Swingin’ Denver grows the swing dance community through offering fun & dynamic classes,
Welcome
WELCOME TO YOUR FIRST SWING DANCE CLASS
Learn Lindy Hop and Charleston, the original dances of the swing era! Swing dancing is joyful, free spirited, and infectious. It's unabashedly fun with a carefree style that closely reflects the music of the late 20s hot Jazz to the 40s Big Band music. It was created by Black Americans in Harlem, New York. You're going to love it! Check out more information on the history of these dances here.
Currently, weekly classes are suspended, but we’re going to leave our informative paragraphs up.
Lindy Hop and Charleston are partnered social dances but you don’t need to bring your own partner. We rotate during the class so that you have a chance to meet and dance with many different people.
Our next inclusive and friendly beginner classes run in a 4-week progressive series starting October 5-26 Wednesday nights at 7:45 p.m. Save $$ when you register for the full session of Beginner Lindy Hop. Intermediate classes will be from 6:30 - 7:45p.m.
We kindly ask that you refrain from wearing fragrances and scented products when attending classes and once-a-month dance parties at Swingin’ Denver. Perfumes, cologne, and scented lotions can trigger severe respiratory reactions in some people. Thank you!
Classes
As of 2024, our weekly classes remain suspended.
Beginner classes are progressive meaning every week the new material builds on what was taught the week before. If you miss the 1st week you are welcome to start the series the 2nd week. Otherwise, you’ll want to register for the next series. Students are welcome to drop-in for our Intermediate level. Drop-in rate is $20 per student per class.
Register online to save and guarantee your spot. We greatly encourage pre-registration since we have limited capacity due to COVID mitigation.
6:30-7:45pm - Intermediate Lindy Hop
7:45-9:00pm - Beginner Lindy Hop
High school and College students get $15 off any class series by entering discount code STUDYHARD during checkout. We also offer a full scholarship option with no questions asked for those in need. If you are experiencing financial hardship, please contact us at info@swingindenver.com for more information.
Our COVID mitigation policy as of 9-28-22:
Students will also be required to wear a fitted mask, preferably an N95 or equivalent over their mouth and nose, while in class.
Dance Parties!
We host live music nights with the Front Range’s best swing bands the first Wednesdays of the month July - November 9-11:30pm at The Savoy located at 2700 Arapahoe Street in the Five Points neighborhood.
We accept cash, credit or venmo at the door or you can pre-purchase to reserve your spot now.
Finding Us -
Street parking is available nearby. The easiest way to find the main entrance will be to walk up on 27th toward the southeast corner of the building where you’ll see glass doors. From there, you can head up the stairs or elevator and take a left where you can then pay for the dance. Link to Google Maps HERE.Drink Options -
We will have a bartender on-site along with a water fountain. If you like staying hydrated with H2O, please help us avoid waste and bring your water bottle. The water fountain has a refill area for your water bottle. If you do bring any beverages with you, they must be non-alcoholic. We want The Savoy to love us and love you.Dance Floor -
The dance floor is hardwood with a cork layer for extra bounce. Please treat the floor well by wearing non-marking shoes. Any floor additives to make it slicker is strongly DISCOURAGED.COVID Mitigation Policy -
As of October 3, 2022, we are waiving vaccination requirement. Wearing masks, while mandatory during classes, are optional during the dance parties. That being said, wearing a mask is one of the best ways to control transmission is the current vaccination acceptance landscape. If you are feeling unwell and questioning whether you should attend our event, we have this Wellness Checker to help you make this decision. If we have changes to this policy, they will be shared here and on social media. PLEASE BE KIND.Guidance from the CDC Board
While conditions have improved, COVID is still a threat to all of us. Please stay home if you are sick or experiencing any symptoms. If you develop symptoms after a dance or test positive please notify us, you will remain anonymous. That way we can alert others to test and help decrease the spread throughout the community. We will continue to monitor conditions throughout the country and advice from the CDC. If necessary we will make changes that best protect our community as conditions warrant. This includes requiring masks. Thank you for your understanding and support in these difficult and trying times.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
We're here to help make learning Lindy Hop as fun and friendly as possible. Here are some things to know before you begin:
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All classes are held at The Savoy at 2700 Arapahoe in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood. MAP
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Yes, you can join the second week of a series! But be aware that the class will be covering material faster than in the first week due to the progressive nature. You cannot join after the second week for Beginner Lindy Hop, so you’d have to stay tuned for our next session!
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You do not need to bring a partner. We rotate partners in all of our classes so that students get experience dancing with a variety of people. We have found that by rotating our students learn much faster. You may also choose to come with a partner and not rotate.
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Click here to join our newsletter and definitely follow us on Facebook.
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We currently offer Beginner and Intermediate levels.
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The term “Swing” refers to a number of different dance styles that evolved in the swing era and are rooted in swing music. In our Beginner class we start with Lindy Hop with maybe some Charleston mixed in. In later levels or workshop offerings, we’d like to offer other dance styles like Balboa, Collegiate Shag, or more Vernacular Jazz. We teach a variety of swing-era dances such as Lindy Hop, Charleston, and Balboa. While each of these dances are distinct, today most swing dancers are familiar with and dance all of them.
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Lindy Hop is a casual dance, and it’s also quite athletic. We suggest comfortable clothes that you can move around in, and non-marking flat shoes that will stay on your feet (open backed shoes or flip flops don’t work well.) Followers don’t generally wear heels in Lindy. If you have leather soled shoes, maybe bring a backup option in case you think the floor is a bit too slick.
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Preregistration isn't mandatory, but you do get a nice discount by preregistering online. Plus, we have limited spots due to COVID mitigation. Otherwise, we accept cash and most major credit cards at the door. We cannot accept checks.
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We have created a handy guide to the expected etiquette at all of our events. Following these simple guidelines will help ensure everyone has an enjoyable time.
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While dancing in crowded venues it is easy to get sweaty. Most dancers bring an extra shirt or two to change into as the night goes on as dancing with someone who has sweated through their clothing is unpleasant. Also consider bringing deodorant and breath mints to stave off personal odors. If someone is particularly smelly, speak to one of the instructors or staff and they will delicately approach the issue with the person.
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Some of our instructors do offer private lessons. Please email info@swingindenver.com.
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We will likely re-evaluate once the six metro Denver counties achieve green level on this dashboard.
Music
Whether you’re just looking for a little music to practice your dancing with, or you’re building a growing collection, here are some tunes to help get you started.
Some of our favorite swing era artists include Chick Webb, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Fats Waller, Lionel Hampton and many more!
Our favorite Colorado bands include Jeremy Mohney, LAPOMPE, Odessa Rose, Summit Hot Seven, SmokeTones Swing Band, and Uptown MessAround.
Our favorite national swing bands include Jonathan Stout, Michael Gamble, Mint Julep Jazz Band, Brooks Prumo, Gordon Webster, Shake ‘Em Up Jazz Band, and others.
There is also this website created by swing dancers that allows you to generate your own playlist for a variety of vernacular dance styles like Lindy Hop, Charleston, Balboa and more.