{{Unreferenced, date=June 2011 Bugg is a common dance style in Sweden and is very popular on the dancefloors, when

dansband (; "dance band"), or in Norwegian and Danish, is a Swedish term for a band that plays ("dance band music"). ' is often danced to in pairs. Jitterbug and foxtrot music are often included in this category. The music is primarily inspired ...

s play. Bugg is a four-step dance and performed at different paces (120–180 BPM). Bugg is a

partner dance Partner dances are dances whose basic choreography involves coordinated dancing of two partners, as opposed to individuals dancing alone or individually in a non-coordinated manner, and as opposed to groups of people dancing simultaneously in a ...

and follows certain basic rules, but is essentially improvised, with the woman following the man's lead.

Acrobatic Acrobatics () is the performance of human feats of balance, agility, and motor coordination. Acrobatic skills are used in performing arts, sporting events, and martial arts. Extensive use of acrobatic skills are most often performed in acro d ...

moves are not allowed on national or international dancecompetitions. Swedish Bugg belongs to the

swing dance Swing dance is a group of social dances that developed with the swing style of jazz music in the 1920s–1940s, with the origins of each dance predating the popular "swing era". Hundreds of styles of swing dancing were developed; those that hav ...

family and closely resembles

Modern Jive Modern Jive is a dance style derived from swing, Lindy Hop, rock and roll, salsa and others, the main difference being the simplification of footwork by removing syncopation such as chasse. The term "French Jive" is occasionally used instead, r ...

. Bugg is both a very popular

social dance Social dances are dances that have a social functions and context. Social dances are intended for participation rather than performance. They are often danced merely to socialise and for entertainment, though they may have ceremonial, compe ...

as well as a

competitive dance Competitive dance is a popular, widespread sport in which competitors perform dances in any of several permitted dance styles—such as acro, ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, modern, musical theatre, tap, and improv—befor ...

in Sweden. It also has the most

competitor Competition is a rivalry where two or more parties strive for a common goal which cannot be shared: where one's gain is the other's loss (an example of which is a zero-sum game). Competition can arise between entities such as organisms, ind ...

s and practitioners within the Swedish Dancesport Federation. There is also a variant called

double bugg {{no footnotes, date=November 2018 Double bugg ( sv, Dubbelbugg) is a Swedish Swing (dance), swing dance. Dance detail Double bugg is more or less a competitive dance within the BRR dance family administered by the Swedish Dancesport Federation. T ...

that is usually performed by one man and two women, but other combinations of three dancers may appear.

Short history

Swedish Bugg is a totally Swedish phenomenon and is also a variant of the early

Lindy Hop The Lindy Hop is an American dance which was born in the Black communities of Harlem, New York City, in 1928 and has evolved since then. It was very popular during the swing era of the late 1930s and early 1940s. Lindy is a fusion of many danc ...

(

Jitterbug Jitterbug is a generalized term used to describe swing dancing. It is often synonymous with the lindy hop dance but might include elements of the jive, east coast swing, collegiate shag, charleston, balboa and other swing dances. Swing dan ...

), which came to Sweden in the mid-1940s. In films from a famous dance place called Nalen in Stockholm, one can see the Swedish style of

(

) in which the Swedish Bugg has its origins. This dance style was then developed to the modern style we see today, danced in places throughout Sweden and now beginning to spread around the globe. This style has of course various dialects and variants, but the bases are more or less equal throughout the country. When the

dance competition Competitive dance is a popular, widespread sport in which competitors perform dances in any of several permitted dance styles—such as acro, ballet, contemporary, jazz, hip-hop, lyrical, modern, musical theatre, tap, and improv—befor ...

s began in Sweden during the mid 70s, there was only one class for all participants, namely ''Free style''. This was then, in 1983, divided into two different dance styles, ''Social bugg'' and ''Free style''. In 1984, this was changed again. A new style was created. These two new styles were then called ''Free style'' and Rock for a long period. Later on, these two dance styles, more or less, were developed towards one single Bugg style and into what one can see today, yet with different dialects and variants throughout the country, but without the acrobatic elements. The Swedish Bugg was from now on practiced with great enthusiasm by many dancers and in all ages, from all of Sweden. Today, the Swedish Bugg is one of the most popular social dances in Swedish danceclubs (ext link
swedish dance clubs
It can also provide a gateway into other dance styles.

Short history

See also