CLASSES
EVERYONE CAN DANCE
Learning Lindy Hop for the first time? Looking to take it to the next level? Whatever your dance goals are, you'll find plenty of learning opportunities here in Philly.
Our 3 Levels of Classes
Lindy 101: Learn the basic steps of Lindy Hop from the ground up! Here we’ll cover the origins of the dance, its fundamental movements, and some basic turns. This lesson is meant for those with little to no experience with partner dancing and/or Lindy Hop. It’s recommended that this level be taken until you feel comfortable implementing these skills on the social dance floor, generally 3-6 times. Classes start promptly at 8:00pm, run until 9:00pm, and are included with general admission. Attendees are asked to arrive a few minutes early to stretch and get ready -- no admittance after 8:15. Let's dance!
*Drop in any week! No partner or experience necessary.
Monthly Series are for our students who are ready to dig into their fundamentals. Our monthly series will help you develop your dancing values, vocabulary, and style. The monthly series cycle, which may be taken in any order, will have "the core four" months: (1) Solo, (2) Rhythm & Groove, (3) Connection, and (4) Call & Response, plus at least two "wildcard" months, which will vary based on what the community needs or is asking for (i.e. swingouts). Most Jazz Attack students fall into this level, and can expect to spend at least 8-12+ months of consistent classes & practice here to hone these skills & values. Series come with admission to all social dances, detailed recap videos, pre-lesson practice space, a consistent set of teachers and peers for rapid progress, and a discord chat for your cohort. Limited to just 30 students, so get your tickets in advance!
*Students must register for the whole month. Recap videos are provided even if you miss a week. No partner necessary, Lindy 101 skills required (see below)
Extended Topics: Our highest level of classes, most Jazz Attack students will not be at this level. These lessons will hit a multitude of areas to help improve your dancing, building off of the topics in the monthly series and will requiring a mastery of these subjects. There will be auditions for this level on the last Thursday of every month during the 7:30-8:00pm practice. Once you pass an audition, you can attend all classes thereafter. These classes are limited to just 14 students / class, and are an additional +$10 / +$7 students on top of admission. Classes start promptly at 8:00pm, run until 9:00pm. Be sure to check the Jazz Attack schedule to see the instructors and topics!
*Drop in any week! No partner necessary, audition or instructor approval required
Band Night Balboa is a special topics class that is open to all -- no audition required! Offered every band night, learn one of Lindy's sister styles that's great for fast tempos & packed floors. +$5 / +$3 students on top of admission.
Lesson FAQs
How do I advance from Lindy 101 to Monthly Series?
Taken a few Lindy 101 classes and thinking about leveling up? Here's what you need to be able to do with confidence & clarity:
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6 Count Rhythms (Rock step, triple step, triple step)
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Triple stepping in any direction
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Groove / Pulse on time and matching the energy of the song
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Dance and step on the beat, and recover if you lose time
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Comfortable turning (when leading) or being turned (when following)
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Doing all of the above on the social dance floor
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Bonus: Take at least one Lindy 101 class in the opposite role, or try the opposite role on the social dance floor
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Practice before you advance: Check out Laura Glaess' rhythm practice video (below) which will help you practice the basic 6 & 8-count rhythms, and mixing them together. This will happen all the time in our topics classes.
Dancers that meet all of the above requirements can try a series. Heads up! It may be a challenge at first, but give it your best shot and don't hesitate to ask your classmates & community members for help -- we're all in this together!
How do I advance from Monthly Series to Extended Topics?
These classes are for our highest level of Jazz Attack dancers. We expect students to:
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Have ownership over their own learning
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Have a willingness to try new skills and fail, and react / adapt to adversity and critique
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Already practice outside of Jazz Attack, and social dance regularly
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Have an understanding of and respect for the history & culture of the dance and music
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Have a mastery of the basic vocabulary & skills presented in the monthly series, including: dancing in different rhythms, turning at different speeds / orientations, dancing at various tempos, solid understanding of musical structure & how to follow a rhythm, solid & comfortable partner connection, swingouts, basic solo & partnered charleston, classic solo vocabulary
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Pass an audition based on these topics (see below)
Again, extended topics classes are for our highest level of dancer, and are not a substitute for being unable to attend a full monthly series. If at the audition, the instructor recommends that you continue with monthly series it just means that we feel you will get the best learning and classroom experience there. If you've read these expectations and still aren't sure whether to audition or not, shoot our teacher coordinator Mike an email (mike@jazzattackswings.com) or ask him in-person. We're in this together!
What should I expect for extended topics auditions?
Anyone who wants to audition has the opportunity to do so during the 7:30-8pm practice session last Thursday of the month. Please let an instructor know at least a week before if you plan to attend. Here's what you can expect at auditions:
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Present the First Stops Routine at 180bpm, not including the A-Frame jump (routine only | full lesson): make some time to learn this routine yourself or with a partner. We won't be teaching this at auditions; this is your chance to show us that you're learning & practicing on your own outside of class
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Social dance with an instructor: you'll have an opportunity to show us your mastery of the monthly series topics (solo dancing, rhythm & groove, connection, call & response, and relevant solo & partnered vocabulary)
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Discussion with an instructor: you'll be asked to share what you're inspired by & working on in your dancing, as well as your understanding of Lindy Hop & Jazz history and culture
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Review: an instructor will let you know if you're a good fit for the extended topics class, or if you'd thrive more in the monthly series classes. Once you're approved for extended topics you're good to go -- you won't need to audition again in the future!
We want this to be super transparent, so here's the rubric instructors will use.
There are many different ways that we can express how leveling is complicated and Lindy Hop is an art form, but we think Michael Seguin, owner of Mobtown Ballroom, said it best. Please read his words and know that which class you're taking does not change how much we value and appreciate you as a member of the Jazz Attack community. You are a dancer and we are so excited to have you around. Email our teacher coordinator Mike an email (mike@jazzattackswings.com) with any questions
What does a mastery of something mean?
When we say mastery, we expect you to be able to perform any of the above moves/rhythms/variations without much thought or concern. This comes with time and practice and cannot be rushed. The Extended Topics teachers will not be reviewing any of the above mentioned concepts and will expect the students to be able to do these comfortably and confidently.
What if I can't commit to a Jazz Attack monthly series?
Good news! There are a ton of other dance opportunities in and around Philadelphia. RagTag Empire also teaches up to four monthly Lindy Hop & solo jazz series, and holds a 2 hour weekly practice session that is drop-in friendly. Philly Balboa has drop-in friendly practice sessions every other Monday and dances monthly. There's more social dancing at Rittenhop every Sunday, and carpools to other nearby scenes like Baltimore, Lancaster, and DC for dances & weekend events alike. Private lessons are another great opportunity to level-up your dancing around your own schedule. YouTube is also a great resource for learning and inspiration (make sure you search Lindy Hop instead of Swing Dancing). You can also arrange your own practices with fellow Jazz Attackers! Urban Movement Arts (UMA) also features an awesome assortment of Black and Latin vernacular dances that will deepen your understanding of Lindy Hop and dance / movement / culture in general.
Do I need to take all of these classes to become a better dancer?
No! These classes are designed to provide one common path to level up your dancing and build a strong community of practice, but everyone's dance journey will be different (and there's no inherent need to "level up" to have a good time Lindy Hopping). Whatever your interests, we'll save a spot on our hardwood floors for you.