Dance Styles

Dan is available to teach a range of different swing dance styles and authentic jazz, as well as taster classes/workshops in dance-related topics such as technique, teacher training and musicality. Please contact us to arrange a booking.

Lindy Hop

The Lindy Hop (or Lindy) is a partner dance that originated in 1920's and 30's Harlem, New York. The Dance itself consists of both 8 and 6 count steps and it includes footwork borrowed from the Charleston and Tap.

Balboa

Balboa is an original swing dance that emerged during the late 1920's and early 1930's. It was created on the west coast (LA Region), while Lindy Hop was emerging on the east coast (New York). Both dances evolved to similar styles of music so it's easy to mix Balboa with Lindy on the social dance floor.

20's Charleston

A fun, lively, quirky dance that can be danced both partnered and solo.

Peabody

A vintage dance from the early part of the century that's danced to lively and fast rag time style swing music, and travels around the floor.

Laminu

A swing dance that's done to very slow tempo music. Some people describe it as slow Balboa but it's really more than just that. It has its own particular quality of movement and structure that lend it a style and feeling all of its own. You can see a video here.

Themed/Taster Classes

General topics for partnered swing dancing

Connection/Momentum/Dynamics

Core technique/ideas that facilitate refinement of connection. This will help dancers to improve their leading/following, make their dancing less strenuous and more economic, and simply make it feel much better. The class can be entirely based around exercises, or could be tied in to specific moves like the swingout.

Jam Circles

What is a Jam Circle? How do we make one happen? How to dance in one? How to encourage other people to join in?

Slides

Technique for slides and examples of how to incorporate them in your dancing.

Spins

Technique for turns/spins and exercises to help dancers to improve.

Jazz Music Theory for Swing Dancers

We will explain the structure of music styles typically used for Swing dancing. It will give dancers ideas to help them become more musical in their dancing.

Historical Film Clips Session

Dan has a large number of historical dance films that he's collected over the years. Many clips from these films are happily now available to all via YouTube etc. Other films are less well known and not widely distributed. Dan can show a selection of clips that are either: historically interesting, less well known, or just simply amusing! He will introduce each clip and give some relevant/interesting background info about them. Various types of dancing will be represented including Lindy Hop, Charleston, Balboa, Shag, Tap, Jazz, etc.

Teacher Training

What is the role/aim of a dance teacher? How do people learn? Good general practices for teaching motor skills (e.g. dance). How to facilitate multiple learning methods within your classes. Understanding what you see, knowing what you do yourself - tips for analysing dance and exercises to help students to improve.

Authentic Jazz

Dean Collins Shim Sham

This would be an interpretation of Dean Collins Shim Sham with Dan's own styling. Not for beginners if we attempt to get through the whole thing! You can see a video here.

Good Morning Life

An easy authentic jazz routine (you can see a video here).

Chiswick Strut

An easy solo 20s Charleston stroll done in a circle.

Big Apple (social)

Many of the same jazz steps that we do in Lindy but performed in a circle and called by a leader.

Big Apple (routine)

Dan's interpretation of the Whitey's Lindy Hoppers Big Apple from the 1939 movie "Keep Punching". Over a decade ago Dan spent some time asking Frankie about his memories of choreographing and performing this routine. He wrote this up into an article soon afterwards that you can still read here.