Swing for Beginners
Why should I learn swing?
Do you want a list? Okay.
- It's fun.
- It's healthy.
- It builds confidence.
- You meet lots of great people.
- It beats the hell out of sitting on your butt watching "Must See TV™."
- It's healthy.
What is this whole Swing thing about?
That depends on who you talk to. For some people it's about looking cool. For some people it's about listening to cool music. For some people it's about getting "a life" and exercise. For me, Swing is about three things:
- Having fun (as long as you're smiling, you're doing it right),
- Screwing around with fun people (see above), and
- Flirting.
What do I need at the absolute minimum?
A pair of working legs, a sense of rhythm, good hygiene, a good song, and a good attitude.
That was very cute, now what do I really need?
Additionally, you may also need: dance shoes (see "Supplies for Swing"), comfortable clothes, and breath mints. (Altoids are popular with Swing dancers.) Don't buy the shoes until you've tried Swing dancing.
Other things that you may find useful are a handkerchief and a change of shirts (especially for us guys...we sweat, the ladies "glow" or at worst "perspire.") If you're really cool, a few safety pins, band-aids, and a spare pair of shoelaces can keep you dancing when other people need to stop...or make you very popular.
Okay, what form of Swing dancing should I learn first?
The usual process is to learn "East-Coast Swing" first, then Lindy-Hop, then Blues, then everything else. The reason for this is simple: East-Coast is the easiest and most versitle in terms of tempo. East-Coast comes in two versions: single-time (or single-step) and triple-time (or triple-step) which cover Swing music from very fast to medium slow.
Where can I learn to Swing dance?
Community centers and community colleges are good bets. And of course, ballroom dance studios. I'm working on adding information on Where To Learn.
Group or Private Lessons?
It depends. You're going to learn more moves and more technique noticably faster with private lessons, but you'll pay for them. Fifty dollars an hour or more is not uncommon. Group classes are much more afforable, but you won't get the individualized attention. A good compromise is lots of group classes (at least one a week) and the occasional private to "tweak" your technique.
What should I focus on?
In Swing dance, guys are called, "Leads" and ladies are called, "follows" or "followers." Take this as a sign. If you're a man and know lots of great moves but can't lead, she's not going to know what you're doing and you're going to look bad (and she probably won't want to dance with you again). If you don't know many moves, but you're a good lead, you'll both have fun. For ladies, same idea.
I'm out of shape, can I learn to Swing dance?
Yes! Swing dance is a great form of exercise. Unlike working out on the treadmill at the gym and feeling like a hamster on a wheel, (have you ever looked for the giant water bottle hanging from the ceiling?), Swing is fun. Lots of people have lost weight on the official Swing Dance Weight Loss Program™. I personally have lost about 20 pounds going swing dancing two to three times per week.
The other thing about Swing is that you get to dance with attractive people which encourages you to work harder to learn more Swing and get in better shape. Not bad, huh?
What else should I know?
Once the lady has the the basic down, all other mistakes are the Lead's fault. If one of the two of you is going to be hurt from falling, it's the Lead's job to make sure that the Follower is protected. Additionally, don't even think about hitting the dance floor without reading, Metronome Ballroom's excellent guide to dance etiquette. These are NOT suggestions. These are laws.