Jive vs. Swing — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on March 21, 2024
Jive is a lively, and bouncy dance style originating in the African American community, focusing on fast-paced music, while Swing encompasses a broader range of rhythms and dance styles from the same era.
Difference Between Jive and Swing
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Jive, as a dance form, emerged in the United States in the early 20th century, characterized by its lively and bouncy movements. Swing, on the other hand, refers to a group of dances that developed alongside swing jazz music, featuring a variety of rhythms and styles.
Jive is often danced to faster music, with a lot of knee-lifting, bending, and rocking of the hips. Swing encompasses a broader tempo range and includes dances like the Lindy Hop, Charleston, and Balboa, each with its unique characteristics.
In terms of music, jive is typically danced to a 4/4 time signature with a tempo of around 176 beats per minute. Swing music, while also often in 4/4 time, can vary greatly in tempo, accommodating the diverse dance styles within the swing family.
The basic step of jive consists of a six-beat pattern, including a rock step and two triple steps. Swing dance styles, such as the Lindy Hop, might have an eight-beat pattern that combines steps, hops, and swings.
While jive became standardized as part of the ballroom dance competitions, many swing dances have retained their social dance roots, often danced in more casual settings and emphasizing improvisation and personal expression.
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Comparison Chart
Origin
African American community in the US.
African American community in the US, 1920s-1940s.
Music Tempo
Fast-paced, around 176 bpm.
Varies, accommodating different dance styles.
Basic Steps
Six-beat pattern: rock step, two triple steps.
Varies: can be six or eight-beat patterns.
Characteristics
Lively, bouncy movements.
Broader range of rhythms and styles.
Settings
Often competitive or performance-oriented.
Social, informal settings; emphasizes improvisation.
Compare with Definitions
Jive
Competition Dance.
Jive is often featured in dance sport competitions, judged on technique and flair.
Swing
Varied Music Tempo.
Swing dances are adaptable to a wide range of tempos, making them versatile.
Jive
Distinct Movements.
Jive dancers exhibit bouncy, quick movements, emphasizing knee lifts and hip rocking.
Swing
Roots in Swing Music.
Swing dances developed alongside the swing jazz era, reflecting its rhythms.
Jive
Lively Dance Style.
The couple's jive performance was energetic, showcasing rapid leg movements.
Swing
Social Dancing.
Swing dancing thrives in social settings, encouraging improvisation and interaction.
Jive
African American Origins.
Jive evolved from African American dance forms, gaining popularity in the 20th century.
Swing
Historical Development.
Swing dances have evolved since the 1920s, influenced by cultural and musical changes.
Jive
Fast-Paced Music.
Jive is danced to upbeat music, making it a favorite in lively dance competitions.
Swing
Diverse Dance Family.
Swing includes various dances like the Lindy Hop, each with its unique style.
Jive
Jazz or swing music.
Swing
Move or cause to move back and forth or from side to side while suspended or on an axis
Her long black skirt swung about her legs
The door swung shut behind him
A priest began swinging a censer
Jive
The jargon of jazz musicians and enthusiasts.
Swing
Move by grasping a support from below and leaping
The Irishman swung himself into the saddle
We swung across like two trapeze artists
Jive
To play or dance to jive music.
Swing
Move or cause to move in a smooth, curving line
She swung her legs to the side of the bed
The cab swung into the car park
Jive
To talk in an exaggerated, teasing, or misleading way.
Swing
Shift or cause to shift from one opinion, mood, or state of affairs to another
Opinion swung in the Chancellor's favour
The failure to seek peace could swing sentiment the other way
Jive
To talk or chat
"You just jive in one big group, putting each other on, trying to top the last line" (Time).
Swing
Play music with a flowing but vigorous rhythm
The band swung on
Jive
(Usage Problem) To be in accord.
Swing
(of an event, place, or way of life) be lively, exciting, or fashionable.
Jive
To speak to (someone) in an exaggerated, teasing, or misleading way.
Swing
A seat suspended by ropes or chains, on which someone may sit and swing back and forth.
Jive
Misleading, phony, or worthless
Talking jive nonsense.
Swing
An act of swinging
With the swing of her arm, the knife flashed through the air
Jive
To deceive; to be deceptive.
Don’t try to jive me! I know where you were last night!
Swing
A discernible change in opinion, especially the amount by which votes or points scored change from one side to another
A five per cent swing to Labour
Jive
To dance, originally to jive or swing music; later, to jazz, rock and roll, rhythm and blues, disco, etc.
Swing
A style of jazz or dance music with a flowing but vigorous rhythm.
Jive
(uncountable) A dance style popular in the 1940–50s.
Swing
A swift tour involving a number of stops, especially one undertaken as part of a political campaign.
Jive
(uncountable) Swing, a style of jazz music.
Swing
(in musical theatre) an understudy, typically one who covers multiple roles in the chorus of a particular production.
Jive
(uncountable) A slang associated with jazz musicians; hepcat patois or hipster jargon.
Swing
To move back and forth suspended or as if suspended from above.
Jive
Synonym of bullshit: patent nonsense, transparently deceptive talk.
Don’t give me that jive. I know where you were last night.
Swing
To hit at something with a sweeping motion of the arm
Swung at the ball.
Jive
African-American Vernacular English.
Swing
To move laterally or in a curve
The car swung over to the curb.
Jive
A style of jazz played by big bands popular in the 1930s; flowing rhythms but less complex than later styles of jazz.
Swing
To turn in place on or as if on a hinge or pivot.
Jive
A style of jazz played by big bands popular in the 1930s; flowing rhythms but less complex than later styles of jazz
Swing
To move along with an easy, swaying gait
Swinging down the road.
Jive
Dance to jive music; dance the jive
Swing
To propel oneself from one place or position to another by grasping a fixed support
Swinging through the trees.
Swing
To ride on a swing.
Swing
To shift from one attitude, interest, condition, or emotion to another; vacillate.
Swing
To have a subtle, intuitively felt rhythm or sense of rhythm.
Swing
To play with a subtle, intuitively felt sense of rhythm.
Swing
To be lively, trendy, and exciting.
Swing
To cause to move back and forth, as on a swing.
Swing
To cause to move in a broad arc or curve
Swing a bat.
Swung the car over.
Swing
To cause to move with a sweeping motion
Swinging his arms.
Swing
To lift and convey with a sweeping motion
Swung the cargo onto the deck.
Swing
To suspend so as to sway or turn freely
Swung a hammock between two trees.
Swing
To suspend on hinges
Swing a shutter.
Swing
To cause to turn on hinges
Swung the door shut.
Swing
To cause to shift from one attitude, position, opinion, or condition to another.
Swing
To manage or arrange successfully
Swing a deal.
Swing
To bring around to the desired result
Swing an election.
Swing
(Music) To play (music) with a subtle, intuitively felt sense of rhythm.
Swing
The act or an instance of swinging; movement back and forth or in one particular direction.
Swing
The sweep or scope of something that swings
The pendulum's swing is 12 inches.
Swing
A blow or stroke executed with a sweeping motion of the arm.
Swing
The manner in which one swings something, such as a bat or golf club.
Swing
A shift from one attitude, position, or condition to another
A swing to conservatism.
Swing
Freedom of action
The children have free swing in deciding what color to paint their room.
Swing
A swaying, graceful motion
Has a swing to her walk.
Swing
A sweep back and forth
The swing of a bird across the sky.
Swing
A course or tour that returns to the starting point
A swing across the state while campaigning.
Swing
A seat suspended from above, as by ropes, on which one can ride back and forth for recreation.
Swing
The normal rhythm of life or pace of activities
Back in the swing.
Swing
A steady, vigorous rhythm or movement, as in verse.
Swing
A regular movement up or down, as in stock prices.
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.
Swing
A ballroom dance performed to this music.
Swing
A subtle, intuitively felt rhythmic quality or sense of rhythm.
Swing
(Music) Relating to or performing swing
A swing band.
Swing
Determining an outcome; decisive
The swing vote.
Swing
(intransitive) To rotate about an off-centre fixed point.
The plant swung in the breeze.
Swing
(intransitive) To dance.
Swing
(intransitive) To ride on a swing.
The children laughed as they swung.
Swing
(intransitive) To participate in the swinging lifestyle; to participate in wife-swapping.
Swing
(intransitive) To hang from the gallows; to be punished by hanging, swing for something or someone; (often hyperbolic) to be severely punished.
Swing
To move sideways in its trajectory.
Swing
To make the ball move sideways in its trajectory.
Swing
(intransitive) To fluctuate or change.
It wasn't long before the crowd's mood swung towards restless irritability.
Swing
(transitive) To move (an object) backward and forward; to wave.
He swung his sword as hard as he could.
Swing
(transitive) To change (a numerical result); especially to change the outcome of an election.
Swing
(transitive) To make (something) work; especially to afford (something) financially.
If it’s not too expensive, I think we can swing it.
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.
Swing
To move one's arm in a punching motion.
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"
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.
Swing
To put (a door, gate, etc.) on hinges so that it can swing or turn.
Swing
(nautical) To turn round by action of wind or tide when at anchor.
A ship swings with the tide.
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
Swing
The sweep or compass of a swinging body.
Swing
A line, cord, or other thing suspended and hanging loose, upon which anything may swing.
Swing
A hanging seat in a children's playground, for acrobats in a circus, or on a porch for relaxing.
Swing
A dance style.
Swing
(music) The genre of music associated with this dance style.
Swing
The amount of change towards or away from something.
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.
Swing
(cricket) Sideways movement of the ball as it flies through the air.
Swing
Capacity of a turning lathe, as determined by the diameter of the largest object that can be turned in it.
Swing
In a musical theater production, a performer who understudies several roles.
Swing
A basic dance step in which a pair link hands and turn round together in a circle.
Swing
(obsolete) Free course; unrestrained liberty.
Swing
Influence or power of anything put in motion.
Swing
(boxing) A type of hook with the arm more extended.
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.
Swing
To sway or move from one side or direction to another; as, the door swung open.
Swing
To turn round by action of wind or tide when at anchor; as, a ship swings with the tide.
Swing
To be hanged.
He had swung round the circle of theories and systems in which his age abounded, without finding relief.
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.
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.
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.
Swing
The act of swinging; a waving, oscillating, or vibratory motion of a hanging or pivoted object; oscillation; as, the swing of a pendulum.
Swing
Swaying motion from one side or direction to the other; as, some men walk with a swing.
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.
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.
Swing
Capacity of a turning lathe, as determined by the diameter of the largest object that can be turned in it.
Swing
Free course; unrestrained liberty or license; tendency.
To prevent anything which may prove an obstacle to the full swing of his genius.
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
Swing
Mechanical device used as a plaything to support someone swinging back and forth
Swing
A sweeping blow or stroke;
He took a wild swing at my head
Swing
Changing location by moving back and forth
Swing
A style of jazz played by big bands popular in the 1930s; flowing rhythms but less complex than later styles of jazz
Swing
A jaunty rhythm in music
Swing
The act of swinging a golf club at a golf ball and (usually) hitting it
Swing
In baseball; a batter's attempt to hit a pitched ball;
He took a vicious cut at the ball
Swing
A square dance figure; a pair of dancers join hands and dance around a point between them
Swing
Move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting;
He swung his left fist
Swing a bat
Swing
Move or walk in a swinging or swaying manner;
He swung back
Swing
Change direction with a swinging motion; turn;
Swing back
Swing forward
Swing
Influence decisively;
This action swung many votes over to his side
Swing
Make a big sweeping gesture or movement
Swing
Hang freely;
The ornaments dangled from the tree
The light dropped from the ceiling
Swing
Hit or aim at with a sweeping arm movement;
The soccer player began to swing at the referee
Swing
Alternate dramatically between high and low values;
His mood swings
The market is swinging up and down
Swing
Live in a lively, modern, and relaxed style;
The Woodstock generation attempted to swing freely
Swing
Have a certain musical rhythm;
The music has to swing
Swing
Be a social swinger; socialize a lot
Swing
Play with a subtle and intuitively felt sense of rhythm
Common Curiosities
Can swing music be slow?
Yes, swing music can vary greatly in tempo, accommodating different swing dance styles, some of which can be danced to slower music.
What is jive dancing?
Jive is a lively, bouncy dance style that emerged from the African American community, often performed to fast-paced music.
What are the basic steps of jive?
The basic jive step consists of a six-beat pattern, including a rock step followed by two triple steps.
What makes swing dance unique?
Swing dance's diversity in styles and its adaptability to various musical tempos make it unique.
What music is best for dancing jive?
Fast-paced music with a strong beat is best for dancing jive, typically within the swing or rock and roll genres.
Is swing dance always performed in a social setting?
While swing dance originated in social settings and often emphasizes improvisation, it also features in competitions and performances.
Are there competitive swing dance events?
Yes, there are competitive events specifically for swing dances, including both individual and group competitions.
What are the key features of swing music?
Swing music is known for its strong rhythm section, use of brass instruments, and ability to inspire dance.
How does swing dance differ from jive?
Swing dance encompasses a broader range of dance styles and rhythms, while jive is characterized by its fast tempo and specific movements.
How did jive get its name?
The term "jive" comes from African American Vernacular English and was originally associated with a type of jazz music before becoming associated with the dance.
How has jive evolved over the years?
Jive has evolved into a competitive dance sport style, becoming more standardized in its steps and techniques.
Can beginners learn swing dance easily?
Swing dance can be beginner-friendly, especially in its more basic forms, with many communities offering social dance nights for practice.
How do dancers express themselves differently in jive and swing?
Jive dancers focus on fast, precise movements and acrobatics, while swing dancers enjoy more freedom of expression and improvisation.
What era is swing dance from?
Swing dance originated in the 1920s to 1940s, alongside the popularity of swing jazz music.
Is there a difference in attire for jive and swing dancing?
Attire can vary based on the setting, with jive competitions often requiring more formal dancewear, while swing dancing in social settings can be more casual.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
