Next Steps

(How to Improve Your Dancing)

You've taken the beginner lessons, you've been out social dancing and you feel like you have a pretty good handle on things. Where do you go from here?

Cats' Corner Intermediate Lessons

Intermediate lessons run from 7:45-8:30pm. We alternate months between Lindy Hop, Charleston, Balboa, vernacular jazz, and other topics. The beginner lesson is immediately afterwards from 8:00-9:00pm. Intermediate dancers are highly encouraged to participate in beginner lessons as well. You can always work on your fundamentals, and having more experienced dancers in the class helps our beginners!

Following lessons we host hour and a half of social dancing and practice time from 9:00-10:30pm. The absolute best way to learn to dance is to get on the floor and rock out! It's also a great time to interact with other dancers and ask questions.

Cat's Corner is only $5/week. That covers admission to both the lessons and social dance. For more information visit our Cats' Corner Page!

Cats' Corner Advanced Lessons

Advanced Lessons run from 7:00-7:45pm. If you are interested in joining the Advanced level, talk to Mike or Katie during Cats Corner.

Workshops at the Cville Savoy

Our famous 4th Saturday dance has been going strong since 2009. Named after the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem, NY, this dance offers three full hours of social dancing. You might also meet dancers from Richmond, Lynchburg, Harrisonburg, and other nearby dance scenes.

The intermediate workshop runs from 5:00-7:00pm. This once-a-month special workshop could be on any imaginable topic. We often run a poll on Facebook to determine the topic for the upcoming month, so look for that on our Facebook Group! Students in this workshop should be comfortable with Lindy Hop and be able to do swing-outs and other variations. The workshop is just $10, or $15 if combined with the social dance.

Travel

In order to really progress and become a well-rounded dancer, you should to get out and experience dancing in different places, dance with different dancers, and learn from different teachers. We routinely post nearby events run by our friends on our Calendar. Also, check the Facebook group see who is travelling this weekend, and maybe ask them for a ride. (Or maybe YOU can be the one offering rides!)

Once a month we organize a “Field Trip” to a nearby dance event, usually in Richmond. It changes every month depending on our schedules, but it's always a lot of fun.

Practice

This one seems obvious, but it bears repeating -- practice at home! Your progress will be slow if you only dance an hour a week during lessons; you may even arrive at lessons having forgotten what you covered the week before! Call up your friend and practice swing-outs. Go home after lessons and review everything you learned. Get on YouTube, or iDance, or RhythmJuice, and look up some moves to practice. Check out an instructional DVD from the Swing Cville library on Wednesdays. Take lessons from other instructors and compare it with what you learn at Swing Cville. Between classes or during the social dance, ask one of the instructors for feedback, then go home and work on it. Take a video of yourself dancing and see if you can pick out your mistakes. If you are doing a few of these things each week, you will see your dancing improve dramatically!

If you want more direction or ideas for what to practice at home, just talk to one of the instructors at Cats' Corner.

Private Lessons

If you want some one on one feedback from an experienced teacher some of our Swing Cville instructors offer private lessons. To inquire please email info@swingcville.org or call 434-260-0049.

FAQ's:

How do I know what level I am?

  • Absolute Beginner - You have never danced before, or at least not swing. Take the Crash Course!
  • Beginner - You have taken the Crash Course or maybe a few months of beginner lessons, but you don't feel quite comfortable just going out on the social dance floor and dancing. You know some basic steps, but you are not confident in your swingouts.
  • Intermediate - You have taken at least a couple months of beginner lessons, and you feel comfortable doing swingouts, switching between 6- and 8-count patterns, and maybe some Charleston.
  • Advanced - You are very confident with Lindy Hop, Charleston, and maybe a little Balboa. You improvise with your partner and use the music as a cue to direct your dancing.

    • What's the deal with swing music? Swing music is why we swing dance! Benny Goodman, Ella Fitzgerald, Slim Gaillard, The Boilermaker Jazz Band, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, ACME Swing Mfg. Co -- they all play fun, exciting, wonderful music that makes our feet tap! The more you listen to swing music, and the more familiar you become with the rhythms, song structures, and popular songs, the more fun you will have on the social dance floor. So go boot up Pandora or check out some CDs from the Swing Cville library and start listening to music. If you want some suggestions to get you started, ask one of the instructors at Cat's Corner on Wednesdays.

    How can I get more involved? Swing Cville needs you! Every week we need volunteers to help setup, cleanup, and sit at the door. Plus there are many other behind-the-scenes jobs that are done by volunteers. If you want to become more involved in Swing Cville, email us at info@swingcville.org or call 434-260-0049 to let us know.

    If you don't have time to volunteer, but still want to provide some feedback, feel free to contact us anytime. If you don't feel comfortable doing it in person, you can use our Feedback Form or drop a note in the suggestion box at the studio.

    I'm hooked! What resources can I use to feed my dance addiction?