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The Lindy-hop vs Flamenco

The Lindy-hop and Flamenco can both be very energetic dances so I thought these two

dances would be a good choice to compare. Although both the Lindy-hop and flamenco do not

have many uses of the arms, they are kept raised most of the time. Flamenco does have a certain

way of using their arms though; they are either raised above their head or at mid length. In many

performances you can see that the arms are also placed a certain way, the elbows are slightly

bent and the fingers are separated in a feather like way by the ladies while the men keep them in

fists or clap to the rhythm. It is understandable that the Lindy-hop does not have many arm

gestures because it is a very fast paced dance with difficult lifts and stunts that one cannot focus

on the arms with so much going on with the body.

The feet works of both dances are quick paced but the way it is articulated is very

different. Flamenco is slightly quicker and the feet are always parallel to each other when

stepping quickly. For that reason, the feet are not raised high throughout a dance; they are kept

close to the floor in order to stay grounded to the fast pace and quick beat performers make

during their dance. This type of movement is very common in the Latin culture too, like

Folklorico dancing, which also has quick feet work. Flamenco also requires heeled footwear in

order to create a beat with their stepping; it helps the dancers feel the music as well. The Lindy-

hop on the other hand, requires the dancers to raise their feet a little more to hop; it is more

enthusiastic in the body so the movement is a little more exaggerated. The feet still stay on the

floor most of the time too but it is more of a quick hop step than just Flamenco’s quick and loud

stepping. The Lindy-hop is also danced to swing music which is very entertaining so the

movement in a Lindy-hop also has sudden kicks and tricks to go with the tone of the music.
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Now when it comes to the rhythmic feel of the dances, they are very different from one

another based on its meaning. Flamenco was a way for the people to express their dreams, to

forget the stresses from everyday life for a moment, and just enjoy the emotions their dancing

brought them. When you see someone dance flamenco, you see the passion in their face, how

they thrive to quicken their steps in order to feel the intensity of the moment. The Lindy-hop is

more of an infinite feel of enthusiasm because the pace stays the same. This was more of a style

for young people during the 1930’s too so the feel to it was lively and free. They may be

different in some ways but the high energy of these dances give off a lot of stress relief that is

much needed in any person that loves to dance.