbug contest, 1939.

1930s Vintage Photo of a couple doing a dance aerial at a Jitterbug contest in 1939. — Source: Tumblr

Lindy Hopping at the famous Savoy Ballroom, in Harlem New York.

Lindy hop vintage photo at the Savoy Ballroom. A Black couple dancing the Lindy Hop and having a blast! — Source: Tumblr

Kaye Popp and Stanley Catron also demonstrating The Lindy Hop for Life magazine, April 23rd 1943.

Washington, D. C. Jitterbugs at an Elk’s Club dance, 1943.

Jean Veloz and little brother Ray Phelps, famous swing dancers in the 1940s.

Jean Veloz and little brother Ray Phelps dancing the lindy hop 1940s

Lindy Hop dance in the 1940s.

1940s Vintage Photo of a social Lindy hop dance in NY. Super 1940s fashions. — Source: Tumblr

Dorothy McGuire doing the Lindy at the Stage Door Canteen. -1940s photo.

1940s vintage photo of Dorothy McGuire doing the Lindy at the Stage Door Canteen — Source: Pinterest

I will leave you with one last photo of Frankie Manning and Ann Johnson perfecting an Aerial Move. Truly a work of art!

Frankie Manning and Ann Johnson Vintage Dance Photo — Source: Pinterest

I hope you enjoyed browsing these wonderful vintage Lindy Hop Photos and if you are not a swing dancer yet, maybe this post will enourage you to make the move. It truly is loads of fun!

FURTHER READING:

Swing Dance & The Big Band Era – Archived blog posts from the Vintage Inn Blog
Ontario Vintage Dance Hall History – Archived blog posts on various dance halls
Prom in the 1940s & 1950s
Vintage Photo Tuesday-The 1947 Dance Teachers Strike
Vintage Photo Tuesday: The Social Dance
Vintage Dance Cards
Time to Dance! Vintage Instructions to get you dancing in no time
1940s Women’s Fashion Ideas For Your Next Vintage Dance
The Dancing Side of the Viva Las Vegas Rockabilly Weekend

Liz

While doing research for another blog post, I found some very interesting news stories on the CBC Archives on what life was like for Canadian Women after WW2. Here is a sampling of what they talked about…

Nylons Return Post-War: “The Battle of the Nylons”

About the Battle of the Nylons:

Via CBC Archives:

Nov 2024 update-The story on CBC archives is now gone. Sorry! I will look for something else to share here.

The battle of the nylons was fought this week and, luckily, there were no casualties. Women started lining up early in the morning outside clothing stores across the city as nylon hosiery came back on sale for the first time since 1939. As we hear in this brief radio clip (below), one merchant took no chances, erecting barricades in case of a riot. The sale went off, however, without a snag.

Air Canada (TCA at the time) flight attendants rejoice! In 1946, the post-World War II uniform reintroduced nylons. During the war, the material used to make nylons was reserved for military purposes, making the fashionable item impossible to find (Source).

1940s Vintage Photo of Air Canada (TCA) Flight Attendants in 1946 being excited about nylons coming back. — Source: Air Canada

Here are some images of similar “battles” that happened in the United States.

1940s Vintage Photo of a woman holding her nylon stockings to other women in line December 7th, 1945 in Chicago. Super 1940s fashions. — Source: Glamourdaze

A crowd of 10,000 in San Francisco await their Nylons.

1940s Vintage Photo: 1946 San Francisco Nylon hosiery queues — Source: Glamourdaze

“Feminine Curves are Back, Post War”

Forget the glamour gals — it’s cute-as-a-button Suzy from next door who’s turning the heads of ex-soldiers.

Take a listen to learn all about how men after war are looking for a curvy shaped gal (Nov 2024 update: Seems that CBC Archives has deleted all this content)

1940s Vintage Photo: “The Regular Gals” Celebrating VE Day on Bay Street in Toronto.

Further Reading: Canada Celebrates V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day) May 8th, 1945: The Vintage Photos

1940s vintage photo: Celebrating VE Day on Bay Street in Toronto. vintage photo of 4 women in 1940s fashions. — Source: Wikimedia

And… “Working Women After the War”

Should women get the same wages as men? That’s the question tackled in this excerpt from a spirited radio debate about “the fairer sex” in the workplace.

A female Teamster wonders why women were applauded for keeping factories running during the war and then handed substandard pay in peacetime. A male corporate lawyer allows that there are some jobs where women excel – tedious tasks, for example. A female executive says employers may have a point because it costs more to employ women. For example, their uniforms need to be “fussier”, company washrooms need to be “brushed up” and women take rest breaks while their male colleagues continue to toil.

Take a listen…. (Nov 2024-Another clip removed by CBC)

1950s vintage photo of women Telephone Operators.

So friends, what did you think of these little snippets of postwar Canadian life (Share in the comments section below)?

Thanks for stopping by!

FURTHER READING:

World War 2 Women’s Contributions & Homefront Posts
Women’s History Blog Posts (Vintage Archived Blog Posts)

Liz

Tag: 1940’s fashion