The American Lindy Hop Championships (ALHC) is now in its 16th year. It has an annual convention/competition that offers a training ground to learn the dance, an opportunity to network with other professionals, offers scholarships to young people and provides community outreach in the United States and abroad. In its tenure ALHC has been a conduit for all of the top American Lindy Hoppers to the world. Your support would help continue our efforts in preserving the style and community behind it.
The Lindy Hop community is made up of all ages. The challenges arise when a majority of the dancers are young people without funds of their own. Many would like to attend the event or have one of our satellite events/workshops/festivals but do not have the intrastructure to support the venture. We are always trying to reach new populations and expose the benefits of swing dance to new dancers.
The American Lindy Hop Championships receives entreaties from a number of communities each year. Our budget does not give up the flexibility to give complimentary weekend passes, allow outreach to underserved populations or to help subsidize our US champions' participation in the World Lindy Hop Championship. And we do get a number of requests each year.
The arts are a wordless language that teaches kids to communicate on another level, aiding their ability to communicate/express themselves emotionally. Children who don't get this exposure develop at a slower rate emotionally and socially. Activities like these strengthen academic skills & reinforce positive character traits by providing opportunities for growth outside the classroom. Teamwork allows children to work through interpersonal conflict. We hope to bring 10 children this year.
