🗓️ Wednesdays, from 5 February 2025
🕰️ 6-7 pm
📍 Observatory Community Centre
📊 Beginner
👥 TBC
🎟️ R140 drop-in / R490 for the course
This 4-week beginner course will introduce you to Charleston: the first-ever global dance craze and a precursor to the lindy hop. It’s great with the hot jazz of the early 20th century as well as with the swinging jazz of the 1930s and ‘40s, and lindy hoppers love to mix it in with all the other rhythms and tricks they have in the bag.
The complete Beginner series includes the following 4-week beginner blocks:
- Lindy Hop FUNdamentals
- Frankie’s Sixes
- Swing Out Foundations
- Charleston Essentials
Once you’re comfortable social dancing the content from all these courses, which forms the foundations of Lindy Hop, you’ll be invited to take Improver-level classes at any of our locations. These Beginner courses will be repeated periodically, providing more flexibility on how you’d like to complete them as a whole.
No need to bring a partner: we rotate partners in class. Anyone can lead or follow – roles are not gendered.
COST: R140 per person drop-in (pay on arrival with card, SnapScan or cash) or R490 for all 4 classes in the course. CTS Members get unlimited classes (at their level). More info on our Pricing page.
PLEASE NOTE: Newcomers may join the first class; thereafter, the course is closed to first-timers as classes will progress.
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What is swing dancing?
The term “swing dancing” refers to a variety of dance styles that originated in the 1920s and ‘30s in African American communities – particularly in Harlem, New York. They include Lindy Hop, Charleston, Shag, Balboa and others, each of which has its own unique “flavour” and character. They are mostly quite athletic and energetic, drawing inspiration from the big bands of the Swing Era that played a variety of jazz music for large crowds in ballrooms all over the country. Swing dancers ground their movement in the rhythm section of the music, emphasising syncopation, musicality, improvisation, humour and self-expression.
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Do I need a partner?
You do not. We rotate partners in classes, where everyone pairs up to practice for a bit, before changing partners. This way, we learn the same language to have dance conversations with lots of people. And we meet new people and build a social community.
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Where can I find swing music to listen and practice to?
There is an enormous treasure trove of swing music for you to discover. Classic swinging jazz from the 1920s-’40s big bands and small group ensembles should be your go-to. We’ve created a variety of Spotify playlists for you to enjoy, available from our Music page. Our DJs put many hours into sourcing, tagging and categorising swing music from the archives to play at our parties. If you love the songs they play, go up and tell them!
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What is the best way to progress my dancing?
The best way to progress is to be consistent: attend classes regularly, practice at home (solo or with a dance buddy) and get on the social dance floor as often as you can. You’ll probably learn as much on the social floor as you will in class. Listen to lots of swing music, practice between classes, and take inspiration from Swing Era elders. You can also make a habit of trying something new each time you go to a social. It's better to build up slowly and have a good foundation of the basics, rather than being a move machine with sloppy technique.
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What if I miss a class in the series I’m attending?
If you have joined a multi-week course, we encourage you to attend every class, so that the group can progress as a whole. If you miss more than one class in a course, you may be required to take a private lesson (individual, pair or group) to catch up.
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