TX Tommy History – Lindy Hop and Swing Dance moves

The Texas Tommy is a classic swing dancing move with an extensive history. It is widely recognized as the earliest form of swing dancing, created by African Americans in San Francisco’s Barbary Coast around 1910. In 1911, two Texas Tommy dancers, Ethel Williams and Johnny Peters, brought the Texas Tommy from San Francisco to Harlem, where it became popular as a vaudeville act and eventually evolved into Early Lindy Hop through social dancing at the Savoy Ballroom.

The Texas Tommy is such a popular phrase that refers to a swing dance style along with a popular move performed in East Coast Swing and Lindy Hop. Often this move is used to set up new variations from it, which is commonly what I do in the creative process. So enjoy this new lindy hop move based on the classic Texas Tommy. If you are a follower and struggling you should check out our 4 part series designed to increase your lindy hop follower technique.

Checkout my variation of the Texas Tommy below!