Learn to Swing Dance!
About our classes
Class Format
Each class is approximately 1 hour in length.
There is social dancing before classes to warm up, some social dancing after the first
class of the evening to practice what you've just learned, and social dancing after the
last class until the end of the night.
Prices are $10 per class for Basic or Intermediate when you pay as you go, or $15 for both classes in
the same night. Price includes the After Class Social Dance
You can pre-purchase any element, Basic or Intermediate or both for 50% off. That works out to just $5 per
class plus all the social dancing you can take. Information for pre-purchase available at the door.
Current class schedule, as well as other news, events, photos and more can be found on our facebook group.
Class and Element Descriptions
Jitterbug, East Coast Swing (6 Count Lindy)
Strictly based in six-count patterns that are simplified forms of the
original patterns copied from Lindy Hop, these forms of Lindy Hop have a 6 count basic step in contrast to the
meter of most swing music, which has a 4 count basic rhythm. In practice, however, 6-count moves are
often combined with 8-count moves from the Lindy hop, Charleston, and Balboa. (Later classes)
While similar, East Coast Swing, Jitterbug and 6 Count Lindy do have clear distinctions. East Coast Swing
evolved from the Lindy Hop with the work of the Arthur Murray dance studios in the 1940s for instructional
purposes and later standardized and codified for competitive ballroom dancers. 6-count Lindy and Jitterbug
remain less formal and are primarily danced in clubs and at social events.
This class will take you through the basics of rhythm, footwork & connection with your partner.
New moves will be introduced throughout the series and will provide the foundation for transitioning
into the 8-count rhythm of Lindy Hop to be introduced in the next Basic element of the series.
Lindy Hop
Lindy Hop is an American dance, based on the popular Charleston and evolved in New York City around 1927
and grew throughout the Swing Era of the 30's and 40's. It is a fusion of many dances that preceded it or
were popular during its development but is mainly based on jazz, tap, breakaway and Charleston.
In its development, Lindy Hop combined elements of both solo and partner dancing by
using jazz improvisation along with the formal eight-count structure of European partner dances.
This is most clearly illustrated in Lindy's basic step, the swingout.
Revived in the 1980s by American, Swedish, and British dancers, Lindy Hop dancers and organizations
can now be found world-wide.
The class teaches the basic 8-count rythm and the basic Swingout pattern and Swingout variations.
In the intermediate class, we build on this foundation and include mixing 6-count and 8-count patterns,
introduce more moves and how to combine two different 4-count moves to create 8-count patterns. Also covered
are steps that allow you to dance Lindy to very fast music.
Lindy Charleston
Lindy Hop developed from Charleston and it kept a lot of the Charleston roots.
This class will teach the 8-count Charleston rhythm, side-by-side Charleston and variations.
The intermediate class will cover Tandem Charleston and variations and mixing Charleston steps with
your East Coast Swing and Lindy Hop.
Balboa
Balboa today is commonly used as a general term for dances that came from southern California during
the 1920s through 1940s, which makes the history very obscure. Most of the original Balboa dancers have
passed and many of the swing dancers that followed continued to use their steps and styles to integrate
into their "swing" dancing which some people today call "Bal-Swing".
It is danced primarily in close embrace, and is led with a full body connection. The art of Balboa is
the subtle communication between the lead and follow, like weight shifts, that most spectators cannot see.
As a result, Balboa is considered more of a "dancer's dance" than a "spectator's dance".
Balboa is danced to a wide variety of tempos. Because the basic step takes up such a small space,
Balboa can be danced to very fast music (over 300 beats per minute) without exhausting the dancers,
and it can be danced on very crowded dance floors.
Coming on the heels of the intermediate "Fast Lindy" class, this class teaches the basics of the Balboa step
and dancing to music over 180 beats per minute using the same rhythms found in Lindy Hop.
The intermediate class builds on this and introduces the swing element, combining Balboa moves with Swing
and Lindy Hop moves.
Cool Moves Workshop Series
Getting really serious! There will be a special workshops that will focus on some really spectacular stuff! Each workshop will focus on one set of Cool Moves, like Slides, Steals, Aerials, Advanced Styling, Hesitations, and more.
Below is a partial list of workshop topics we plan to cover throught the year. Workshop dates, times and other details will be announced as we get these put together.
Lindy Blues for CouplesSteals and Steal Theory
Advanced Lindy Charleston
Dips and Tricks
Musicality
Techniques Workshop
Since all of these topics build on the Lindy Hop Basic, a good working knowlege of connection, rhythm and the basic swingout is required.
Lindy Blues for Couples
Lindy Blues is style of dance that emerged from Lindy Hop, uses the same concepts of connection and rythm and applied to the blues.
Blues dancing is an expressive partner dance done to blues music. slow and sultry, fast and creative, it's all about musicality and connection. The intense emotion found in blues music is translated into movement on the dance floor.
Steals and Steal Theory
Steal moves are moves that take away one of the partners in a couple who are actively dancing, leaving you dancing with the remaining partner. If done right, these moves are smooth and never interrupt the flow of the dance. It is an essential skill for birthday dances and a lot of fun, too.
Advanced Lindy Charleston
Lindy Hop came out of Charleston and re-incorporates many of the Charleston moves in a unique, typically Lindy manner. These moves are handy to have when the music gets faster and they look really cool on the dance floor. This series teaches both Charleston moves and how to transition between regular Lindy and Lindy-Charleston.
Dips and Tricks
Learn the fancy dips and a few tricks to pull off during the dance. Lifts, jumps and minor aerials will also be covered.
Musicality
Learn to feel the rhythm and not just the beat. This workshop focuses on hearing and feeling the music and incorporating fun and easy moves that take advantage of the various breaks, pauses and musical interludes you hear in a song.
Techniques Series
Improve your dancing ability with the Techniques Workshop. This workshop will break down the swing out and cover techniques such as momentum, partnering and connection (tension), musicality, rhythm and styling. Look better and feel better out on the floor.
Pre-registration is required for these workshops. See one of the instructors for more information.