Tag Archives: Courses

by | October 8, 2019 · 8:30 am

California Routine–Are you up for the challenge?

Our last course of the year is a very special one–we’ll be teaching the California Routine! A classic lindy hop routine, choreographed by the legendary Frankie Manning, it draws on all of the fundamentals of lindy hop, including 6 beat, 8 beat and Charleston footwork. Once you know this routine, you will see it everywhere! Most lindy hoppers learn it at some point so it’s an easy impromptu performance piece. Whether you want to do more performing or you’re just looking to challenge yourself, this course is a great way to do it!

We will need to move quickly to get through the routine in four weeks so there are a few prerequisites. You will need to be familiar with basic 6 beat moves (tuck turn, passby, bring back), swingouts, and tandem Charleston. The version we do on the course will have some flashy moves but no big aerials so that we can focus on the dancing (for those that are interested we’re happy to help you add aerials in later!).

California Routine Course
Wednesdays, 20 November – 11 December
8:30 – 9:30pm at The Dance Studio Leeds
£32 for the 4 week course

Email swingdanceleeds@gmail.com to book your place

Here’s a sneak peek of what the California Routine looks like (with aerials)

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by | September 25, 2019 · 6:31 pm

Discover a New Hobby Today!

Don’t let the darker evenings get you down! Even if you’ve been out of school for years autumn still feels like time for new beginnings. We meet a surprising number of people who say they’ve been meaning to try swing dancing. So what’s holding you back? Fear of the unknown? Just can’t tear yourself  away from your job?–just kidding!

We think we’ve got just the class for you! Lindy Hop Fundamentals is our four week course covering all the basic steps. You’ll learn at your own pace alongside a small group of other newbies and you don’t even have to have a partner! We promise you’ll make friends along the way, have a good laugh, and even get a bit of exercise.

Course Details:
Wednesdays 23rd Oct to 13 Nov
 6:30-7:30pm
at Dance Studio Leeds
cost: £32 for the 4wk course

Pre-booking and payment required in advance
to register email: swingdanceleeds@gmail.com

Have a look at this video for a taster of what you can expect on the course:

For a full list of course dates visit our courses page

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by | September 10, 2019 · 12:51 pm

Have a go at Tandem Charleston!

We’ve got an exciting course coming up in October. We’ll be tackling Tandem Charleston. This is a really fantastic set of moves lead from an unusual position. Great for fast music and for impressing your friends! If you’ve encountered Tandem Charleston in a drop in class before you’ll understand why we think it’s worth spending a whole four weeks on it so that you can really get it properly

Wednesdays,
23 Oct – 13 Nov 2019
8:30-9:30pm
at Dance Studio Leeds
cost: £32 for the 4wk course

to book email: swingdanceleeds@gmail.com

The course will focus on core Tandem Charleston repertoire including entries, exits and fun things to do while you’re there.

No prior knowledge of Tandem Charleston required you’ll just need to have a good grasp of the 30s Charleston basic, experience with partner dancing is helpful but not required.

Here’s an idea of what we’ll get up to in the class:

 

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by | August 21, 2019 · 7:25 pm

Add Some Fun to Your Life

When was the last time you rolled down a grassy hill or stomped in a puddle or made up a silly song? These days we all find ourselves spending far too much time working and planning and networking and generally adulting and we forget to make time to just have fun!

At Swing Dance Leeds we’re here to help. We want you to have a go at swing dancing, not so that you can become a pro and impress all of your friends–I mean that’s okay too–but mostly we want you too see how much fun it is! We think you’ll love it and that you’ll enjoy spending time with other people who have set aside the time to just do something fun for the hell of it.

How to get started

Our Fundamentals course will get you off to a great start and help you feel confident in your new found dancing skills. Classes are small so you will meet a lovely group of new friends and find out all about the swing dancing community in Leeds and other activities you can get involved in.  This course is appropriate for absolute beginners and anyone else who wants to re-visit their basics in a structured learning environment.

Course Details:
Wednesdays 25th Sept – 16th Oct
6:30-7:30pm
at Dance Studio Leeds
Cost: £32 for the 4wk course

Pre-booking and payment required in advance
to register email: swingdanceleeds@gmail.com

For a full list of beginner lessons and drop in classes have a look here. And for those who might be feeling a bit nervous about their first class, check out this blog post: How to Survive Your First Dance Class

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by | August 10, 2019 · 12:47 pm

How to Nail Your Swingout

If you’re just at the start of your lindy hop journey, chances are good that you’ve seen a swingout in videos or on the dance floor and thought “Wow! When will I be able to dance like that?!” Swingouts have that effect on people–two dancers effortlessly whizzing round each other and don’t even get us started on swivels! Whenever you’re ready to take the plunge we’ve got a whole four week course dedicated to swingouts to help you really nail this iconic lindy hop move.

Swingout Course
Wednesday, 25th Sept – 16th Oct
8:30 – 9:30pm at The Dance Studio Leeds
£32 whole course

The course will go over the basic shape of a swingout and progress to more in-depth technique, styling, and a couple of variations to spice things up a bit. As usual with our courses numbers will be limited so we can give you personal feedback on what you need to make your swingout awesome.

This course is a good follow on from our Fundamentals Course for those who are feeling confident with the basics. It is also appropriate for those who have learnt a swingout before and want to improve on their technique, learn to dance faster and add some styling.

swingout.jpg

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by | July 31, 2019 · 11:15 pm

Science Says Learn to Dance!

It seems like every few weeks a new article is published with scientific studies demonstrating various health benefits of dancing. The latest article making the rounds states “researchers interviewed 1,000 people and found that often those who were dancing not only reported feeling happier, but also more satisfied with their lives, especially in relationships, health, and the goals achieved over the years.”

Dancing is great for your physical and mental health, can ward off dementia, and improve your quality of life. We’ve collected a few more articles on the benefits of dancing here. If you’ve never tried “proper” dancing don’t worry–the need to dance seems to be in our DNA! With just a bit of guidance you’ll be on your way to a healthier, happier life (according to science!).

Start with the basics

Our Fundamentals course will give you a solid foundation in fundamental lindy hop moves and techniques, ideal for people who’ve never danced before. With small class sizes you will meet a lovely group of people, so you’ll have friends to dance with when you come along to a social dance or drop in class.  It is appropriate for absolute beginners and anyone else who wants to re-visit their basics in a structured learning environment. We run these courses regularly–the next one starts end of August.

Course Details:
Wednesdays 28th Aug – 18 Sept
6:30-7:30pm
at Dance Studio Leeds
Cost: £32 for the 4wk course

Pre-booking and payment required in advance
to register email: swingdanceleeds@gmail.com

For a full list of beginner lessons and drop in classes have a look here. And for those who might be feeling a bit nervous about their first class, check out this blog post: How to Survive Your First Dance Class

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by | July 10, 2019 · 5:28 pm

Feeling Tricky?

With so many awesome Lindy Hop moves to learn there are some that can fall through the cracks, some moves that are just a bit too tricky to really get to grips with in a drop-in class. That’s why we’ve come up with this addition to our Classic Moves line up, focusing on Tricky Moves!

In this four week course we’ll teach you some great classic moves that are a bit on the tricky side, but with four weeks to work on them you’ll totally nail them! Exactly which toe-tangling moves we tackle will depend on the group. In the past we’ve looked at Switches, Hacksaws, Texas Tommy and Sailor kicks. We’ll spend a good amount of time learning how to do these moves well so that you can lead/follow them with confidence on the social dance floor or in a jam circle.

You don’t need a partner to book but you will need a good grasp of Lindy Hop Fundamentals and ideally be able to do a swingout

Classic Moves Course: Tricky Moves

Wednesdays, 28th Aug – 18th Sept
8:30-9:30pm
at Dance Studio Leeds
cost: £32 for the 4wk course

£10 discount if you’ve taken a previous Classic Moves Course (inc Frankie’s Moves)

Pre-payment required. To register email: swingdanceleeds@gmail.com

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