/ Our Classes
Discover the world of swing dancing with us
I’ve never seen a Lindy Hopper who wasn’t smiling. It’s a happy dance. It makes you feel good.
Frankie ManningPioneer of Lindy Hop
From Harlem to the world:
the history of swing.
Swing dances are a family of dance styles that emerged during the swing era of the exuberant 1920s to 1940s. These include the rousing Lindy Hop, born in Harlem, New
Swing dances are a family of dance styles that emerged during the swing era of the exuberant 1920s to 1940s. These include the rousing Lindy Hop, born in Harlem, New York, in the 1930s, which embodies the joie de vivre, energy, and creativity of the time. Balboa, Charleston, and Shag are other popular swing dance styles that have survived the end of the swing era. Many of today's popular swing dances have their roots in African American culture. The pioneers of these dance styles brought their own flair and personal touch to the dance. This resulted in dances that are fun and convey the mood and atmosphere of African American culture to this day.
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Swing: Where fun, music, and dance bring people together.
Swing dances are unique in the world of dance—they embody joie de vivre, inviting you to let go of everyday life and immerse yourself in the music. But what makes
Swing dances are unique in the world of dance—they embody joie de vivre, inviting you to let go of everyday life and immerse yourself in the music. But what makes them so special? Swing dances embody pure joy, the fun of music and movement, whether as a dancer on the dance floor or as a spectator. A swing dance is always unique: it is like a moving conversation to music, resulting from the individual expression, creativity, and interaction of the dancers on the dance floor. Most important, however, is the inclusive and open character of swing dances. Swing dance events are social events that bring together people of all ages, dance levels, and backgrounds.
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Swing dances at a glance
The Lindy Hop originated in 1928 in the grand ballrooms of New York City and was originally danced to the rousing sounds of big bands. Famous dance groups such as
The Lindy Hop originated in 1928 in the grand ballrooms of New York City and was originally danced to the rousing sounds of big bands. Famous dance groups such as Whitey's Lindy Hoppers helped to popularize the Lindy Hop on stage and screen in the 1930s and 1940s.
Lindy Hop is a lively mix of different dance styles, including jazz, tap, breakaway, and Charleston. It combines movements and improvisations from African American dances with the formal counting structure of European partner dances and is characterized by a wide variety of movements and improvisation.
Lindy Hop is all about fun, harmony, and the exchange of movement ideas between dancers, in harmony with the music.
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Balboa, often affectionately abbreviated to “Bal,” is a swing dance that originated in Southern California in the 1920s. Developed in conservative dance halls with limited space and strict rules, the
Balboa, often affectionately abbreviated to “Bal,” is a swing dance that originated in Southern California in the 1920s. Developed in conservative dance halls with limited space and strict rules, the original form of Balboa (Pure Bal) is danced in a closed position and upright posture to fast jazz music.
When dancers experimented with breaking out of the closed position in order to incorporate more complex figures into the dance, Bal swing was born.
For spectators, only the foot movements and turns are usually visible. For the dancers, the fascination lies in the lead through small weight shifts and the tension that creates turns and more complex figures. Balboa is therefore often described as a “dance for dancers.”
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Solo jazz, also known as vernacular jazz or authentic jazz, is an exhilarating dance form that is performed without a partner to jazz music. In solo jazz, various jazz steps
Solo jazz, also known as vernacular jazz or authentic jazz, is an exhilarating dance form that is performed without a partner to jazz music. In solo jazz, various jazz steps such as the Shorty George, Suzy Q, and Apple Jacks are freely combined with each other.
The focus is on improvisation, rhythmic steps, and the harmonious fusion of movement and music. It is possible to improvise freely or to familiarize yourself with well-known choreographies such as the Shim Sham, the Tranky Doo, or the Big Apple, which make it easier to get started with solo jazz.
Solo jazz allows dancers to work on body control, movement quality, and rhythm without the need for a dance partner.
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/ Our class system
How are the classes structured?
You can take courses in various swing dances at our studio at the beginner, improver, and explorer levels. For us, “learning” to swing dance is a journey that involves taking
You can take courses in various swing dances at our studio at the beginner, improver, and explorer levels. For us, “learning” to swing dance is a journey that involves taking courses and trying out what you've learned on the social dance floor. The journey is the destination, and in addition to making progress, the focus is above all on having fun dancing. We don't see the progressive learning levels as a checklist to tick off. The learning levels are an offer that you can use – even with repetitions and breaks – to suit your stage on your dance journey.
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How do I find the right class?
The number of classes you have taken or the length of your dance trip are often not the best indicators for choosing the right class. Each of us has an
The number of classes you have taken or the length of your dance trip are often not the best indicators for choosing the right class. Each of us has an individual learning pace and brings different previous dance experience to the table. Our course descriptions and requirements (courses attended, duration of dance experience, figures, and comfortable music tempo) are a good starting point. If you are unsure, please feel free to contact us! We are happy to help, because choosing the right course benefits everyone—teachers, other course participants, and you!
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Our class system at a glance
Newcomer
Our course level for all beginners.
Solid foundations as the basis for your dance journey.
No prerequisites,
open to everyone.
Improver
Our course level is for anyone with a solid foundation who enjoys dancing at swing socials and wants to improve their basics and become more versatile.
Explorer
Our course level is for anyone who has fully embraced swing dancing, never misses a song at social events, and wants to explore partner interaction and movement to music.
Our swing dance classes
01
Newcomer
(Lindy Hop)
Swing music, fun dancing, meeting new people, and letting go of everyday life. That's what Lindy Hop means to us. Whether you're new to Lindy Hop or already have some
Swing music, fun dancing, meeting new people, and letting go of everyday life. That's what Lindy Hop means to us. Whether you're new to Lindy Hop or already have some experience from a previous course, you've come to the right place! In this course, you'll learn the basic steps and rhythms for this swing dance. With this foundation, you can build on your skills with us in further courses.
Requirements
- Classes attended: none or beginner
- I feel comfortable with: no requirements
- Comfortable pace: no requirements
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02
Improver
(Lindy Hop)
Have you been thoroughly impressed by the Lindy Hop beginner courses and are you counting down the days until the next social event? Then now is the time to consolidate
Have you been thoroughly impressed by the Lindy Hop beginner courses and are you counting down the days until the next social event? Then now is the time to consolidate the basics you learned at beginner level and further refine your dance style. Together we will learn new moves and vary familiar ones. As always, the focus will be on the joy of dancing, playful experimentation, and the music.
Requirements
- Classes attended: Lindy Hop Newcomer or comparable
- I feel comfortable with: Basic, Circle, Swing Out, Send out & Take In, Tuck Turn, Pass By, keeping rhythm, good partner connection
- Comfortable pace: Ella Fitzgerald - It's only a paper moon (approx. 120-130 BPM)
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03
Explorer
(Lindy Hop)
Is Lindy Hop a way of life for you, and do you feel completely at home at community events? Do you want to do more than just dance steps, but
Is Lindy Hop a way of life for you, and do you feel completely at home at community events? Do you want to do more than just dance steps, but also improve your dancing skills? We practice how to find exactly the right move for the music with musicality and a sense of rhythm. Technical deep dives, e.g., in the topics of connection, lead & follow, will take your dancing skills to a new level. Of course, there will be plenty of opportunity to discover and play with new variations. To ensure that the course suits you, we are happy to tailor the topics to your wishes.
Requirements
- Classes attended: Lindy Hop Improver or comparable
- I feel comfortable with:
- Lindy Hop: Circle, Swing Out, Send Out & Take In, Tuck Turn, Pass By, first variations (Texas Tommy, Swing Out with Inside & Outside Turn, tbc.)
- Charleston: Charleston Basic, Skip-Ups, Kick-Throughs, Hand-to-Hand, Chase / S-Turn and Tandem
- Comfortable pace: Big Joe Turner - You're driving me crazy (faster than 150 BPM)
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01
Newcomer
(Balboa)
Fast music, lively footwork, and close dancing positions—Balboa is all this and more. This swing dance originated in Southern California in the 1930s and 1940s and is a fusion of
Fast music, lively footwork, and close dancing positions—Balboa is all this and more. This swing dance originated in Southern California in the 1930s and 1940s and is a fusion of several dance styles from that era. We will show you the basic dance positions and teach you the first steps and figures, which you can build on in further courses.
Requirements
- Classses attended: none or beginner
- I feel comfortable with: no requirements
- Comfortable pace: no requirements
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02
Improver
(Balboa)
The Balboa fire has been lit and you can't stop pulsing? Then it's time to expand and consolidate your repertoire in this course. We will delve deeper into the art
The Balboa fire has been lit and you can't stop pulsing? Then it's time to expand and consolidate your repertoire in this course. We will delve deeper into the art of following and leading, but we will also increase the tempo and focus more on the music. In addition, we will add new (Bal-Swing) figures that will impress on the dance floor.
Requirements
- Classes attended: Balboa Newcomer or comparable
- I feel comfortable with: Downhold and Uphold Basic, Paddles, Out-n-Ins, Comearound, Lollies, Closed and Open position, Crab Walks, Posture
- Comfortable pace: Artie Shaw - Softly as in a Morning Sunrise (approx. 160-170 BPM)
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03
Explorer
(Balboa)
The music is fast, the connection is right, and Balboa has become a way of life? Then you've come to the right place. In this course, we want to refine
The music is fast, the connection is right, and Balboa has become a way of life? Then you've come to the right place. In this course, we want to refine your dancing and develop further with the help of technical exercises and new movement combinations. The music gets faster, the figures more complicated, and at the same time, we don't lose sight of the basics.
Requirements
- Classes attended: Balboa Improver or comparable
- I feel comfortable with: Out-n-Ins, Comearounds, Lollies, Closed and Open position, Crab walks, Toss-Outs, Crossovers, Swivells, Hal Kicks, first variations in Pure Bal and Bal Swing
- Comfortable pace: Hot Sugar Band - Jericho (faster than 180 BPM)
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01
Newcomer
(Solo Jazz)
Want to experience the joy of swing dancing for yourself, solo, without a dance partner? Whether improvisation or choreography — in solo jazz, there are no limits!
In this course, you
Want to experience the joy of swing dancing for yourself, solo, without a dance partner? Whether improvisation or choreography — in solo jazz, there are no limits! In this course, you will learn to better harmonize your body with the music and rhythms. You will learn typical solo jazz moves, how to combine them and improvise with them. This will help you to simply start dancing to swing music at a party or other occasions and feel comfortable on the dance floor even without a dance partner.
Requirements
- Classes attended: none or beginner
- I feel comfortable with: no requirements
- Comfortable pace: no requirements
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02
Improver
(Solo Jazz)
Want to experience the joy of swing dancing for yourself, solo, without a dance partner? Whether improvisation or choreography—there are no limits in solo jazz! In this course, you will
Want to experience the joy of swing dancing for yourself, solo, without a dance partner? Whether improvisation or choreography—there are no limits in solo jazz! In this course, you will learn to better harmonize your body with the music and rhythms. You will learn typical solo jazz moves, how to combine them, and how to improvise with them. This will help you to simply start dancing to swing music at a party or other occasions and feel comfortable on the dance floor even without a dance partner.
Requirements
- Classes attended: Solo Jazz Newcomer or comparable course
- I feel comfortable with: keeping rhythm, improvising, dancing solo in a group
- Comfortable pace: no requirements
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