Lesson 26: Shorty George
Jazz Step III: Syncopated Steps
The Shorty George, a signature step of lindy hop and jazz, was named after an african american jitterbug and Lindy hop dancer “Shorty” George Snowden (4 July 1904 - May 1982) in the 1930s. He could do this step underneath his partners legs. Shorty was an acclaimed dancer at the Savoy Ballroom. The story is interesting. George Snowden was a short man, only about 5 feet tall and he had quite an impressively tall dance partner called Big Bea It was their “thing”, the feature. They really crafted their dance art around his height. George would jump in a split to have Big Bea turn under arms. In jazz dance only when the film production became more popular the forms and style started to be documented. Watch Shorty and Big Bea (video)
The Shorty George, a signature step of lindy hop and jazz, was named after an african american jitterbug and Lindy hop dancer “Shorty” George Snowden (4 July 1904 - May 1982) in the 1930s. He could do this step underneath his partners legs. Shorty was an acclaimed dancer at the Savoy Ballroom. The story is interesting. George Snowden was a short man, only about 5 feet tall and he had quite an impressively tall dance partner called Big Bea It was their “thing”, the feature. They really crafted their dance art around his height. George would jump in a split to have Big Bea turn under arms. In jazz dance only when the film production became more popular the forms and style started to be documented. Watch Shorty and Big Bea (video)