Frequently Asked Questions

What is Swing Dancing?
Do I need a partner?
What should I wear?
Where do you buy your shoes?
How can I get better?
What music do you recommend?

What is Swing Dancing?

Swing dancing refers to a family of social dances, usually danced by couples, usually to music of the 30's and 40's. Each couple consists of a "leader" and a "follower". The leader (traditionally male) suggests the direction of the dance. The follower (traditionally female) responds to the leader's suggestions, adding her own embellishments.

The style of swing typically taught to beginners is called "East Coast" or "6 Count Swing". Some other types of swing include Lindy Hop, Charleston, and Blues.

Do I need a partner?

No! Our group classes rotate partners regularly to ensure that you get to meet and dance with lots of people.

What should I wear?

Shoes: Wear comfortable shoes that will stay on your feet. Flip flops, clogs, and high heels are NOT recommended. Tennis shoes will work fine.

Clothes: Wear clothes that you are comfortable moving in. Also take into consideration that dancing is a physical activity, and you may get a bit hot and sweaty.

Where do you buy your shoes?

We usually buy our shoes from dancestore.com. There are also beautiful (but very expensive) shoes at Remix Vintage Shoes.

How can I get better?

Practice! Dance with lots of different people. Take classes from lots of different instructors. Learn both the lead and follow parts. Then practice some more. Listening to swing music will also help, even if you aren't dancing to it.

What music do you recommend?

Here's a short & sweet list of some classic swing musicians:

Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman, Fletcher Henderson, Glen Miller, and Artie Shaw.

Many freely downloadable songs can be found at Jazz On Line