We are very excited to be bringing the wonderful David Rehm and Kate Hedin to Galway on October 14th-16th for a weekend of Balboa and Lindy Hop! 

ONLINE REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED

What to Expect

• 8 hours of instruction with two of the top swing dance instructors in the world 
• 2 nights of evening parties (no contests, no interruptions ... just non-stop social dancing!)
• Small class sizes - maximum 20 couples to ensure that all participants get the most out of the workshops
• Convenient city-centre locations
• Workshops in Balboa and - for the first time ever in Ireland - classes in Dean & Jewel style Lindy Hop.
  Dean Collins was a lindy hopper who brought the dance from New York to Southern California, and Jewel McGowan was a swing dancer (what we now call bal-swing) in California. Together, their dancing became iconic and the duo appeared in dozens of Hollywood films. To learn more and to watch some videos of them in action, see this excellent article written by Nick Williams: Dean and Jewel: The Legacy. 
• Community Spirit - the focus of this year's Swing Jamboree is on the social side of swing dancing. That's why we're keeping the numbers small so that everyone will get to know each other very well over the weekend. We are also planning a special group dinner on the Saturday evening (after the classes and before the social dancing) so that we have time to really talk with one another as well as dance with one another. Note: the dinner is optional and is not included in your event pass. More details coming soon.
• No level test - in step (pardon the pun!) with our focus on community, we will be spending the weekend working as one cohesive group with our instructors, David & Kate. However, as always, we also place a high value on creating a positive learning environment for all attendees. Therefore, to participate in the workshops you MUST be at least an Intermediate level dancer in both Lindy Hop AND Balboa. This means that you will have taken formal classes in both Balboa and Lindy Hop, understand all of the basic movements and figures in each dance, and be comfortable social dancing either dance to an entire song. If the organisers are not already familiar with your dancing, you may be asked to provide evidence of your experience. Please contact us if you have any questions about this (contact window will open in a new tab when you click the link). 
• A full event pass will cost €120. You must register with a partner. Social dance passes will cost €10 per night and will be available on the door.

Introducing our Instructors

David Rehm

David Rehm is a geek-turned-professional-dancer specializing exclusively in the partnered swing dances, Lindy and Balboa, and widely considered one of the top Balboa dancers and instructors in the world. He is regularly featured teaching and judging at events dedicated to those dances throughout North America, Europe and Asia. In addition to numerous awards, in 2006 David captured both the American and European Balboa titles (with different partners) by winning the American Classic Balboa Championship and the Euro Bal Cup. He is also the Founder and Director of The Experiment, "the world's most personal and personally challenging Balboa and Blues dance workshops." David is best known for his ability to capture both broad thematic abstractions and technical details all in the form of conceptual principles.

Kate Hedin

Following in the path of her great ancestor, Swedish explorer Sven Hedin, Kate has traveled to the greatest unknown regions of following and footwork. Aside from a love of classically inspired Lindy Hop, she is most known for her unique and elegant style of Balboa.The result is an impressive resume. Kate holds championship titles in almost every major competition, including the American Classic Balboa Championships, the International Lindy Hop Championships, the Euro Balboa Cup, and more. She is also a highly sought-after competition judge. In 2012, she released two highly praised DVDs specifically for Balboa followers on technique and aesthetics. As a teacher, Kate is known and loved for her logic-based language, her unique methods of teaching technique, and, overall, never leaving student followers disappointed.She is proud to have held, along with her friends at Get Hep Swing in Cleveland, the Guinness World Record for longest dance party ever (52 hours, 3 minutes). Her fashion is admired by many, her lines desired as far as the Orient. She also does trapeze.

Practical Information

Venues

Friday night social dancing: Galway Rowing Club, Waterside, Woodquay.

Saturday night social dancing and all classes: Commercial Boat Club, Waterside, Woodquay.

Schedule

FRIDAY at the Rowing Club, Woodquay: 

Social Dancing: 9:30pm-1:30am.

SATURDAY at the Commercial Boat Club, Waterside, Woodquay: 

Classes: 11am-1pm; 3pm-5pm 

(Optional dinner for workshop participants at 6pm)

Social Dancing: 10pm-1:30am.

SUNDAY at the Commercial Boat Club, Waterside, Woodquay:

Classes: 11am-1pm; 3pm-5pm.

Social Dancing

All are welcome to attend the social dancing and no registration is required. €10 on the door each night.

Travel & Accommodation

For information about travelling to Galway as well as finding accommodation in the city, please see our page on Galway: Practical Info for Visitors

_{TERMS & CONDITIONS
We will process registrations as we receive them - if spaces are available, you will then receive an acceptance email and payment information. Otherwise, you will be placed on a waiting list and we will advise you if/when a place becomes available. Your registration is not confirmed until payment is received. Payment should be made within 2 weeks of acceptance; otherwise the offer of a place may be withdrawn. All passes are non-refundable after a place has been confirmed and reserved. Passes are non-transferable without the prior agreement of the event organisers. If your place on the workshops was contingent on your registering with a partner, and your partner subsequently cancels for any reason, you will need to find a replacement in order to hold your place in the workshops. Please note that your participation in the event may be captured in videos and photographs and that, by registering for this event, you agree to the publication of your image and/or its use for promotional purposes. The organisers reserve the right to refuse admittance to any person or persons. Your statutory rights are not affected.} 

Balboa is a swing dance that originated during the 1930s in the dance halls of the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, California. Seaside venues such as the Rendezvous Ballroom were so popular and so crowded, it is reputed that signs were posted prohibiting “breakaways” so that couples were obliged to maintain a close connection while dancing. This dance, which we now refer to as “Pure” Balboa, is therefore characterised by a close hold and subtle footwork. Elsewhere in the region, breakaway movements were commonplace, and often included intricate turns in a style that is referred to as Bal-Swing. Both of these distinct dances have now been subsumed into modern Balboa.

Here is a fun look at a contemporary Balboa social dancing – this footage is from the parties at a dance event in Germany called Balboa Castle Camp. 

We understand that it’s natural to feel a little apprehensive when starting anything new – but please know that all such feelings will instantly disappear once we crank up the music and you start taking your first steps into swing dancing!

Swing dancing is for real people of all shapes, sizes, and ages, and is perfect for complete amateurs and anyone who is looking to take up dancing for the first time – you only need be willing to have a bit of craic and give it a go! Of course, if you do happen to have prior dance experience of any kind, that is always helpful too. Each class is carefully structured so that you are learning an appropriate amount of solid dance technique in a fun and friendly atmosphere – after all, the social aspect is one of the main reasons people fall in love with the dance, and is what makes it such a great way of getting to know new people.

WHAT TO EXPECT

You are encouraged to arrive a few minutes before the lesson starts to allow time for introductions, meeting/chatting with the instructors and other students, taking off coats/jackets, changing into more comfortable shoes if you wish, and generally just getting settled.

Each class will vary slightly, but many will start with a short group warm-up to get things moving and to start getting a feel for the material so that, before you know it, you’re already dancing!

DO I NEED A PARTNER?

Because swing dancing is an improvised dance that requires learning how to lead and follow movements rather than memorising routines, we always rotate partners during a class. This means that you will get to dance with all the complimentary-role dancers (i.e. leaders/followers) in the class. It’s a great way to meet people and get to know one another, but it also ensures that we’re learning sound lead-follow technique instead of relying on the habits of one particular dance partner. Therefore, you can come along to any of our regular local classes without a partner, and we welcome and encourage you to do so.

However, for special events, which are generally more costly, we prefer to manage the balance of leaders to followers in order to maximise everyone's opportunity to learn. If necessary, we will open up a waiting list for registrations. In such cases, signing up with a partner increases your chances of getting a spot in the classes. Perhaps you have a friend or work colleague who you could invite to come along with you? Remember, we will be rotating partners in the class anyway so bringing a partner is just to ensure a balanced leader/follower ratio. If you can’t think of anyone to bring along, please contact us anyway as there are always a few spaces available for single registrants.

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?

It goes without saying that you will want something comfortable to move in, but that doesn’t mean you need to tog out in your gym gear either (unless you want to, that is). Generally, jeans and a T-shirt will be just fine. Avoid low- or open-backed tops and loose fabric, as both can be uncomfortable or awkward for your partner to handle. Bangles, chunky rings, and long necklaces can get in the way when dancing. If you have long hair, wear it in such a way that it will not flick in your partner’s face when you spin. Ladies may also want to give some consideration to skirts as some can flare up when spinning. You will find more advice about all this in our What to Wear? blog.

It is also vital that you give consideration to your footwear. Shoes that grip the floor can make your joints rotate beyond their normal range of motion and may cause pain or injury, as well as impeding your ability to learn correct technique. Therefore most types of sports and athletic shoes with rubber soles are completely unsuitable for dancing. Leather soles are best or, if you don’t have a pair, try a cheap pair of canvas shoes with hard plastic soles that are available in department stores. For Balboa, a heeled shoe is preferable to flats - even for men, a dress-shoe with a heel is preferable to soles that are completely flat. For all other dances, flat or low-heeled shoes are just fine. Eventually - when you become a dance addict like us - you will probably want to invest in a pair of shoes specifically for dancing, and you’ll find plenty of recommendations on our Dance Shoes blog.

WHAT IF MY DANCE PARTNER ISN'T GETTING IT?

It's important that everyone in the class is given the opportunity to enjoy the learning process. Different people learn different skills at different rates - one person may pick up the footwork easily but struggle with the body movement, or vice versa. Please be patient with your fellow dancers and realise that you may require their patience at some stage too! Remember that some people may prefer to be given time and space to figure things out and may not welcome unsolicited feedback, no matter how well-intentioned. Please only offer feedback if requested. Of course, we do realise that many opportunities for learning can arise from discussion between partners so, if you wish, you may ask your dance partner for feedback. If you are asked for feedback, please be respectful and suggestive, bearing in mind that neither of you may have all the answers! If you are in any doubt, feel free to address a question to the class or call us over to assist you.

ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD CONSIDER?

You may want to bring a bottle of water to class to keep you hydrated.

Also, since you’ll be dancing close to your dance partner, please be diligent about personal hygiene. However, please bear in mind that while a little perfume/aftershave can be pleasant, too much is ... well, too much - especially if you or your partner is already trying to catch their breath!

Other than that, as we said at the outset, a readiness to have fun and to just give it a go will be all you’ll need.

We look forward to meeting you at a dance class soon! 

Swing dancing evolved in the United States in response to the swing music that became popular from the late 1920s through into the 1940s. In ballrooms up and down the country, dancers started to invent new ways of moving to the music of Chick Webb, Count Basie, Fletcher Henderson, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, and many more.

Swing Dancing is actually an umbrella term for many related, but distinct, dance styles including Charleston, Lindy Hop, Balboa, and various forms of Shag. Close relatives of swing dancing include Jive and Rock & Roll. The different styles of swing dancing emerged because people in different regions of the country developed different dance styles in response to the same music that they would hear broadcast on the radio, distributed on shellac records and, of course, played live in the ballrooms by travelling big bands. Most of the swing dances have their origins in the 1920s craze for Charleston, but they are also influenced by other ragtime dances such as the Jig Trot and the Texas Tommy.

Like the jazz music culture in which it evolved, swing dancing has a basic structure that also places high value on improvisation.

The best way to understand what swing dancing is like is to see it for yourself, so please take some time to browse our gallery of videos or – better yet – come along and try it for yourself in one of our dance classes!

Dozens of dancers from all over the world have taken to the streets of Galway in celebration of an almost century-old dance craze: the Charleston.

'I Charleston’ is a swing dancing phenomenon that has spread around the globe in recent years, from Japan to San Francisco, from Stockholm to Australia. Now the spectacle has come to Ireland with the production of I Charleston Galway!

The 'I Charleston The World' project sees dancers perform traditional jazz steps at famous landmarks of a particular city or country. The performances are recorded and compiled into a mini-film format to be published online through video-sharing websites.

The soundtrack for the I Charleston Galway film is ‘Django’s Tiger’, a manouche jazz composition by Django Reinhardt performed by local band, I Saw Stars. The track is from the band’s debut album entitled ‘Django Abú’.

I Charleston Galway is the latest initiative by Swing Jam, an organisation dedicated to fostering swing-era culture in Galway and around Ireland, working in conjunction with SwingStep (Germany), Holy Lindy Land (Israel), as well as the Galway-based Vaudeville Vamps and the McDonagh-Byrne School of Irish Dancing. In total, over sixty dancers were involved, coming not only from Galway and all over Ireland to take part, but also the UK, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Israel, Australia, and Tasmania. Every person gave their time and expertise voluntarily, driven by sheer love for the dance and their desire to share the spirit of the swing dancing community with the wider world.

"Galway gets in on the I Charleston action. I like the effort they put into to not only making it city specific, but also culturally specific to Ireland. Great job. Bonus Pro Tip: It's a great idea to work with local musicians and get them involved in projects like this." Jerry Almonte, Wandering & Pondering.

"I wanted to say thank you again for contributing "I Charleston Galway" to the contest! We had more than 100 people at the screening to watch the films! The audience was very appreciative of the beauty of the city as captured in the film, and there was much amusement at the calling of "Shark!" at the end! I also heard people mention that they liked the music that you used, and that you were able to include the tap/step dancers into the film!" Alex Yan, 2013 Jazz Dance Film Festival.

Beginners Welcome

We always look forward to meeting new people!

Follow this link for some extra tips if this is going to be Your First Dance Class. 

Also, do be sure to check out our Facebook page for week-to-week updates.

Please note that it is not necessary to register in advance for classes - you may also just come along on the first night of the course and join in the fun! 

Course Descriptions

Registration for our current series of classes is now closed. Please check back for information about upcoming courses.