Classes
Which class should I take?
If you've never taken swing dancing before, take Swing I! If you're comfortable with Swing I, or you've taken swing dancing in another school, try Swing II! Swing III and IV are recommended if you've taken the previous classes in the Series, either at Swing Dynamite or with one of our partner schools, Studio 88-SWING or Red Hot Swing. Pre-requisites for specialty classes will depend on the class.
Swing as a Wedding Dance?
We've often had people ask us, "can I do swing as my wedding dance?" The answer is a definite yes! We've seen many of our students and friends dance swing at their wedding for their first dance! Here's one example of a swinging' wedding dance. There are many options available to you--private or group lessons, combining swing with other traditional wedding dances, and more. Learn more about swing as a wedding dance or just give us a call at 613-884-5467!
The Swing Series
Our Swing Series takes you from absolute beginner to well-rounded swing dancer. Using an approach pioneered by partners Studio 88-SWING in Montreal and Red Hot Swing in Victoria, our method has been refined since 2001 to offer the most effective swing dance instruction!
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Swing I
Never done any swing dancing before? Maybe never learned to dance at all? No problem! We'll take you by the hand — literally — and within one lesson you'll be able to enjoy yourself on the dance floor! We'll teach you how to dance to slow and fast music, how to connect with your partner for a more enjoyable dance, and a bunch of moves to keep you having fun! In Swing I we teach Lindy Hop and Charleston moves in 6 and 8 counts.
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Swing II
If you're comfortable with Swing I, you're ready for Swing II! You'll refine your technique to make your movements look and feel better, and learn a lot of new moves for both slow and fast music. We'll look at technique for leading and following turns, some cool moves and styling inspired by the Lindy Hop of Dean Collins and Jewel McGowan of 1940's Hollywood fame, a number of of Charleston variations, and some other funky moves you haven't seen before. You'll also develop your musicality - the ability to understand and interpret the music through your dancing. Prerequisites: Swing I and a few hours of weekly social dancing. We strongly recommend taking Swing I before trying Swing II. If you've taken Lindy Hop with other teachers, Swing II is a good place to start. We expect you to be familiar with the different footwork patterns of Lindy Hop in at least 6-counts and 8-counts, including Jig walks, triples, and Charleston. -
Swing III
In Swing III we focus on mastering the classic movements of Lindy Hop, such as the swingout, as well as learning some even more impressive Charleston moves. You'll learn some of the elements that make connection "yummy" on slow music, and you'll learn ways to dance to faster music as well! Prerequisites: Swing II or 3-4 months of Lindy Hop classes and social dancing at least once a week.
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Swing IV
You're ready for the big leagues now! You'll learn some new Lindy Hop moves that require more advanced technique to work well — or at all! In order to be ready for this class you'll need to be very comfortable with Swing III, and to be going out dancing every week! Prerequisites: High level of comfort with Swing III, or permission of the instructors.
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Swing V
Now you're ready for some advanced dancing. Continuing on from Swing IV, the focus will be on advanced Lindy Hop technique, with subtle movement and connection skills and challenging new moves. Once again, this class is for swing dancers who go out dancing every week! Prerequisites: High level of comfort with Swing IV, or explicit permission of the instructors, usually by audition.
West Coast Swing
West Coast Swing (WCS) is a smooth modern swing dance, usually enjoyed to blues, funk and modern popular music. Many dancers love West Coast Swing for the wide range of music, and for the slower tempos that emphasize smooth movement compared to the athleticism of other swing dances.
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West Coast Swing I
This is the perfect introduction to West Coast Swing for dancers who've already learned some swing dancing before. You'll be enjoying the smooth moves and the exciting range of WCS music in no time! Prerequisite: Swing I recommended. -
West Coast Swing II
WCS II brings you further into the world of West Coast Swing, with new moves and a more in-depth understanding of the subtlety of this addictive dance! West Coast Swing is a dance style that allows for a lot of creativity and partner connection, and we'll look at some of the technique that makes WCS so exciting! Prerequisite: West Coast Swing I. -
WCS III
Continuing on from our WCS II classes, in Level III you will build on the patterns and techniques you learned in Levels I and II to now focus on musicality & movement. You'll refine and vary the patterns you know, as well as learning new patterns and pattern variations that will help you better understand the essence and style of this dance. WCS III will expose you to some of the more advanced features of WCS, focusing on matching movements to music so that you can really dance your West Coast Swing! More cool moves, more technique, and more fun! Pre-requisite: Swing Dynamite WCS I & II or equivalent experience. -
WCS IV: Pattern Challenge
Learn some truly challenging moves! This class will challenge both leaders and followers with new patterns that require precision and technique, as well as exploring styling and musicality ideas that will enable you to really dance the moves! Pre-requisite: Swing Dynamite WCS II & III or equivalent experience.
More Six-Week Classes
Our other six-week classes delve deeply into different styles of swing dancing that you may have seen in our Swing Series.
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Balboa I
Balboa is a subtle swing dance from California featuring fancy footwork and a powerful partner connection. Balboa I introduces both Classic Balboa and Bal-Swing, focusing on mastering basic movements with some cool variations. After the first class you'll be able to dance Balboa, and by the end of the nine hours of Balboa I you should be comfortable spending a whole night dancing Balboa! Prerequisite: Swing I recommended. -
Balboa II
Six weeks. Moving on from Balboa I, we'll take the basics and variations from Balboa I and explore more challenging intermediate-level moves. Prerequisite: Balboa I
Three-Week Specialty Classes
We offer a wide range of 3-week specialty classes.
Dynamite Technique (3 weeks, starting Tuesday, May 19th, 8:30-10pm)
One of the reasons that joining a Swing Dynamite performance troupe helps evolve your dancing is an intense focus on technique. Not everyone wants to perform, though! Our Dynamite technique class gives you the chance to experience some of the in-depth technique training that we put our troupe members through! Don't expect to learn a lot of new moves, but your dancing will never be the same again!-
Blues A: Hot Blues
Learn to dance to blues and slow jazz with different dance styles. We'll introduce solo blues, improve partner connection, and delve into the importance of musicality. We'll also show you a few flashy moves to spice up those slow songs! -
Fast Lindy
Bring your Lindy Hop up to higher speeds! Learn how to dance faster with less effort! If you're comfortable dancing Lindy Hop to medium tempos but start to lose it when the tempos increase, this class is for you! We'll show how using the right technique can make your swingouts and other basic moves comfortable even at high speeds! We'll show you techniques based on the way dancers like Frankie Manning and many others danced back in the swing era. The Savoy Ballroom was known for having the fastest Lindy Hoppers on the planet, and we'll show you some of the tricks that top dancers still use on fast music! Pre-requisite: Swing III or comfort with basic Lindy Hop movements (both 6 and 8 counts). Note: fast Lindy may demand a higher level of physical fitness than regular swing classes. -
Crazy Charleston A: Roaring Twenties
Learn Charleston the way they did it back in the 1920's! Pre-requisite: Swing II or comfort with Charleston. -
Crazy Charleston B: Breakaway!
Charleston as it was done around 1929: bridging the gap between Charleston and Lindy Hop. Pre-requisite: Swing II or comfort with Charleston and Breakaway. -
Crazy Charleston C: The 1930's!
Some of the most exciting Charleston variations evolved in the 30's as part of Lindy Hop. Learn smooth transitions and cool moves to make your fast dancing more exciting! Pre-requisite: Swing III or comfort with all the basic Charleston and Lindy Hop patterns. -
Solo Charleston and Jazz Movement
Three weeks focusing on vernacular jazz movement to get you moving like a real swing dancer! -
Beginner Acrobatics A: Dips and Tricks!
Never done any swing acrobatics before? This class focuses on swing acrobatics such as dips, drops, jumps, lifts and tricks. Our beginner acrobatics class will take you safely, step by step, through your first acrobatics! Pre-requisite: Swing I or previous Lindy Hop dance experience. Note: acrobatics classes require a higher degree of physical fitness than regular swing classes. -
Beginner Acrobatics B: Flip Out!
This is your chance to really flip out! For adventurous swing dancers, we'll take you step by step into your first flips! Learn aerials the right way! Pre-requisite: Swing I or previous Lindy Hop dance experience. Recommend Swing II and Beginner Acrobatics A. Note: acrobatics classes require a higher degree of physical fitness than regular swing classes. -
Aerials
Our aerials courses give you three weeks to master one challenging aerial in a safe environment! The goal with our aerials classes is to be able to dance the acrobatics, not just throw each other in the air, so we require an absolute minimum of Swing III or equivalent in order to take our more advanced aerials classes. Note that we show some basic acrobatics starting in Swing I, so that's the place to start! Pre-requisite: Swing III or previous Lindy Hop dance experience, and previous acrobatics classes such as Beginner Acrobatics A & B. Note: acrobatics classes require a higher degree of physical fitness than regular swing classes. -
Collegiate Shag
A three-week session covering the basics and some cool moves!
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