Looking to get started with swing dancing? Our Sunday afternoon swing dance class started this past Sunday… however, you can join in on the second week! Please contact us about joining the class. We will offer a brief review before the next class to get you up to speed.

This six-week series class is designed to give you all the fundamentals of swing dancing, plus some great moves and variations. The class will feature the 6-count swing dance basic and progress into a variety of moves, turns, and combos. The goal of the class is to make you a strong dancer that is knowledgeable and feels confident on the dance floor. Each class has an hour of group instruction followed by a 30 min. practice period where we go around and help you one on one. Click here for more info.

That’s right, the next Sunday class in the 4pm time slot is the Swing Dance series class that starts in April. This is the ideal class if you have never danced before, or need to freshen up your 6 count swing basic or moves. The class is structured in a way that is very easy to follow with clear, concise communication in a relaxed and casual atmosphere.

This six-week class is designed to give you all the fundamentals of swing dancing, plus some great moves and variations. We will cover the 6-count swing dance basic and progress into a variety of moves, turns, and combos. The goal of this course is to make you a strong dancer that is knowledgeable and feels confident on the dance floor. Click here for more information.

Only a little over 24 hours are left to sign up for the Balboa Series Class or the Lindy Hop Series Class and get the early registration rate of $60/person. All of the follow spots are full, but there is still room for guys and couples to sign up. There is also a waiting list for follows in case a registered follow cannot take the class. Just email us any names that you would like us to place on the list.

The Balboa class start at 2:30pm – 4pm and the Lindy Hop class starts at 4pm – 5:30pm. Each class will build upon information from the previous class to continuously further your knowledge week by week. Classes will be an hour long followed by a half hour of practice, questions, and individual help. Previous dance experience is helpful, but not required. No partner needed; individuals and couples welcome! Class size is limited, so be sure to reserve your spot soon!

That’s right, our next two series classes are now open for registration. First up we have the Balboa Series Class starting on Feb. 21st at 2:30pm. The Balboa is a 1930’s era dance from Southern California that is the perfect dance to both look and dance smooth from slow to fast tempos. The class will start out with the basic footwork, connection, and fundamentals of the dance. It will then progress into turns, moves, and the basic styling points of Balboa. Starting on the same day, but in the 4pm time slot, we will be offering our Lindy Hop Series Class. Come learn the original form of swing, the Lindy Hop. The six-week series will cover all the essential moves and variations of Lindy Hop with the 6 count basic and moves the first 3 weeks, then the 8 count basic (whip/swing out) and moves the last 3 weeks. This is a great class to take your dancing to the next level and really expand your dance repertoire!

Each class will build upon information from the previous class to continuously further your knowledge week by week. Classes will be an hour long followed by a half hour of practice, questions, and individual help. Previous dance experience is helpful, but not required. No partner needed; individuals and couples welcome! Class size is limited, so be sure to reserve your spot soon!

Many people’s resolutions this year includes getting fit and shedding some unwanted pounds. Rob and I are no different in this area. We too are suffering from the result of too much “joy” and “holiday cheer” enjoyed this past Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday. Aside from our clothes fitting a bit tighter than normal, our lowered fitness level became all too obvious to us when we danced a mid-tempo Collegiate Shag at this past Saturday’s dance.

While many people will be hitting a local gym to work off the extra weight, we are going to incorporate dancing into our weight loss plan (along with eating better). Even done without a partner, Collegiate Shag and Charleston make great dances to get the heart pumping. Moving your body to music you enjoy also makes getting the 30 minutes per day of suggested cardiovascular exercise easier and more fun. Not to mention all that practice will surely show on the dance floor with smoother, more relaxed footwork and body movement. Just remember to stretch your leg muscles before and after dancing to prevent any injuries and stay hydrated.

Don’t forget that our series classes are a great way to get a guaranteed 1.5 hours of movement per week while meeting other great people looking to learn dancing, move their bodies, and/or do something new. The 2nd and 4th Saturday swing dances at Whirl and Twirl are additional opportunities to get moving, hear great music, and have fun.

So no matter how you plan to drop those unwanted pounds, here’s to a slimmer, fitter, 2010

The first two series classes of the new year are scheduled and open for registration! Starting in January 2010, we will be offering Charleston and the Swing Dance Class. Both classes can be taken with no previous dance experience needed. The swing dance series class is a great introduction to swing dancing as it covers all the essentials and foundation moves to get you out on the dance floor having fun! Charleston is a great dance to know for when the music is on the faster side and you don’t want to wear yourself out. We’ll also show you how to blend Charleston into whatever style of swing you dance.

Keep these classes in mind if you are looking for an out-of-the-ordinary Christmas gift this year for someone special, friends, or family. Knowing how to dance is a lifelong skill that is called upon sometimes at the most unexpected times. Gift certificates for any of our series classes can be purchased by contacting us.

This is a great and short article on how to buy and wear vintage clothing and jewelry. Just wearing vintage clothing is one thing, dancing in them is another. This point is something that we dancers have and will probably always grapple with when buying true vintage clothing. The wear and tear that dancing takes on clothes in general is rough, but then consider older fabric, thread, and fit and now you are talking a whole different story. But I hope this article at least helps you with buying vintage items in general. And yes, a good tailor is indispensable (anyone know of one btw?).

“The irony is that vintage is actually what all of the new stuff in stores is made to look like anyway. In a world where everything’s accessible and ubiquitous, vintage is the way to personalize your look.

Read more…

On Tuesday, July 14th, the Central Florida swing scene lost one of its own, John Leet. He passed away that day due to a motorcycle accident. He will be sorely missed by those who knew him as the kind, caring, enthusiastic, full of energy person he was. Please take a moment to visit the memorial page and leave a few thoughtful comments for his friends and family.

Tonight the Orlando Swing Band will play for dancing at the Beardall Center. The band is a full size, community based, swing orchestra that plays a mix of big band music from Glenn Miller to Count Basie. They play for the public on the 4th Wednesday of every month. The Beardall Center is a historic school building, built in the 1920s, and is located in Downtown Orlando. It has a large parquet wood floor that is smooth and great for dancing.

The dance is from 7:30 to 10pm. Admission is only $4. Where else can you dance to a big band for that price? For questions, call: 407-246-2637

Map and directions:
View Larger Map

Note: While the dance is on the 2nd story, enter on the first floor (side of the building) and pay admission there. The city now keeps the outside 2nd story doors locked in the evenings.

Looking to get started with swing dancing? Come learn the original form of swing, the Lindy Hop. Starting August 2nd, this six-week series will cover all the essential moves and variations of Lindy Hop. The class will feature both the 6 and 8 count basics including the whip/swing out. There will be a strong concentration on technique and connection to give you a solid foundation in the dance. Each class will build upon information from the previous class to continuously further your knowledge week by week. Classes will be an hour long followed by a half hour of practice, questions, and individual help. Previous dance experience is helpful, but not required. No partner needed; individuals and couples welcome!

Class size is limited, so be sure to reserve your spot soon! Click here for more information.