Reflections from Simon Selmon: Swingin' London, The 100 Club and the London Swing Dance Society

"Dancing is beautiful, and dancing is at its best when you can share that community, that whole spirit of friendliness with everyone". Jumping over the pond to the UK, Simon Selmon is truly one of the most important pioneers of swing dancing in London. His involvement in dance started more than 40 years ago, impressively digging into all aspects of the art: teaching, performing, competing, organising, deejaying, emceeing and much more. In 1986, he formed the London Swing Dance Society which is still active to this day. Join us as Simon takes us on a grand tour of what the dance and music scene in London was like, recalling how he got into lindy hop, his numerous years in New York meeting various luminaries, all the while sharing his thoughts and impressions on what swing dancing means to him. Join Simon, SwingdanceUK and the London Swing Dance Society this on 5 - 7 December 2026 as they celebrate their 40th anniversary! For more information, please click here: https://swingdanceuk.com/40-years/ For an all-star performance with Simon, Louise, Frankie, Dawn and Chazz, please click here:    • Frankie Manning, Dawn Hampton, Chazz Young...   and be sure to check out the other fun videos from    / @swingdanceuk   --- 00:00 Introduction 01:40 Swingin' in London during the 1930s and 1940s 08:00 The London Post-war Era 12:00 The Permeability of Different Dance Forms 14:10 Simon in the 1970s to Early 1980s 32:40 First Trip to New York in 1985 37:30 Warren Heyes and the Jivin' Lindy Hoppers 39:45 Back to New York in 1986 50:30 How to Get Hold of Old Film Clips? 52:15 Souvenirs of New York and Beginning to Teach 59:14 Self-studies Through Videos and Big Revival-era Names 01:02:15 Competitions, Being on TV and the London Swing Dance Society 01:12:22 Memories of Herräng Dance Camp 1990 01:17:05 Reflections on Frankie and Swedish Dancers 01:22:58 Reflections on Norma 01:24:15 Further Reflections on History, Teaching and Dancing 01:30:54 The Story of The 100 Club 01:38:00 On Teaching and Building a Community 01:42:44 Can't Top the Lindy Hop 1994 01:46:54 Conclusion --- Photo Credits to Simon Selmon and Lennart Westerlund. Video Credits to Jan Forsell, The Rhythm Hot Shots and Can't Top the Lindy Hop.