Jive vs. Swing: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Published on February 24, 2024
Jive is a lively, fast-paced dance originating from African American communities in the 1930s, part of the Swing dance styles, which are a group of dances developing from the Swing era of jazz music.
Key Differences
Jive originated in the United States in the early 20th century, heavily influenced by African American culture. Swing, a broader category, emerged during the 1920s and 1930s alongside swing jazz music.
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Feb 24, 2024
Jive is typically danced to faster, more upbeat music, often with a bouncy rhythm. Swing encompasses a variety of tempos and styles, adapting to different types of swing music.
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Jive is known for its high energy, kicks, and flicks, with a focus on syncopated rhythms. Swing dancing includes smoother movements and can be more improvisational, covering various dance styles like Lindy Hop and Charleston.
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Jive became popular as a competitive dance style and remains a fixture in ballroom competitions. Swing dance is celebrated for its cultural impact during the Swing era, embodying a sense of freedom and joy.
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Feb 24, 2024
Jive, particularly in its competitive form, gained international recognition. Swing dance has a diverse global following, with communities and revival movements worldwide.
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Comparison Chart
Origin
Emerged from African American communities.
Developed during the Swing era of jazz music.
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Musical Style
Fast-paced, upbeat music.
Variety of tempos, adapted to swing jazz.
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Dance Characteristics
High energy, kicks, and flicks.
Smoother movements, includes styles like Lindy Hop.
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Cultural Impact
Popular in competitive ballroom dancing.
Symbolizes freedom and joy from the Swing era.
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Global Influence
Recognized in international dance competitions.
Wide global community and revival movements.
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Jive and Swing Definitions
Jive
Jive is a lively dance style originating from the swing era.
They took jive lessons to compete in the local dance contest.
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Swing
Swing includes styles like Lindy Hop, Charleston, and Balboa.
Their swing repertoire ranged from Lindy Hop to Balboa.
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Jive
Jive features fast-paced music and energetic movements.
The couple's jive performance was the highlight of the evening.
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Swing
Swing dancing is known for its improvisational and joyful nature.
The swing dancers added a sense of joy and spontaneity to the party.
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Jive
Jive incorporates kicks, flicks, and bouncy rhythms.
They practiced their jive kicks and flicks tirelessly for the show.
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Swing
Swing enjoys a diverse and enthusiastic global community.
The international swing festival attracted dancers from around the world.
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Jive
Jive evolved from African American dance forms in the U.S.
Jive's lively spirit reflects its rich African American heritage.
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Swing
To hit at something with a sweeping motion of the arm
Swung at the ball.
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Jive
(Slang) Deceptive, nonsensical, or glib talk
"the sexist, locker-room jive of men boasting and bonding" (Trip Gabriel).
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Swing
To propel oneself from one place or position to another by grasping a fixed support
Swinging through the trees.
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Jive
To talk or chat
"You just jive in one big group, putting each other on, trying to top the last line" (Time).
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Swing
To shift from one attitude, interest, condition, or emotion to another; vacillate.
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Jive
To deceive; to be deceptive.
Don’t try to jive me! I know where you were last night!
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Jive
To dance, originally to jive or swing music; later, to jazz, rock and roll, rhythm and blues, disco, etc.
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Jive
(uncountable) A slang associated with jazz musicians; hepcat patois or hipster jargon.
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Jive
Synonym of bullshit: patent nonsense, transparently deceptive talk.
Don’t give me that jive. I know where you were last night.
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Swing
To cause to move in a broad arc or curve
Swing a bat.
Swung the car over.
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Jive
A style of jazz played by big bands popular in the 1930s; flowing rhythms but less complex than later styles of jazz.
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Jive
A style of jazz played by big bands popular in the 1930s; flowing rhythms but less complex than later styles of jazz
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Swing
To lift and convey with a sweeping motion
Swung the cargo onto the deck.
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Swing
To suspend so as to sway or turn freely
Swung a hammock between two trees.
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Jive
Jive is popular in ballroom and Latin dance competitions.
Her jive routine earned top marks at the dance championship.
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Swing
To cause to shift from one attitude, position, opinion, or condition to another.
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Swing
(Music) To play (music) with a subtle, intuitively felt sense of rhythm.
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Swing
The act or an instance of swinging; movement back and forth or in one particular direction.
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Swing
The sweep or scope of something that swings
The pendulum's swing is 12 inches.
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Swing
The manner in which one swings something, such as a bat or golf club.
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Swing
A shift from one attitude, position, or condition to another
A swing to conservatism.
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Swing
Freedom of action
The children have free swing in deciding what color to paint their room.
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Swing
A course or tour that returns to the starting point
A swing across the state while campaigning.
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Swing
A seat suspended from above, as by ropes, on which one can ride back and forth for recreation.
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Swing
A type of popular dance music developed about 1935 and based on jazz but employing a larger band, less improvisation, and simpler harmonic and rhythmic patterns.
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Swing
(intransitive) To rotate about an off-centre fixed point.
The plant swung in the breeze.
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Swing
(intransitive) To ride on a swing.
The children laughed as they swung.
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Swing
(intransitive) To participate in the swinging lifestyle; to participate in wife-swapping.
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Swing
(intransitive) To hang from the gallows; to be punished by hanging, swing for something or someone; (often hyperbolic) to be severely punished.
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Swing
(intransitive) To fluctuate or change.
It wasn't long before the crowd's mood swung towards restless irritability.
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Swing
(transitive) To move (an object) backward and forward; to wave.
He swung his sword as hard as he could.
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Swing
(transitive) To change (a numerical result); especially to change the outcome of an election.
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Swing
(transitive) To make (something) work; especially to afford (something) financially.
If it’s not too expensive, I think we can swing it.
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Swing
To play notes that are in pairs by making the first of the pair slightly longer than written (augmentation) and the second shorter, resulting in a bouncy, uneven rhythm.
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Swing
(transitive) In dancing, to turn around in a small circle with one's partner, holding hands or arms.
"to swing one's partner", or simply "to swing"
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Swing
To admit or turn something for the purpose of shaping it; said of a lathe.
The lathe can swing a pulley of 12 inches diameter.
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Swing
(nautical) To turn round by action of wind or tide when at anchor.
A ship swings with the tide.
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Swing
The manner in which something is swung.
He worked tirelessly to improve his golf swing.
Door swing indicates direction the door opens.
The swing of a pendulum
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Swing
A line, cord, or other thing suspended and hanging loose, upon which anything may swing.
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Swing
A hanging seat in a children's playground, for acrobats in a circus, or on a porch for relaxing.
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Swing
(politics) In an election, the increase or decrease in the number of votes for opposition parties compared with votes for the incumbent party.
The polls showed a wide swing to Labour.
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Swing
Capacity of a turning lathe, as determined by the diameter of the largest object that can be turned in it.
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Swing
In a musical theater production, a performer who understudies several roles.
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Swing
A basic dance step in which a pair link hands and turn round together in a circle.
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Swing
To move to and fro, as a body suspended in the air; to wave; to vibrate; to oscillate.
I tried if a pendulum would swing faster, or continue swinging longer, in case of exsuction of the air.
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Swing
To sway or move from one side or direction to another; as, the door swung open.
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Swing
To turn round by action of wind or tide when at anchor; as, a ship swings with the tide.
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Swing
To be hanged.
He had swung round the circle of theories and systems in which his age abounded, without finding relief.
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Swing
To cause to swing or vibrate; to cause to move backward and forward, or from one side to the other.
He swings his tail, and swiftly turns his round.
They get on ropes, as you must have seen the children, and are swung by their men visitants.
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Swing
To give a circular movement to; to whirl; to brandish; as, to swing a sword; to swing a club; hence, colloquially, to manage; as, to swing a business.
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Swing
To admit or turn (anything) for the purpose of shaping it; - said of a lathe; as, the lathe can swing a pulley of 12 inches diameter.
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Swing
The act of swinging; a waving, oscillating, or vibratory motion of a hanging or pivoted object; oscillation; as, the swing of a pendulum.
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Swing
Swaying motion from one side or direction to the other; as, some men walk with a swing.
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Swing
A line, cord, or other thing suspended and hanging loose, upon which anything may swing; especially, an apparatus for recreation by swinging, commonly consisting of a rope, the two ends of which are attached overhead, as to the bough of a tree, a seat being placed in the loop at the bottom; also, any contrivance by which a similar motion is produced for amusement or exercise.
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Swing
Influence of power of a body put in swaying motion.
The ram that batters down the wall,For the great swing and rudeness of his poise,They place before his hand that made the engine.
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Swing
Capacity of a turning lathe, as determined by the diameter of the largest object that can be turned in it.
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Swing
Free course; unrestrained liberty or license; tendency.
To prevent anything which may prove an obstacle to the full swing of his genius.
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Swing
A state of steady vigorous action that is characteristic of an activity;
The party went with a swing
It took time to get into the swing of things
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Swing
Mechanical device used as a plaything to support someone swinging back and forth
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Swing
A style of jazz played by big bands popular in the 1930s; flowing rhythms but less complex than later styles of jazz
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Swing
The act of swinging a golf club at a golf ball and (usually) hitting it
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Swing
In baseball; a batter's attempt to hit a pitched ball;
He took a vicious cut at the ball
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Swing
A square dance figure; a pair of dancers join hands and dance around a point between them
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Swing
Move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting;
He swung his left fist
Swing a bat
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Swing
Change direction with a swinging motion; turn;
Swing back
Swing forward
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Swing
Hang freely;
The ornaments dangled from the tree
The light dropped from the ceiling
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Swing
Hit or aim at with a sweeping arm movement;
The soccer player began to swing at the referee
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Swing
Alternate dramatically between high and low values;
His mood swings
The market is swinging up and down
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Swing
Live in a lively, modern, and relaxed style;
The Woodstock generation attempted to swing freely
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Swing
Engage freely in promiscuous sex, often with the husband or wife of one's friends;
There were many swinging couples in the 1960's
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Swing
Swing is a group of dances developed to swing jazz music.
The swing dance club meets weekly to practice various styles.
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Swing
Swing has a rich history associated with the Swing era.
They explored the history of swing during the jazz appreciation course.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
Is Jive danced to a specific type of music?
Jive is typically danced to fast, upbeat music with a bouncy rhythm.
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Feb 24, 2024
What is Swing dance?
Swing dance encompasses a group of dances developed during the Swing era of jazz music.
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Feb 24, 2024
Where did Jive originate?
Jive originated in the United States, influenced by African American culture.
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Feb 24, 2024
What era did Swing dancing emerge?
Swing dancing emerged during the 1920s and 1930s.
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Feb 24, 2024
Can beginners learn Jive?
Yes, beginners can learn Jive, though it's a fast and energetic dance.
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Is Jive part of ballroom dancing?
Yes, Jive is often included in ballroom and Latin dance categories.
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Feb 24, 2024
What is Jive?
Jive is a lively, fast-paced dance style that originated from the swing era.
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Feb 24, 2024
What music is Swing danced to?
Swing is danced to various styles of swing jazz music.
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What is the cultural significance of Swing dancing?
Swing dancing symbolizes freedom, joy, and cultural innovation from the Swing era.
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Are there competitive events for Jive?
Yes, Jive is a popular style in ballroom and Latin dance competitions.
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Feb 24, 2024
What are the key movements in Jive?
Jive is characterized by kicks, flicks, and energetic, syncopated rhythms.
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Is Swing dancing still popular?
Yes, Swing dancing enjoys popularity and revival movements globally.
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Feb 24, 2024
What attire is suitable for Jive dancing?
Comfortable, flexible clothing and shoes suitable for fast movement are ideal for Jive.
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What shoes are best for Swing dancing?
Shoes with a smooth sole for easy movement and turning are preferred for Swing.
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Do Jive and Swing require a partner?
Typically, yes, both Jive and Swing are partner dances.
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What styles are included in Swing dancing?
Swing dancing includes styles like Lindy Hop, Charleston, and Balboa.
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How has Swing dancing evolved?
Swing dancing has evolved with various styles and influences, maintaining a strong community.
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Are there social events for Swing dancers?
Yes, there are many social events, clubs, and festivals for Swing dancers.
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Can Jive and Swing be self-taught?
While possible, learning from experienced instructors or classes is recommended.
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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