History of the Jive
The Jive originated in the 1940s when American GIs entered into France post World II. At first, Jive was actually initially the Jitterbug (single-time swing) and Lindy Hop. The upbeat American jazz music became so popular that several other similar dances developed such as the boogie-woogie and the swing-boogie. Eventually, the music and dance made its way to the UK where it became known as the Jive. Today, it is the fifth and final International Latin dance.
About the Dance
The Jive has retained its upbeat and bouncy technique form its earliest days. Although the steps are very similar to swing, the music is substantially faster. Due to the faster tempo, Jive features lateral and pendulum hip actions. At higher levels, it is common to see kicks and tricks often found in Lindy Hop.
Recommended Music List for Beginners
- Lipstick, Powder, and Paint, Shakin’ Stevens
- I Love You Cause I Want To, Carlene Carter
- Footloose, CFD
- Little Bitty Pretty One, Huey Lewis
- Jive Time, Johnny Earle
- Don’t Be Cruel, Marty Stuart
- Walk Right In, Johnny Ferreira
- Banana Split, Dance Vision 211
- Rock This Town, Gennaro
- I‘m on Fire, Jerry Lee Lewis