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Social dance played an important role during the Harlem Renaissance. Dance helped African Americans escape from the harsh economic realities that they faced at their monotonous jobs. To counter the economic problems that many African Americans faced, “rent parties” filled with music and dance, in which guests paid a fee, were often held to help pay for the monthly rent. The Savoy Ballroom, located in Harlem was also a place where many people, no matter what race, went to dance. People of many races danced to the sounds of jazz music well into the night. The Lindy Hop, a form of Afro-Euro-American Swing dance became famous there. Dance partners separated in a breakaway move as they improvised, adding their own tempos, signature moves, and individualized acrobatics to the six- and eight-count step sequences. It is a fusion of jazz, tap, breakaway, and the Charleston (named after Charleston, North Carolina).
Though, the Charleston was originated by African Americans, it was mainly associated with flappers and the speakeasy. The Charleston, however, remains an important dance in the Lindy Hop culture. As the Lindy Hop grew in popularity, it evolved into many forms, such as West Coast Swing, Rock'n'Roll, Boogie Woogie, the Jitterbug, Jive, Bop, Shag, Balboa, and the Imperial. Lindy Hop dancers created new steps as the music inspired them, much as jazz musicians improvise. Some of the Lindy Hop steps are synchronized with the musical phrases, and other steps cross the rhythm of the music in the same fashion as polyrhythms found in jazz. The popularity of the Lindy Hop at the Savoy Ballroom led to a merging of music and dance during the Harlem Renaissance, as many people danced to the live music performed at the Savoy Ballroom.
