ABOUT HSDS
The Houston Swing Dance Society’s aspirational mission is to introduce people of all ages, colors, races, cultures, genders, and orientations to the joy of the music and social dances of the Swing Era and to create a “living tradition” in our diverse communities in support of the resurgence of the Lindy Hop: the great African-American social dance that emerged from Harlem ballrooms in the late 1920s.
Houston Swing Dance Society became incorporated on March 18, 1997, as a 501 © 3 non-profit education organization. HSDS staged its first event, the Frankie Manning Workshop, that year. In 1999, the event was renamed Lindyfest, which has grown into an annual weekend event with classes, competitions, and social dances. It has been supported by grants from the Cultural Arts Council of Houston/Harris County and the Houston Arts Alliance since 2004.
Also in 1997, some members of the Houston Swing Dance Society began performing as the "Houston Hepcats." A year later, HSDS added the Harvest Moon Ball to their schedule of annual events. In 2006, HSDS established an international swing dance archive to document the emergence and influence of Lindy Hop during the Swing Era, and to chronicle the resurgence of Swing Dance in popular American culture. In 2012, HSDS brought both the International Swing Dance Championships- ISDC, and the International Lindy hop Championships- ILHC, were brought under the HSDS umbrella.
In order to educate people of all ages, HSDS continues to expand its offerings of classes, workshops, and dance events. HSDS continues to host classes on Sunday nights for every level of participant, from the uninitiated to the advanced.
Houston Swing Dance Society continues to strive toward raising public awareness and participation in an energetic joyful part of American historical culture to make Houston a richer place because of it.
