If you stop by the Fountain Square Theatre every other Friday night, you'll find hordes of teens from Lebanon High and other area schools swinging, tapping and whirling to a bouncy beat more typical of Glenn Miller and Duke Ellington than YoungBloodZ.

Today, swing dancing is popular in Indianapolis and nationwide -- for all age groups.

Kacie Giles, 17, and Steven Hollingsworth, 16, are students at Lebanon; Scott Kissick, 19, graduated from Lebanon this spring. Even though all three have busy schedules, swing dancing still is important to them, and they all find time to have fun dancing with their friends at least twice a month.

But what exactly is swing dancing? It's a partner dance with a lead and a follow. Typically danced to big-band or jazz sounds, it requires a 4-4 common time and involves lots of spins and under-arm turns.

"There's such a rush when a guy picks you up and swings you from side to side," said Kacie. "It is just so awesome."

There are hundreds of styles of swing dancing, but two of the best known are the Charleston and the Lindy hop, named for Charles Lindbergh's nonstop solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927.

"Both are still very prevalent in the swing community," said Scott, who will attend DePauw University in the fall.

All three students swing dance at Fountain Square Theatre, 1111 E. Prospect St., near Downtown Indianapolis. On alternate Friday nights, for $12, the public can attend a swing-dancing lesson from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. and stay for the open dancing that follows. Open dancing is $10 and features a live jazz band from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. On average, more than 250 people from all over Indiana attend. In winter, attendance can be as high as 300 people.

Swing dancing originated in the 1920s at Harlem's Savoy Ballroom. Its popularity spread quickly throughout the country, especially during the Depression, when people turned to music and dancing to lift their spirits.

Kacie was introduced to swing dancing by her friends. Steven learned from his father and sister, who both swing. Scott was influenced by his brother.

Interest increases

"This year, my friends and I founded the swing club at our school," Scott said, "and we've gotten quite the movement now -- probably about 25 students."

All three said they think swing dancing is easy. Steven, a football player, said swing is "really easy to pick up."

Music is key to swing, and certain music is best for beginners.

"You want to start off with a slower type of song, definitely classic rock, the basic stuff. You know, lay the groundwork," Scott suggested.

Steven recommended starting off with music "where you can find the beat." Advanced swing dancers tend to listen and dance to music with a quicker rhythm.

Friday nights can be either casual or dressy at the Fountain Square Theatre.

Steven explains: "Sometimes you'll catch people wearing khakis and a dress shirt; some of them are wearing '40s vintage green, but more of the youth will wear whatever, like jeans and a T-shirt."

Some people get more into the atmosphere. "On occasion, I've been known to wear a zoot suit, but I always wear black and white," Scott said.

"We (girls) like to look cute," Kacie said, "and it takes about an hour for us to get ready and make sure that we look presentable. We usually go out and buy a new outfit on the week that we don't go swing dancing. It's our other Friday-night ritual. We have a good time, and we have something to do on our 'other Friday.' "

Both Scott and Steven said that swing is usually more popular among girls. "I would definitely say that girls are a little more prevalent, traveling in packs and whatnot," Scott said.

Unlike other matters in high school life, such as algebra, physics and the part-time job, swing dancing lets teens feel liberated.

Fun for a group

"Swing is just so free in the way it's done," Scott said. "It's not so rigid and structured, but anybody can just pick it up and stick with it. There aren't any set positions or ways to hold your body. It's out of the ordinary.

"I love the way it's just a group activity for my friends and me," Kacie said.

Though fun, swing also can prove treacherous. Kacie knows this firsthand.

"I've stepped on guys' feet before and been afraid that I was going to get dropped," she said. "One of my friends dislocated her knee once."

"Sometimes there are problems when the girls step on my feet," Scott admitted.

Paul McCain, a dance instructor and the owner of the Arthur Murray dance studio in Broad Ripple, has been teaching people how to dance -- and how to avoid bruised and broken toes -- for more than 16 years.

"I've always liked to dance," McCain said. "I would have to say two of the most encouraging things were my parents and the movie 'Dirty Dancing.' "

He compared learning swing to learning how to play the trumpet or flute -- "once you learn how to play an instrument (much like swing dancing), you have it the rest of your life."

"Swing is the most popular dance I teach," said McCain, who teaches more than 20 different dances. "I would say it is the biggest category of dance because there is variety. There are a lot of different versions of swing.

"I see swing still being the most popular and the most widely used dance through any generation, young or old, for years to come."

Young dancers agree that swing is something that tends to stick with you. Scott doesn't envision ever giving up the hobby.

"I got a group of my friends together, and we went. We enjoyed swing dancing so much that we've been going ever since," he said.

REPORTERS: Alexis Schaefer, 11; Tony Quintana, 14; and Mercedez Quintana, 12.

Copyright 2006 Y-Press

SOME SWINGIN' STYLES

Here are some popular forms of swing dancing:

DC hand dancing: Started in Washington, D.C., during the 1950s and '60s, DC hand dancing uses the basic six- count form and is improvisational, borrowing from the traditions of the Lindy hop and the jitterbug.

East Coast swing: Considered the official sock-hop swing dance, East Coast swing is akin to the jitterbug. Teens danced East Coast swing to the music of Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry in the '50s. It's a fast, circular, rotating dance with a lot of wraps, tunnels and turns.

Imperial swing: A style of swing native to St. Louis, this dance blends East Coast and West Coast moves. It has six-count steps and eight-count steps. It's named for a nightclub in St. Louis.

Lindy hop: Begun in Harlem in the late 1920s and '30s, the Lindy hop is sometimes called a jazz dance and other times a street dance. It blended elements of several dances, including tap and the Charleston, and today is further influenced by contemporary dance and music, such as hip-hop and blues.

Modern jive: Sometimes called French jive, it began in the 1980s and derives from the Lindy hop and rock 'n' roll. There are hundreds of variations, but it usually is danced to four-four time. It can be danced to swing music or rock 'n' roll, and the tempo ranges from very slow to very fast.

Shag: The shag evolved from the jitterbug and jump blues of the big-band jazz era at Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Wilmington, N.C., in the 1940s. The upper body and hips hardly move as the legs do kicks and fancy footwork. The man is the center of attention, and the woman's steps often mirror his.

Texas push: Emphasizing two-hand patterns, wraps and turns, the Texas push usually is danced to traditional rhythm and blues, blues, and some contemporary music.

West Coast swing: A variation of the Lindy hop, West Coast swing developed in California and continued to evolve as a distinct form of dance in the 1950s as pop music became more popular. The leader and follower dance back and forth along an imaginary line, called the "slot," and often do spins and quick turns. The West Coast swing was voted the California state dance in 1989 and is also popular nationwide.

Whip: Especially popular in Texas, the whip is similar to West Coast swing, but its dancers are often more sensual and use more body work, such as rolls and waves. The whip is danced to rhythm-and-blues music.

Sources: Convergence Dance and Body Center, www.tangoteacher.com; KW Dance Studio, www.k2dance.com/hand_dance.html; Michelle's Swing Dance site, http://thinman.wildrice.com/wcdancer/index.html; Sonny Watson's Street Swing.Com,www.streetswing.com; and www.wikipedia.org.

Clubs, venues offer lessons and dances

If you want to swing dance or learn how to do it, here is a sampling of Indianapolis-area locations that offer lessons, clubs, or dance floors and bands. The various venues are open for teens through senior citizens. Dates are listed for July and August. Check Web sites or call for later dates or more information.

Arthur Murray Dance Studios, www.indyarthurmurray.com, with locations in Broad Ripple, Carmel, Greenwood and Speedway. Go to Web site for telephone numbers for information about lessons at specific locations.

Indiana Rebels Swing Dance Club of Indianapolis, www.indianarebels.com; (812) 378-0089.

Indianapolis Ballroom Co., 6213 Las Pas Trail, No. 200, (317) 291-6500, today, July 30 and Aug. 6, 5 to 9 p.m. Tickets: $5 for students, $10 for members, $15 for nonmembers.

Indy Dancers Dance, www.indydancers.com, (317) 767-5665, various locations and times. Call for recorded message of upcoming events. Ticket prices vary, but range between $5-$12.

Indy Swing Dance Club, www.indyswing.org; Madame Walker Theatre, 617 Indiana Ave., July 23 and Aug. 13 and 27. Lessons at 2 p.m., dancing from 3 to 6 p.m. Tickets: $5 for students, $10 for members, $15 for nonmembers. Check Web site for other discounts.