Jazz and the associated swing dances emerged from African American culture in Harlem, New York. Rooted in West African traditional dance that enslaved people continued to practice, vernacular jazz dance was first developed in the 1920s and 1930s through the innovation of black American dancers. In the face of adversity and prejudice, they created these art forms alongside the jazz musicians of the time.
This is the foundation of the dances – including Lindy Hop, Authentic/Solo Jazz, Balboa, and Charleston – which inspire what we know as swing dancing today! Through the generations, jazz culture continues to be shaped by the African American diaspora and shared across the world.
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Learn with us!
Come learn to swing dance – complete beginners are welcome!
No need to come with a partner, and we do not have fixed gender-based roles.
For our weekly classes, you don’t need to book ahead – simply turn up!