Do ballroom dancers really swing dance? Is there an alternative?

Question:

Do ballroom dancers really swing dance? Is there an alternative?

The dancing they do seems so rigid and ugly.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: The short answer is NO.

The original form of swing was the Lindy Hop as it was created in the late 20's out of partner charleston. It was created by the dancers of the Savoy Ballroom who lived and breathed jazz (swing) music.

Ballroom associations at the time refused to acknowledge the dance as a "true dance", mainly because it was considered too "african"; however, when the swing craze of the 40's hit, lindy hoppers started getting all of the dance instruction business.

To get in on the fade, ballroom instructors created East Coast Swing, which is a simple 6-count step derived from foxtrot. This dance by itself is a direct contrast to the spirit of Lindy Hop (8-count), which was based around circular movement and breakaways.

So in conclusion:

Lindy Hop = Original Black swing dance
East Coast Swing/Jive = White Knock Off.

You shouldn't need anymore convincing than these two videos:

Jive Competition:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gmrz6zc7...

Lindy Hop Competition
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myjj0mnne...