Hand dancing, also known as D.C. hand dancing or D.C. swing, is a form of swing dance that can be traced as far back as the 1920s, from Lindy Hop and the Jitterbug, to the 1950s when dancers in the District of Columbia developed their own variety. It is characterized by gliding footwork and continuous hand connection/communication between the partners, hence its name. It fell out of favor during the disco era, but in the 1980s, Hand Dance resurfaced in the Washington dance community.
In 1993, the Smithsonian Institution recognized Hand Dance as an American Art Form, and the Smithsonian exhibit led to the establishment of the National Hand Dance Association.
