Learn to swing dance (Lindy Hop)
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Lindy Hop is the partnered swing dance that grew up in Harlem's Black communities in the 1920s and 1930s, danced to jazz and full of improvisation. Beginners' classes such as Swing Patrol's rotate partners, so you can turn up on your own.
ModerateUnder £100 / $130A few weeksIndoorsWith othersUK and US
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What it's really like
Beginners learn the six-count basic first. Portland Community College's four-week class covers six-count basics and the Lindy Circle, with the emphasis on connecting to the music and improvising. The Houston Swing Dance Society splits its first level into four-week topics, six-count, eight-count, Charleston and swingouts, and you can start with any of them.
It is a partnered dance with leads and follows, but you do not need to bring anyone. At the Bishopsgate Institute's Dance in a Day, taught by Swing Patrol, you sign up as a lead or a follow and partners rotate through the afternoon.
Social dancing is part of the deal. The Houston series includes Sunday social dances, and the Dallas Swing Dance Society holds dances on the second, third and fourth Saturdays of each month.
Ways in and what they cost
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| Bishopsgate Institute with Swing Patrol, London | Dance in a Day: one Sunday afternoon, 14:00-17:30, covering six-beat and eight-beat Lindy Hop and Lindy Charleston; no experience necessary; dates listed April to September 2026 | £45 |
| Morley College, London | Swing Dance Beginners' Taster on 9 January 2027, then a nine-week Saturday afternoon course from 16 January 2027 | £25 taster; course £215, or £160 concession |
| Portland Community College, Oregon | Lindy Hop Beginners: Wednesday evenings, four weeks from 6 January or 3 February 2027; no need to bring a partner | $65 (three-week March section $49) |
| Houston Swing Dance Society, Texas | Four-week Level 1 series, new topics from the first Sunday of each month; Sunday social dances included; no partner or experience needed | $80 |
How to start
- Find a beginners' class or a one-day introduction run by a swing dance school, society or college near you.
- Sign up as a lead or a follow; you do not need to bring a partner.
- Go to the social dance after class if one is included; the Houston Swing Dance Society's beginner series comes with Sunday social dances.
Where to go
- Bishopsgate Institute: Dance in a Day, Lindy Hop with Swing Patrol (London) UK
- Morley College: Swing Dance for Absolute Beginners (London) UK
- Portland Community College: Lindy Hop Beginners (Oregon) US
- Houston Swing Dance Society: book classes (Texas) US
We opened these links on 8 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
Do I need a partner to learn Lindy Hop?
No. Portland Community College and the Houston Swing Dance Society both say no partner is needed, and at the Bishopsgate Institute's Dance in a Day partners rotate during the sessions.
What is the difference between six-count and eight-count Lindy Hop?
They are two sets of basic steps, and beginners learn both. The Houston Swing Dance Society teaches six-count basics and eight-count basics as separate four-week topics.
How much do swing dance classes cost?
Prices vary. Morley College listed a £25 taster and a nine-week course at £215, and the Houston Swing Dance Society listed $80 for a four-week series including social dances.
Where this comes from: Bishopsgate Institute, Dance in a Day, Lindy Hop; Morley College, Swing Dance for Absolute Beginners; Portland Community College, Lindy Hop Beginners (Winter 2027); Houston Swing Dance Society, Book classes; KERA News, 'Like recess for adults.' How a Dallas dance club is preserving history. Opened 8 November 2026.
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