Beginner Tuesdays
Always wanted to learn how to dance? Here’s your chance! Even if you have two left feet, join this beginner class and we’ll have you swinging to the music in no time! We’ll cover Lindy Hop and Charleston over six weeks.
We are currently running drop-in, beginner-friendly classes until the next progressive series.
TUESDAYS
8:30-9:30 Beginner Swing
Location: Dovercourt House, 1st floor (805 Dovercourt Road)
Cost: $15 Drop-In ($80 Normal six-week series, resuming in a few weeks)
Jump Session
The rhythm is jumpin’. Celebrate the end of your week with upbeat social dancing. High-energy DJs to keep your bodies moving. Performances to excite. Fun for all!
Every third Friday of the month, starting at 8:00 p.m., we’ll be holding Jump Session. The lessons will be beginner-friendly, so bring your friends who are new to swing.
8:00-8:45 Nia Dance Fitness – gain body awareness and learn valuable techniques for dancers
8:45-9:30 Swing Dancing – learn to Lindy Hop, Charleston, and other dances from the swing era
9:30-close DJ’d Social Dancing – pull out those fancy moves and have some fun
Location:
179 Dundas Street East
SE corner at Jarvis
Admission:
$15 (includes 2 lessons and admission to the dance)
$10 (includes 1 lesson and admission to the dance)
Check out the Jump Session Facebook page for more info, exciting dance clips, and updates!
Gangbusters!
An BegIntermediate Practice and Travel Group
Location: Dovercourt House, 3rd floor (805 Dovercourt Road) or Habeeba’s Dance Studio (179 Dundas St E)
Time: Saturdays, 1:30-4:00 p.m.
Gangbusters is a weekly practice group for intermediate-level dancers. The idea is to meet on a regular basis, for a few hours at a time, to work on stuff together and get better… or at the very least, to inspire one another to keep creating and being awesome. At first, the sessions will be led by some of the more advanced dancers in the group, but as time goes on, everybody will start to take ownership of their progress, such as leading sessions, suggesting topics to work on, or becoming aware enough to self-critique.
We’re also going to have workshops, road trips, and other opportunities to improve our dancing while getting to know each other a little better.
Private Swing Dancing Lessons
Lindy Hop, Charleston, Balboa, Solo Jazz! Relive the first half of the 20th century by taking a individual or group lesson to help you swing. Get personal feedback to help you progress in your dance. To arrange a convenient time and location for your private lesson, contact Scherzo.
What are these swing dances?
Lindy Hop is an African American street dance that evolved in New York City in the 1920s and 1930s. It is a fusion of many dances that preceded it or were popular during that era, but it is mainly based on jazz, tap, breakaway, and Charleston. Lindy Hop co-evolved with jazz music and thus involves a lot of improvisation and interplay between dancer and musician.
Charleston was one of the dances from which the Lindy Hop developed and can be done alone or with a partner. A slightly different form of Charleston became popular in the 1930s and 1940s than its predecessor, and is associated with the Lindy Hop. It is more commonly known as ‘Lindy Charleston’, ‘Savoy Charleston’, ’30s or 40s Charleston’, and ‘Swing(ing) Charleston’. In this later Charleston form, the hot jazz timing of the 1920s Charleston was adapted to suit the swing music of the 30s and 40s.
Balboa is a partner dance that started as early as 1915 and gained popularity in the 1930s and 40s. It is danced primarily in a close embrace, and is led with a full body connection. The art of Balboa is the subtle communication between the lead and follow, like weight shifts, that most viewers cannot see. As a result, Balboa is considered more of a ‘dancer’s dance’ than a ‘spectator’s dance’. Many swing dancers have integrated the Balboa steps into other swing dancing styles to create what people today call ‘bal-swing’.
Jazz dance originated from the African American vernacular dance of the late 1800s to the mid-1900s. Until the mid-1950s, the term ‘jazz dance’ often referred to tap dance, because tap dancing set to jazz music was the main performance dance of the era. Jazz steps are often incorporated in the improvisational breakaway in swing dances, but can also stand alone.
