r/SwingDancing 29d ago

Community Wall Street Journal Opinion on Instagram: "The United States of Swing - The 'true national folk dance' was born in Harlem a century ago"

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16 Upvotes

r/SwingDancing Sep 01 '25

Dance Video Open Lindy Final - Camp Hollywood 2025

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77 Upvotes

r/SwingDancing 1d ago

Feedback Needed Practicing some swing out and pass variations with a friend. Any advice?

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80 Upvotes

I feel like my step back in the second half of the swing out is too large. Thoughts? Any other comments?


r/SwingDancing 15h ago

Music easypeasyplaylist has new options (discover)

0 Upvotes

I have added "Discover" where you select a swing song from and get a playlist with related artists and genres outside of the library.

https://easypeasyplaylist.com/

So now, the options are:

Dance now
Get started quickly with a few selections

Build a playlist
More options

Practice
Select between beginner friendly songs, same tempo different energy, same song different tempo and the tempo ladder where BPM slowly climbs

Find similar songs
Based on one song, choose if you want more of the same feeling, similar feel but slower, similar feel but faster, same feel but more energetic or let the system surprise you - everything based on 10.000+ analyzed songs.

Discover
The new option where we look up outside of the analyzed songs.

Give it a go and let me know how it flies.

It's free and remember: A live DJ - when available - is always better than a playlist.


r/SwingDancing 1d ago

Feedback Needed How to structure 1:1 practice with a peer?

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8 Upvotes

r/SwingDancing 1d ago

Feedback Needed Swing socials/ parties in Berlin?

9 Upvotes

I'm planning to visit Berlin next month and are wondering if there are any nice local socials and parties going on then? I'm not looking for a proper festival


r/SwingDancing 2d ago

Feedback Needed Comfortable shoes for wedding swing dance?

6 Upvotes

Hi all! My fiancé and I are amateur swing dancers (~ 10 years of experience at casual intermediate level) and we're planning to do a swing dance as the first dance at our wedding! I usually dance in my sneakers but wanted something a bit more dressed up (but still comfortable) to wear for our dance. Any recommendations? I've never worn heels so I'd prefer recommendations without. Thanks! :)


r/SwingDancing 2d ago

Feedback Needed ELEF festivals in Europe

10 Upvotes

Hi!

I've been fortunate enough (imo) to learn Lindy Hop with ELEF/switch classes (where we learn both roles at the same time). I've been attending festivals as a leader, but I'm missing practicing as a follower during the workshops, and getting to follow during socials at festivals is a bit difficult as a man (in my experience). I have two questions:

* Do you know any festival in Europe that offers ELEF workshops? I've also seen those "Leader"/"Follower"/"Switch" pins, I wonder if some festivals offer those pins and encourage people to wear them. It would be cool to spot other switches with whom to dance.

* Any tips on getting to follow as a man during socials where you don't know many people? By the time I'm trying to spot a leader who looks like they would be happy to dance with a man, I've usually had 3 followers who've asked me to dance.

Many thanks!


r/SwingDancing 4d ago

Dance Video Wife and I goofing off at the family cabin. Who knew Michael Jackson had such a good swing beat?!

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178 Upvotes

Vacation days at the cabin make for a lot of downtime. My mom was cycling through some music and my wife started dancing and suddenly my dad whipped out the phone and caught this nice moment. So proud of my wife who only started dancing a year or two ago! She’s a bit self conscious of her dancing and this was the most relaxed I’ve experienced with her. Was so much fun!


r/SwingDancing 5d ago

Dance Video ILHC 2026 -1st Place: Frida & Skye - World Finals Classic

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43 Upvotes

r/SwingDancing 6d ago

Dance Video ILHC 2026 - NORMAlizer Finals

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17 Upvotes

r/SwingDancing 7d ago

Dance Video ILHC 2026 Strictly Throwdown Finals

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23 Upvotes

r/SwingDancing 8d ago

Personal Story Went to a jive social as a beginner. I felt really embarrassed

7 Upvotes

I went to a dance social recently. I had no idea how to jive(social jive).

I mean, I've taken 4 classes, but that's it.

My jive dance classmates pushed me to go to a social, so I did.

It was horrifying, man.

I was only able to do basic moves, and in that too, I was performing the technique poorly. The host of the event corrected me too where I was going wrong.

I sat at the table for 80 percent of the times, because I was too afraid of embarrassing myself in front of everyone. I was feeling afraid they would watch and judge me. Literally everyone there was so good. They all had amazing rhythm and co-ordination and clearly had been jiving for a while.

I made friends, ran into a lot of people who I have met earlier, so it was great.

But also very socially awkward at the same time with me sitting at the table and making eye contact with some people looking at me and me getting conscious.

Anyways, I want to take more classes before going to a social again.

This jive social event really killed my confidence man.

I am feeling scared that if I run into the same people they will judge me when I start dancing and be like "oh he doesn't dance well. didn't he come last time and was mostly sitting at the table and barely jiving?"

(I went alone to the dance social event as a beginner btw)

The host was really sweet, came up to me and told me not to feel bad, nobody will tell me anything on the dance floor, if I perform poorly, and checked in with me as well.

Classes usually are a package of 5 classes each level(Level 1, 2, etc.) I'm going to do the L1 again and take 5 classes more.

I really pray I learn to jive well man.


r/SwingDancing 9d ago

Feedback Needed Looking for event recommendation to replace Slow Dance Soirée

22 Upvotes

Hi, all! My favorite event of all-time, Slow Dance Soirée, just wrapped up its final year and is now on a hiatus. It is focused on slow Lindy, bal, and blues. What would you recommend as a solid workshop weekend that still focuses on these skills (especially slow Lindy, since that seems to be the more niche slow dance)? I’m in the U.S., but open to traveling elsewhere.


r/SwingDancing 9d ago

Dance Event Swing Out NH - weekend pass - looking for ride on Friday from NYC

6 Upvotes

Hi all, I’m going to SONH for my second consecutive year. I’m doing the weekend pass this time and will take the bus back to NYC on Monday, but I’m looking for a ride up that Friday. If anyone would like to carpool please reach out!


r/SwingDancing 9d ago

Feedback Needed Name of a specific move

8 Upvotes

Can anyone share with me the name of the move in this video at the 60 second mark? The lead goes from a cross-hand turn to leading a skate-looking move from the front:

https://youtu.be/K70YOUd9mv0?si=2h6un4c9J_0XKsHv&t=60


r/SwingDancing 10d ago

Feedback Needed Started a month ago and the teacher asked me to take private lessons

11 Upvotes

Is the teacher just being nice and wants to see me grow? or am I retarding the class and annoying the other students with them having to correct me? Private lessons are a lot more expensive and I think I'll be able to figure out all of my sticking points soon, but I don't want to annoy everybody...

What would you guys do?


r/SwingDancing 15d ago

Feedback Needed Dancing tonight NYC

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I go to the backroom every monday, and am looking for a Tuesday session with similar vibes for dancing. I know midtown swings and their social, and those are great too! Just wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions :)


r/SwingDancing 15d ago

Feedback Needed Etiquette for communicating with experienced leads as a beginner follow

31 Upvotes

I'm relatively new to the swing dance community and absolutely loving it. I'm primarily a follow, in the middle of the "intermediate" run of courses at the school where I take lessons, but I still definitely consider myself a beginner especially when it comes to actual social dancing.

I just went to my first ever social dance event that was not only composed of people from my dance school, and I ended up dancing with a lead I didn't know who was clearly very experienced. However, he was throwing me around and spinning me so much that I genuinely started to feel uncomfortable — like, my back was starting to hurt and I was getting winded and dizzy. I did other forms of dance before I started swing, and I tend to get very positive feedback from my teachers on my progress during class, so I wasn't used to being so out of my depth, especially because I usually have good turn form and can do it a lot without getting off balance!

We were dancing with a LOUD live band, so it was almost impossible to just say "Can we slow down?" or "Let's take a break!" when we were actively mid-dance. I'm wondering if any experienced dancers can give me advice on how I can communicate discomfort if I'm in this situation again. The rest of the dance was incredible (I danced with a lot of other experienced leads who did NOT throw me around lol and I learned a ton) and I definitely want to go back next time they host one!


r/SwingDancing 16d ago

Feedback Needed What is this dance? And what is the song?

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59 Upvotes

I have learned some swing dancing and a little Lindy, but what is this dance? And what song is this? I like both.


r/SwingDancing 17d ago

Discussion Claudia Fonte and Maria Mallan walk off in the middle of their routine for ILHC World Classic Finals

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20 Upvotes

r/SwingDancing 19d ago

Feedback Needed Best sports bra for dancing?

10 Upvotes

I dance lindy, bal, and collegiate shag but I can’t find a sports bra that actually does its job. I’m talkin big chichis too, so what does everyone use? Moisture wicking would be ideal, cuteness is a plus but I’ve given up on that lol.
Thanks!


r/SwingDancing 19d ago

Feedback Needed How to structure practice time?

8 Upvotes

I want to practice my swing dancing more. I will likely be practicing alone most of the time, but will occasionally have a partner/local dance. I'm 45 and a bit overweight and I want to avoid injury so I'm thinking a light warm up is necessary before each session (maybe 10 minutes or so?). I'm not sure where I'll practice. I have some space at home that could work. If there are some exercises I could do outside or at a running track, that might be nice to shake things up. I'm partially hoping to improve my conditioning in addition to my technique as I tend to get pretty winded to fast or moderately fast songs. What do you all like to do for your practice? How much time do you dedicate per session? How many sessions per week? Do you watch a YouTube video and follow along? Work out your own routines or drills? Anytime else you can share would be great! Thanks!


r/SwingDancing 19d ago

Feedback Needed Prague, Krakow, Budapest in October

2 Upvotes

My husband and I will be in the cities listed above in mid to late October of this year. We have gone swing dancing in Paris and London on previous trips and would live to have a dance experience on this trip. Does anyone have suggestions! Thanks!


r/SwingDancing 20d ago

Feedback Needed Pregnant at swing festival

3 Upvotes

Any pregnant mamas in this group? I'm at a multi day dancing festival that I had bought tickets for long before I knew I was pregnant. Currently I'm 4 months into the pregnancy and I'm having a lot of anxiety over how I'm going to manage 3 days of dancing. Any advice for managing lessons and evening dances during pregnancy?