When you learn a dance,
you learn more than just moves.
You learn history, culture & social values.
Don’t just learn from great dancers —
learn from a great people.
Who we are:
Midtown Swings celebrates Lindy Hop in New York City
Midtown Swings is a partnership between celebrated Lindy Hop scene leaders Gaby Cook and AJ Howard with the Emmanuel Pierre Antoine Dance Studio (EPA Studio). Together, we are committed to providing the highest quality group classes and social dances possible, to bolster New York's already thriving Lindy Hop community.
What is Lindy Hop
Swing Dance (also referred to as Lindy Hop) is a social dance originated at the Savoy Ballroom, located in Harlem New York in the 1920's-1940's. Improvisational, playful, and highly rhythmic, this dance is defined by music of the Big Band era including Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald and Benny Goodman.
Swing Dance was formed, developed and perfected in Harlem by communities of Black dance culture.
We acknowledge, respect and share the tradition of Lindy Hop — and cultivate community founded on that respect.
Lindy Hop Today
Watch Gaby & AJ
swing out in Times Square
Gaby Cook is an esteemed, active professional in the global Lindy Hop community. For nearly 20 years, she has established her career, teaching and performing for the world's largest Swing events — including Herrang Dance Camp, Lindy Focus, Beantown, Stompology and Paris Jazz Roots.
She is a feature dancer in the Joyce’s “SW!NG OUT” (director Caleb Teicher), and performed in “Don’t Mean a Thing” at the Kennedy Center 50th Anniversary (choreographer Latasha Barnes). Her work has been featured at Jacob’s Pillow’s, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, 92Y, Midsummer Night Swing and the BET SoulTrain Awards at the Apollo Theater.
In New York, she is a prominent teacher and community leader. She leads two programs; Swing at the 92Y and "Midtown Swings" at EPA Studios. She reaches hundreds of students through the Midtown Swings social dance — currently the largest regular Swing dance in New York.
She was recently selected by Works & Process to receive a LaunchPAD Residency at Bridge Street Theater — and is a past recipient of the CUNY Dance Initiative.
With nearly 10 years of experience, AJ takes the influences from Sacramento, San Francisco, and Los Angeles Lindy Hop scenes to bring his own unique style and energy to the Swing Dancing community. He burst into the scene in 2016, winning competitions throughout the US with his partner Jennifer, showing the dance world what Sacramento really had to offer!
Competing at international events such as Camp Hollywood and the International Lindy Hop Championships, AJ became well known for his generous use of aerials paired with his energetic dancing.
AJ has also had the honor of performing on stage for the debut run of "SW!NG OUT" in addition to dance groups such as HellaBlackLindyHop and the Midtown Stompers, along with the privilege to spread his love of dance through teaching at Lindy Hop events across the US, on a Carnival Cruise ship, and overseas in countries such as Denmark and Sweden.