Lindy Exchange

A Lindy Exchange is a multi-day meeting of Lindy Hop and other swing dancers. In contrast to a workshop or a camp usually no classes are held. Instead, Sightseeing essential component of Lindy Exchanges, because the goal of the participants is to make friends with each other and much to dance, learn the dance style of another scene, but also the alien city.

Typically takes a Lindy Exchange a weekend, starting with a party on Friday (and sometimes a pre-party on Thursday and after- party on Monday ), and has between 50 and 500, often international participants. For this he usually includes a sightseeing program, often with topics such as Art Deco or the Roaring Twenties, but usually no workshops (except for introductory courses on special topics ).

Essential are the evening events with live music for swing dancing, usually at least an evening with Big Band. One evening, often there will be a "Late Night Blues Party ", which lasts until the early morning hours.

Guests are privately placed with local dancers, similar to CouchSurfing. Since there are no workshops and accommodation might be private, a Lindy Exchange is down to the travel costs usually relatively inexpensive.

Since the Lindy Hop scene is not very big, you will usually many participants in an Exchange again - on another Exchange, at a workshop, or visiting privately.

Important for a Lindy Exchange is to organize the accommodation of guests. "Hosts", record in the city resident dancers, guests are always in short supply. Some " host " their guests can not offer much more than a bed ( and in participants who sometimes arrive even space for a sleeping pad and a sleeping bag with the car). Others take yourself to the Exchange part, have breakfast with their guests and accompany them on the sightseeing tours and evening events.

Lindy Exchanges in Germany

Since 2004, every year in Munich, the "Munich Lindy Exchange". It takes place always on the first Oktoberfest weekend, and as part of the sightseeing program of course includes a visit to the Oktoberfest therewith and a taster course in Bavarian folk dances such as the Schuhplattler.

2009 took place the first " Hamburg Lindy Exchange " in Hamburg. Since then he is, each held on the last weekend in August. To program a guide goes with the theme Youth and Swing dancing on and on the Elbe and Alster.

Lindy Exchanges worldwide

The first Lindy Exchange took place in 1998 in San Francisco held, with participants from Chicago. The aim of the event was to get to know the dance style of each city. There are now in almost every state of the United States at least a Lindy Exchange. In the format of a two -city meeting quickly became an open invitation to dancers from all over the world to visit the host city.

In Europe, the " London Lindy Exchange " ( " brithop " in April ) and the " Amsterdam Lindy Exchange " ( ALX, beginning of June) are established.

Lindy Exchanges, there are now around the world, such as in Beijing (China, " Great Wall Swingout " ), Vietnam and Bali ( Indonesia).