On March 12, 1926, Moe Gale and Charlse Buchanan opened the Savoy Ballroom 140th and 141st street on Lenox Avenue in Harlem. The Savoy was one of the first racially integrated public places in the country. It could host approximately 5,000 people at one time and about 700,000 patrons a year would enter the Savoy. The two bandstands assured continuous music and dancing. The size of this hall helped it acquire the nickname, 'The Track'. This cultural and racial integration helped develope some of the best dancing and art ever. The Savoy soon developed international fame for its elegance, music and dancing.
While there was a specific dance crazy, it had no name. When one reporter asked "Shorty George" Snowden after a charity dance event what he was dancing, Snowden replied, "The Lindy Hop." The name was in reference to Lindberg's 'hop' across the Atlantic. Thus the Lindy Hop born in 1928. It was the father of the Jitterbug, East Coast swing and other variants. The Savoy was home to many of the "Greats" of Lindy Hop. "Shorty" George Snowden, Leroy "Stretch" Jones, "Twistmouth George" Ganaway, Norma Miller, Frankie Manning, and Whitey's Lindy Hoppers are just a few who shared the Savoy as a stomping ground. In a competition with Shorty George and Big Bea, Frankie Manning and Freida Washington won by performing the first aerial step for the Lindy Hop. (Click here to see Frankie perform an aerial step with Willa Mea with Quicktime*) The Savoy has its own style of Lindy Hop and is a symbol to all those who dance it today.The Lindy Hop was not all that the Savoy housed. Its commitment to dance was admirable. Catering to most every social dance, the Savoy even modified several dances or created others. Among the new dances or variants that occurred at the Savoy are: The Lindy Hop, The Flying Charlseton, The Big Apple, several variants of the Peabody, the Mambo and many more. In 1958 the Savoy closed, however the spirit of dance has thrived. In homage of the Savoy, we have created the Saratoga Savoy. We are dedicated to providing a culturally rich environment to encourage dance. We wish to be your 'home of happy feet' when in Saratoga Springs, NY. While people here may not refer to us as 'The Track', dancers can always stomp here and are welcome.*Courtesy of the Lindy Hop Archives at www.savoystyle.com
