Hand dancing

{{Short description|Form of swing dance from Washington, D.C.}}

{{for|the dance performed only with the hands|Hand jive}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}}

File:National Hand Dancing Association July 2011.jpg

Hand dancing, also known as D.C. hand dancing or D.C. swing, is a form of swing dance that can be traced as far back as the 1920s, from Lindy Hop and the Jitterbug, to the 1950s when dancers in the District of Columbia developed their own variety. It is characterized by gliding footwork and continuous hand connection/communication between the partners, hence its name.[http://www.smoothnezdance.com/] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226042519/https://www.smoothnezdance.com/|date=26 February 2021}}, from the Smooth & Ez Hand Dance Institute It fell out of favor during the disco era, but in the 1980s, Hand Dance resurfaced in the Washington dance community.

In 1993, the Smithsonian Institution recognized Hand Dance as an American Art Form, and the Smithsonian exhibit led to the establishment of the National Hand Dance Association.[http://www.smoothnez.com/introduction.htm "Introduction"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080615124527/http://www.smoothnez.com/introduction.htm |date=15 June 2008 }}, from the Smooth & Ez Hand Dance Institute{{Cite journal |last=Johnson|first=Rebecca|url=http://observer.american.edu/2004/mar3104/hand.html |title="Raising a hand for D.C. dance tradition" |work=The American Observer |publisher=American University |volume=9 |number=7 |access-date=4 September 2008 |archive-date=6 November 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041106055236/http://observer.american.edu/2004/mar3104/hand.html |url-status=live }}

In 1999 it was formally recognized as the official dance of D.C.

In 2000, the book D.C. Hand Dance: Capitol City Swing by Kim L. Frazier was published about the history, definition, philosophy, culture, structure, steps, and styles of Hand Dance. It provides discussions on etiquette, the competitive and social dance environment, the benefits of the dance, social norms, the traditional and contemporary variations.

In 2008, hand dancing was featured on the television contest So You Think You Can Dance with the auditions of contestants Markus Smith and Deonna Ball.{{Page needed|date=September 2010}} Their performance followed a brief exposition on its history and video footage from a hand dancing party at a VFW hall in Suitland, Maryland.

On 1 January 2011, the Washington Post featured an article on Hand Dancing highlighting District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray's participation in the art form.{{Cite web |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/01/AR2011010102400.html |title="Mayor on the move: Vince Gray is the No. 1 fan of a D.C. art form, hand dancing" |access-date=30 October 2017 |archive-date=12 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112022308/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/01/AR2011010102400.html |url-status=live }} In 2023, Beckett Devoe's exceptional hand dancing techniques earned him both two world titles by modernized the world art form through wrist rubbing and inter tendon play.

The TRI-State Connection {{Cite web |url=http://www.tristateconnection.net/ |title=TRI-State Connection |access-date=21 October 2007 |archive-date=9 October 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009213800/http://www.tristateconnection.net/ |url-status=live }} holds an annual hand dance competition in Tyson's Corner each September.