Swing Dance is a fun, playful partnered dance that grew from its roots in the ballrooms of Harlem in the 1920's to its current status as a popular, original American social dance. Its many styles and forms reflect its colorful history of development across the country and through several eras. Our classes focus on Lindy Hop, the original form danced in Harlem, and East Coast (6-count) Swing, which today is the most prevalent form and the most adaptable to different swing music styles including Big Band, Jump Blues, early Rock'n'Roll, Cajun, Contra (embellishments), Country Western and more. For you as a social dancer, we want you to attain the ability to go out on the social dance floor with comfort and confidence, to enjoy the dance with any number of different partners, and to have a great time. We focus our classes not only on learning lots of fun moves, but also on building strong social lead-&-follow skills, learning good movement and partnering techniques, styling, and dancing to the music.
 

Thursday Swing classes

Join us Thursdays for all levels of swing dance classes. New dancers are usually more comfortable starting on the first Thursday of each month, which focuses on the basics. The first half covers East Coast Swing beginning material: partner dance fundamentals, getting the basic  footwork, and fitting the footwork with moves and turns. The second half covers Lindy Hop beginning materials, Charleston kicking patterns, and basic 8-count turning figures. During the rest of the month, the first half of the evening is spent on East coast sequences, starting with the easier moves, then advancing to more difficult figures, The second half of each evening is Lindy Hop sequences in the same format: easier moves first followed by more difficult figures.

First Thursdays

Subsequent Thursdays

It's always best to pace yourself - you know how you learn best, whether it's lots of new information all at once, or a little at a time. The cost is the same, because you just pay once at the door and stay for as little or as much as you want! We recommend that if you're NOT ready to work at a particular level, feel free to sit and watch - but don't bite off more than you can chew! It ends up actually slowing down your learning process to try to get too much information in, and it's not fair to others who are truly ready to work at a more advanced level. (For example, if you still have to think hard about doing the basic footwork of Lindy Hop, the "Easy Lindy Hop" session will suit you fine and the "Ambitious East Coast" session is a great for Lindy-prep, but the "Ambitious Lindy Hop" may have to wait until that basic footwork comes more naturally.) Most of all, come prepared to have a good time and lots of fun dancing!!!
 

Late Night Swing Dance

On Thursdays from 10PM on, we offer Late Night Swing for you night owls, with DJ Terry Gardner spinning tunes. Our beautiful dance floor and non-smoking environment makes Late Night Swing a popular event for dedicated dancers.

First Saturday Workshops and Dance

These are held on the first Saturday of most months. (The workshops go on summer holiday but the Sat nite dances go on). Workshop Registration: 12:45PM. Workshops: 1-5PM. Workshops run concurrently; choose your favorite.

First Saturday Swing dancers enjoy live bands.

Our Swing dance teachers

Cindy Gardner has taught Swing dance since 1979, and currently reaches over 500 students weekly in classes held throughout the Twin Cities. Trained in ballet, jazz and ballroom dance, she focuses her talents on swing because, "It’s the most fun, creative and energetic of the social dances. Its roots are in American history, and it’s great for social interaction, self-expression and aerobics." Emerging as a teacher of national stature, Cindy conducts regular workshops throughout the Midwest. Several of her students have gone on to teach and perform in their own right, including Rhythm & Swing members Terry Gardner, Will & Alice Ribbens, Debby Filler, Michelle Shaw and Land o’ Loons Lindy Hoppers instructors Steve & Sue Mascioli and Amy Kirkpatrick.

Terry Gardner grew up on traditional big band and swing music, which was his father’s favorite style. Terry discovered swing dance several years ago when a friend invited him to a one of Cindy’s classes. He was a natural. Within months, he was dancing almost every night of the week and had built a dance floor in his basement for extra practice at home. He has traveled to national workshops to expanding his knowledge in swing dance. Instructor/Performer Terry began partnering Cindy in her teaching late in 1997, and currently instructs with her locally and regionally. His understanding of partnered movement coupled with an upbeat, encouraging teaching style has made him a popular instructor.

For more information about Terry and Cindy, and to check out the Twin Cities Swing dance scene, go to their Website: http://www.tcswing.com

Pictures

 

Cindy and Terry demonstrate moves in the middle of Tapestry's large dance space, as surrounding couples watch. (These pictures were taken at a summer third-week Thursday class. First Thursday classes have many more people.)

And then they get to try out the same moves.

It is not necessary to bring a partner. Cindy rotates the "followers" (ladies) frequently so that each dancer gets to sample many partners. Although the gender mix is determined solely by who shows up, there is usually a fairly even number of leaders and followers, so that everyone is always dancing, but for short amounts of time, some leaders or followers may have to dance alone (as will the man in the blue shirt here). We suggest for new dancers that men always dance as leaders and ladies as followers.

Swing classes are a good opportunity to meet new people.

Dancers practice twirls.

First Saturday Dances feature live bands. Here's one of our favorite vocalists, Christine Rosholt and band (Russ Peterson Jay Epstein, Keith Boyles & Reuben Ristrom). Photo courtesy of www.christinerosholt.com

 

Things start hopping at Tapestry on 1st Saturdays

Do you want to see more? Hear some music? See the action at http://www.tcswing.com. Click on Media!

Tapestry Folkdance Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota

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