frequently asked questions

• No dance experience is needed, our Beginners (Level 1) is for absolute beginners
• No partner needed, you will be rotating partners in class.
• Our classes are gender neutral and we encourage all our students to try both dance roles. So please only attend if you are happy to partner with every other student in class. This means you might be dancing with men, women, in between and beyond! Old school dance for new school people, cool?
• This is an adult dance class, all attendees must be 18+
• Swing dancing is a physical pursuit and classes may at times involve rigorous activity. A good level of basic fitness and range of movement is needed. If in doubt please consult your GP before participating.

Yes! You don’t need a partner to attend. You will be rotating partners in class, so you get to dance with lots of different people.

Yes, no problem. Just let the teacher know before the class begins. They will tell you where to stand, so that you don’t get mixed up in the partner rotation. 

A Course is a progressive 3-week program, consisting of three 1-hour classes over three weeks. You must sign up for the full course and attend all three classes. Each course costs £30.

A Series is a series of 3 drop-in classes over three weeks, separate classes but all on the same theme. Each class is different. You can attend any single class in a Series, or book all three. To take a single class in a Series, it doesn’t matter if you haven’t taken the other classes in the Series (for example, you can take the third class of a Series, even if you have not taken the first or second). 

Apologies, no. A course is a progressive program, so you must sign up for the whole course.

Yes! A Series is a series of 3 drop-in classes over three weeks, separate classes but all on the same theme. Each class is different. You can attend any single class in a Series, or book all three.

To take a single class in a Series, it doesn’t matter if you haven’t taken the other classes in the Series (for example, you can take the third class of a Series, even if you have not taken the first or second). 

Yes, if you have a package of credits on your account when you book a course, 3 credits will be taken as payment (£30 equivalent).

Don’t panic! We know sometimes life gets in the way and you might miss a class. If you miss one class in a course, the teacher will try their best to help you catch up in the next class. As we like to say, there are no emergencies in swing dancing. We’ll work it out!

Please note, there are no refunds for missed classes in any course booked, and you cannot take an alternative class to make up for the one you missed. Missed classes are forfeited.

If you need to miss Week 1, it’s probably best to defer to the next course, so get in touch to transfer your registration to the next course scheduled.

Apologies, no. Our courses are only 3 weeks long, so it’s better to wait until the next course so you can start in Week 1.

Apologies, no. If you want to try a single class before you commit to a Beginners course, then try our Beginners Taster Class on Wednesday evenings.

Clothes: Casual or smart casual is fine! Just wear comfortable clothes that allow for unrestricted movement. Some people like to get into the 1930s/1940s spirit by dressing in vintage style, some might come in jeans and a T-shirt, and others will be dressed like you would, say, to go out to a bar. We might work up a sweat, so layers you can take off are recommended. Just be your (comfortable) self! 

Shoes: Swing dancers usually wear flat, closed shoes like trainers, loafers, oxfords, brogues or plimsolls. Once you really get into it, you’ll probably want to invest in some shoes with leather or suede soles – but street shoes with rubber soles will be absolutely fine to get started with. If you want to wear heels, we recommend a Mary Jane or T-Bar style with a sturdy heel no more than 1 or 1.5 inches high, and make sure you are already comfortable walking and moving around in them. Generally, soft-soled “jazz dance”, ballroom or tango shoes are not appropriate. Please no high heels, stilettos, flip flops, strappy sandals, slingbacks or any shoes that will scratch or mark the dancefloor. We love talking about shoes, so feel free to ask your teacher for the lowdown on the best shoes for swing dancing.

Hygiene: for partnered dance classes like Lindy Hop, be kind to your partners by coming in clean clothes, wear deodorant and if you are wearing perfume/cologne nothing too strong. Pop a breath mint and you’re ready to dance!

What else to bring: Remember that Jazzbourne is a cashless venue, so be prepared to pay by card or contactless.  There are always jugs of water to stay hydrated, but if you can afford to buy a drink at the bar thank you for supporting the venue! If you are lucky enough to look under 25, please be prepared to show valid photo ID to prove you are over 18 when buying alcohol. Please bring minimal possessions as it is a small venue and the cloakroom may not be operating. 

Swing & jazz dancing is very subjective and there’s no single way to “do it right.” There are many paths to the top of the mountain! So describing levels is always difficult and inevitably our class levels will differ from other schools or teachers. However, joining the correct level is important for your own enjoyment and learning, as well as being respectful to your fellow students.

To help, the precise prerequisites for a class are always given in the class description. As long as you meet these prerequisite requirements you are welcome to take that class.

Below is a general description of each level: 

Beginners (level 1) – this class is for absolute beginners, learning to dance from scratch. No experience needed. We promise a fun and friendly experience.  

Improvers (level 2) – some experience in this dance style is recommended. This level is for students that have already learned the fundamentals of this particular dance style. We will not teach the basic steps in this class, you are expected to know them. 

Intermediate (level 3) – you should be comfortable with the fundamentals already and looking to expand your repertoire, practice core skills and improve your technique. We will not teach the basic steps in this class, you are expected to know them. 

Intermediate-Advanced (level 4) – you are very comfortable with the fundamentals, and have a growing repertoire of moves and variations. You practice regularly – for partnered dances that might mean going social dancing regularly or practicing with a partner. For solo dances, that might mean improvising, taking choreography classes, or at-home practice. 

Advanced (level 5) – for experienced dancers. Try advanced skills and combinations, challenge your technique and connection, play with rhythm & musicality, explore and develop your personal style. 

A note about levels:

You know you are in the right level if you feel challenged, but still enjoy yourself. If you achieve everything in class perfectly with every partner, then maybe that level is too easy for you. Ideally we hope you have a good time, but feel like you leave the class with something to practice. So if you had fun and learned something new, but didn’t get it 100% yet – that’s the sweet spot. 

And remember if you’re not sure about levels, just ask one of our teachers for advice!

Everybody learns at a different pace and how quickly you progress will depend on how much time you can put into practicing, outside of class.

You might feel like you have mastered the material after taking a course just once, or taking the Beginner Tasters for a month. Or you might prefer to stay in Level 1 longer before moving on. In general the students that put in the time to build really strong fundamentals, become the best dancers.

Idea: some cool people like to take a Lindy Hop course once as a leader, and again as a follower, to learn both roles!

For moving on from Level 1 to Level 2: it’s particularly important that you have mastered the basic footwork. Please do not move on to Level 2, until you are feeling confident with the footwork pattern(s). Without your basic footwork in place, you won’t be able to move ahead. If you’re not sure, ask your teacher for a quick test to see if they think you’re ready to move up.

Option 1: take ALL the Level 1 courses before moving on to Level 2 (4-6 months). In particular we highly recommend all students take these four Level 1 courses: 

• Level 1 6-Count Lindy Hop course
• Level 1 8-Count Lindy Hop
• Level 1 Swing Outs course
• Level 1 Lindy Charleston course

Option 2: start taking Level 2 classes directly after your Level 1 course, if the topic is available. If the Level 2 classes on offer match your Level 1 knowledge, and you are feeling confident with your Level 1 material, you can move directly to Level 2. If you’re not sure, just read the Level 2 class description, there will be a specific list of prerequisites. Here are some examples in our curriculum where you could start Level 2 directly: 

• Finish Level 1 6-Count Lindy Hop course (or take 3-4 weeks of 6-Count Lindy Hop Tasters) > start taking Level 2 6-Count Lindy Hop classes
• Finish Level 1 Swing Outs course > start taking Level 2 Swing Out Variations classes
• Finish Level 1 Solo Jazz course > start taking Level 2 Shim Sham Routine classes
• Finish Level 1 Lindy Charleston course > start taking Level 2 Lindy Charleston classes
• Finish two months of Level 1 Tasters (which means you’ve learned both 6-count and 8-count Level 1 Lindy Hop) > Level 2 Mixing 6-Count + 8-Count Lindy Hop classes.

Option 3: do both at once! If you meet the prerequisites you can start taking Level 2 classes, while also taking the next Level 1 course or the Level 1 taster classes. 

Absolutely! In fact we encourage it. Many students take two or even three different level classes (for example, on Monday nights many students take all three classes that evening, Levels 3, 4 and 5). Just check that you meet the prerequisites for any class you attend (they are written in the class description in the booking area). 

For example, here’s how you could progress through our levels:

• Start with your Level 1 classes/courses.
• When you’re feeling ready, and meet the prerequisites, start taking Level 1 and Level 2 classes simultaneously.
• When the Level 1 classes start to feel too easy, stop taking them and continue with Level 2 only (or you could start taking Level 1 classes in the opposite dance role).
• When you meet the Level 3 prerequisites, start taking Level 2 and Level 3 classes simultaneously.
• When the Level 2 classes start to feel too easy, stop taking them and continue with Level 3 only (or you could start taking Level 2 classes in the opposite dance role).
• When you meet the Level 4 prerequisites, start taking Level 3 and Level 4 classes simultaneously.
• When the Level 3 classes start to feel too easy, stop taking them and continue with Level 4 only (or you could start taking Level 3 classes in the opposite dance role).
• When you meet the Level 5 prerequisites, start taking Level 4 and Level 5 classes simultaneously.