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!