Sample: Essay introduction

[1. Introduction to my topic area on Suite101.com, an online writing workshop] Swing Dance is a uniquely American art form, born in the early days of Harlem and the Savoy Ballroom. Swing dance, and the swing lifestyle are enjoying a world-wide resurgence of late. Ten short years ago, however, the few practitioners of this exuberant dance style were confined to private dance studios and professional competitions, with little or no public recognition of their talents. Today, you can find swing dance lessons, performances and live swing bands in nearly every city in the nation, with hundreds of enthusiastic dancers at every level packing the dance floor. For some, it's recreation; for others, it's a lifestyle, influencing every facet of daily life, from the clothes they wear, to the cars they drive and the furnishings in their homes. These young dancers have embraced not only the dance itself, in it's myriad variations, but also the early greats who defined the art form; dancers such as Frankie Manning, Norma Miller and Dean Collins, providing them with not only belated recognition and adulation, but in some cases, a long-overdue means of financial support for doing what they love and created. These will be the stories of those living legends, the dancers they have inspired, and the art form they created, as well as practical references and information for those interested in learning the dance, coverage of U.S. and international competitions and instructors, and discussions on the new swing lifestyle.