Uptown Swing is on for tonight! Join us for a fun dance with the Solomon Douglas Quintet featuring vocalist Alison Dreyfuss. If Solomon can make it from Seattle, we can get there from here:-)

• Beginners welcome, no partner needed
• Location: Brookline Tai Chi, 1615 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA 02446
• Band: Solomon Douglas Quintet featuring Alison Dreyfuss
• Date: Saturday, January 21, 2012 Time: 8:15pm-12:30am
• Swing Lesson: 8:15-9:00pm
• Admission: $15 ($10 with Student ID)

Uptown Swing Dance information.

Happy dancing,

Aurelie & Tony

Classes for this session include Beginner Swing/Intro to Lindy Hop Level 1 and Lindy Hop Level 2. These classes are offered both on Sunday evenings at the Newton Lower Falls Community Center and on Monday evenings at Ruggles Baptist Church in Boston.

Both of the Level 1 classes are quite full, although both do need leaders, especially the Monday Boston class! The Level 2 classes are close to even and there is room to join. Another follower on Monday would be nice.

Also on Sunday in Newton, we have a new class for intermediate to advanced Lindy Hoppers called Partner Charleston, Flashy Variations and Transitions. This class will be excellent for anyone wanting to learn Charleston variations with challenging and flashy transitions. It was a very fun class last Sunday!

The Charleston class needs more followers!

Free parking available in both locations as well as near public transportation.

Full class details and registration.

Our new 6 week session starts this Sunday, January 8 at the Newton Lower Falls Community Center in Newton and this Monday, January 9 at Ruggles Baptist Church in Boston near Fenway Park. Here is what’s coming up:

• Beginner Swing/Intro to Lindy Hop - This class is for both brand new dancers and those with some experience who would like to build a stronger foundation and gain more confidence on the dance floor. Six count basics are covered along with a different selection of fun steps each session. There are 7 different sessions at this level, which can be taken in any order, providing the opportunity to develop a good base for social dancing while continuing to learn new steps. If you have any friends who have been wanting to get started, please send them along! This class meets in both Newton and Boston.
• Lindy Hop Level 2 - This class is aimed at intermediate level Swing dancers who can already comfortably social dance any style of triple-step Swing. It is not necessary to already know Lindy Hop. The class focuses on core moves, including a mix of 8 and 6 count basics, emphasizing technique and lead-follow connection. There are 8 different sessions at this level which continually change over time and can be taken in any order. Each session includes a mix of classic Charleston moves and newer variations. This class meets in Newton and Boston.
• Partner Charleston, Flashy Variations and Transitions - This is a new class aimed at more experienced Lindy Hop dancers and meets in the Newton location only. Charleston is a very fun component of Lindy Hop and works really well with more uptempo music. This class will include cool variations and will also focus on some flashy transitions. If you are interested in an energetic, challenging and fun class, this will be a good class for you!

If you are planning to attend any of these classes and have not already done so, it is very helpful if you would submit an on-line registration to speed up check-in. You can pay in advance by credit card through PayPal or at the first class by cash, check and now we can even take credit. Thanks!

Free parking available in both locations as well as near public transportation.

Full class details and registration.

Our first 6 week session of 2012 starts on Sunday, January 8 in Newton Lower Falls and on Monday, January 9 in Boston. Both locations include a class in Beginner Swing/Intro to Lindy Hop Level 1, appropriate for anyone starting out as well as those with some experience who are working on building a solid foundation of dance skills. Six count basics will be covered along with a variety of fun steps to build your repertoire and get you out on the dance floor!

Lindy Hop Level 2 is also offered in both locations. This class is for more intermediate level Swing dancers, although no prior Lindy Hop experience is required. Eight and six count basics will be mixed along with a variety of classic Lindy Hop, newer variations, and a focus on partnering, technique and style.

For intermediate to advanced Lindy Hoppers, in Newton on Sundays we have a new class, Partner Charleston, Flashy Variations and Transitions. It will include some cool variations on classic Charleston while also focusing on some fancy transitions. These classes will be challenging, energetic and of course a ton of fun!

If you have any friends interested in getting into dancing, lessons are a great way to get started. Please pass on the info!

If you are planning to take class, please submit your registration.

Registration is open—Complete class information and registration.

Last weekend was a blast - fun, challenging, inspirational and full of awesomeness! Good thing there are high ceilings at Brookline Tai Chi or we would have blown the roof off the joint at Uptown Swing on Saturday night! Gordon Webster, Naomi Uyama, Jesse Selengut, Adrian Cunningham, Cassidy Holden and Jeremy Noller were on fire! So much fun and great energy which pushed them to keep playing past 1:00am. It was a packed house full of beaming faces. Very special thanks to those who stuck around until after the music finally ended to help us pack and clean up.

Huge thanks to Skye and Naomi for the excellent classes, performing for us at the dance and for being your wonderful selves. Thanks to everyone who participated. We really appreciate all the visiting dancers who joined us. Thanks also to everyone who helped with hosting, transporting, running the door and spreading the word, especially Margaret, Betty and Meredith. The vibe all weekend was so positive and full of joy! What more can you ask for?

If you would like to see photos from the workshops, check out the album on Facebook.