Learn Peabody (Swing Walk)!

Peabody is a lively traveling partner dance that was very popular in the Jazz Age and Swing Era, including at Harlem’s Savoy Ballroom, the heart of Lindy Hop in the Swing Era. It is usually danced to faster tempos.

In the 1930s, Peabody was part of every Lindy Hopper’s vocabulary at the Savoy, including the legendary Whitey’s Lindy Hoppers. They included it in their dance shows, building excitement before the grand finale, which was high energy Lindy Hop with air steps. See the above video link, for Lindy Hop greats Frankie Manning and Norma Miller showing the Peabody (Swing Walk) they danced at the Savoy in the Swing Era.

The basic Peabody step is walking. It also has syncopations, and can be danced slow, slow, quick, quick. A quintessential part of Peabody is the offset (“Yale”) position of the dancers, alternating between partner to your left, and partner to your right.

The Savoy Ballroom’s nickname “The Track,” is thought to refer to the Peabody dancing around the long dance floor to fast music.

Simon & Cheryl’s main teachers for Peabody are the very wonderful dance teachers Chad Fasca & Midori Asakura. See the above video link for them doing Peabody and 1920s Charleston (and winning the Fast Dance Division of what was then the main Lindy Hop championships in the world).

After the workshop, Simon will play 1920s music until the start of the Roaring 20s Jazz Age Saturday Night Swing at 6pm. Feel free to bring things to eat.