Relative Rhythms | Where Music & Dance Meet Tyedric Hill
Sep 16, 2025
Tyedric Hill, a dynamic lindy hop dancer and educator with a rich background in vernacular jazz dance, discusses his journey and teaching philosophy. He highlights the essential connections between lindy hop and other Black American dance forms like tap, emphasizing storytelling over technicality. Tyedric dispels myths surrounding the swing community and explores the transformative role of dance in personal and cultural identity. The conversation celebrates improvisation and the deep connections forged through music and movement.
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How A Date Sparked A Lifelong Calling
- Tyedric Hill discovered Lindy Hop after a date led him to a swing dance with live music and a taster lesson.
- Watching historic clips like "A Day at the Races" gave him a spiritual connection to the dance and its Black cultural roots.
Church, Family, And Early Arts Training
- Tyedric grew up oldest of ten, raised in church where music and movement were everyday practices.
- Theater, piano, and family performances shaped his early artistic identity before Lindy Hop.
Dance Is Community, Not Commodity
- Tyedric values dance as communal celebration rather than pure exhibition or commodity.
- He believes focusing only on spectacle strips movement of human meaning and longevity.