Lindy Hop Curriculum
Courses: a progressive 3-week course. You must sign up for all 3 sessions. Each course costs £30 or 3 credits (concession credits are not valid for courses). Not sure if you are ready for the full course? You can show up for the first class of any course and decide at the end if you would like to continue with the full course, or just pay £15 for the first class.
Series: this is a 3-week series of themed classes. Each class is a separate topic, so drop-ins are welcome (ie: you don’t need to have taken the previous classes in the series to attend). You can register for a full series to get a discount (3 classes for £30) or drop-in to any individual class for £15 / £10 concession / 1 class credit. Walk-ins welcome.
Drop-In and Taster Classes: these are 1-hour classes that you can attend (“drop in to”) anytime. They are not part of a course and walk-ins are welcome. You can start any time, take the classes in any order or attend irregularly. Great for flexibility.
Workshops and Weekenders: these are special events that can be booked individually.
Level 1 Beginners
Learn to Lindy Hop from scratch. For absolute beginners, no experience needed. No partner needed.
Start with any Level 1 Course. The Level 1 courses can be taken in any order. We offer one Level 1 course each month.
(We also offer a Level 1 Taster Class every Wednesday at 7pm at Jazzbourne, if you would like to try a class before committing to a course.)
Level 1
6-Count Lindy Hop
3-week course
Starting from scratch, we will introduce you to the essentials of 6-count Lindy Hop. You will learn the basic steps and most important moves, so you can hit the dancefloor! For absolute beginners.
Upcoming Dates
7pm-8pm Tuesdays 7, 14 & 21 January 2025 at Jazzbourne, £30
You must register for the full 3-week course.
Prerequisites
None! This course is for absolute beginners, no experience needed, no partner needed.
What next?
After this course you can take the other Level 1 courses and/or move on to the Level 2 6-Count Lindy Hop course.
COURSE CODE: A1
Level 1
8-Count Lindy Hop
3-week course
Starting from scratch, we will introduce you to the foundations of 8-count Lindy Hop. Learn the basic footwork plus a bunch of fun moves to get you social dancing. For absolute beginners.
Upcoming Dates
7pm-8pm Tuesdays 4, 11 & 18 February 2025 at Jazzbourne, £30
You must register for the full 3-week course.
Prerequisites
None! This course is for absolute beginners, no experience needed, no partner needed.
What next?
After this course you can take the other Level 1 courses and/or move on to the Level 2 8-Count Lindy Hop (Swing Outs) course.
COURSE CODE: B1
Level 1
Lindy Charleston
3-week course
Lindy Hop evolved from The Charleston in the 1920s and still includes many Charleston steps. Starting from scratch, you will learn the basics of Lindy Charleston. For absolute beginners.
Upcoming Dates
- 7pm-8pm Tuesdays 26 Nov, 3 & 10 Dec 2024, at Jazzbourne, £30
- 7pm-8pm Tuesdays 11, 18 & 25 March 2025 at Jazzbourne, £30.
You must register for the full 3-week course.
Prerequisites
None! This course is for absolute beginners, no experience needed, no partner needed.
What next?
After this course you can take the other Level 1 courses and/or move on to the Level 2 Lindy Charleston course.
COURSE CODE: C1
Level 2 Improvers
Level 2 courses can be taken in any order. We offer one Level 2 course each month.
No partner needed, we will rotate partners in class.
Level 2
6-Count Lindy Hop
3-week course
In this course you will practice the fundamental 6-count moves you learned in Level 1, and expand your repertoire with different hand grips, positions and more impressive 6-count moves.
Upcoming Dates
8.10pm – 9.10pm Tuesdays 4, 11 & 18 February 2025 at Jazzbourne, £30.
You must register for the full 3-week course.
Prerequisites
Level 1 6-Count Lindy Hop.
What next?
After this course you can take the other Level 2 courses and/or move on to the “Level 3 6-Count Lindy Hop” course.
COURSE CODE: A2
Level 2
8-Count Lindy Hop:
Swing Outs
3-week course
Swing Outs, the most important 8-count Lindy Hop move! Build on what you learned in Level 1 to achieve a Swing Out, make it look good (including the iconic Swivels for followers), plus some must-know Swing Out variations.
Upcoming Dates
- 8.10pm – 9.10pm Tuesdays 26 Nov, 3 Dec & 10 Dec 2024 at Jazzbourne, £30.
- 8.10pm – 9.10pm Tuesdays 11, 18 & 25 March 2025 at Jazzbourne, £30.
You must register for the full 3-week course.
Prerequisites
Level 1 8-Count Lindy Hop
What next?
After this course you can take the other Level 2 courses. If you have completed all Level 1 and Level 2 courses you are ready to move on to Level 3.
COURSE CODE: B2
Level 2
Lindy Charleston
3-week course
Practice the foundations of Lindy Charleston from Level 1 and grow your repertoire with more fun Charleston steps and clever transitions. Plus, begin to mix your 6-count Lindy Hop with your Lindy Charleston!
Upcoming Dates
8.10pm – 9.10pm Tuesdays 7, 14 & 21 January 2025 at Jazzbourne, £30.
You must register for the full 3-week course.
Prerequisites
- Level 1 6-Count Lindy Hop, and
- Level 1 Lindy Charleston
What next?
After this course you can take the other Level 2 courses and/or move on to the Level 3 Lindy Charleston course or the Level 3 Easy Fast course.
COURSE CODE: C2
Level 3 Intermediate
Level 3 courses/series can be taken in any order. There are two offered each month and you are welcome to take both simultaneously.
Level 3
6-Count Lindy Hop
3-week series
In this 3-week series we will learn some more advanced 6-count steps and famous combos including Frankie Sixes and the Sugar Push with Swivels. Drop-ins welcome.
Upcoming Dates
- 9.15pm – 10.15pm Tuesdays 26 November, 3 & 10 December 2024 at Jazzbourne.
- 9.15pm – 10.15pm Tuesdays 11, 18 & 25 March 2025 at Jazzbourne.
You can register for the full 3-week series (£30 / 3 class credits), or drop in to any individual class (£15 / £10 concession / 1 class credit).
Prerequisites
Preferably you have completed all the Level 1 and Level 2 courses, but at the minimum you must have completed:
- Level 1 6-Count Lindy Hop, and
- Level 2 6-Count Lindy Hop
What next?
After this course you can take the other Level 3 courses and/or move on to the “Level 4 6-Count Lindy Hop (Sugar Pushes)” course.
If you have completed all Level 1-3 courses you are ready to move on to any Level 4 class.
COURSE CODE: A3
Level 3
Mixing 6 & 8 Count Lindy Hop
3-week series
Mixing your 6- and 8-count Lindy can be daunting at first. In this series we’ll practice transitions & how to lead/follow different patterns. Drop-ins welcome.
Upcoming Dates
- 9.15-10.15pm Tuesdays 8, 15 & 22 October 2024 at Jazzbourne
- 9.15-10.15pm Tuesdays 7, 14 & 21 January 2025 at Jazzbourne
You can register for the full 3-week series (£30 / 3 class credits), or drop in to any individual class (£15 / £10 concession / 1 class credit).
Prerequisites
Preferably you have completed all Level 1 and Level 2 courses, but at the minimum you must have completed:
- Level 1 6-Count Lindy Hop, and
- Level 1 8-Count Lindy Hop, and
- Level 2 6-Count Lindy Hop, and
- Level 2 8-Count Lindy Hop (Swing Outs)
What next?
After this course you can take the other Level 3 courses, and/or move on to the “Level 4 Beyond 6 and 8 Count” series.
If you have completed all Level 1-3 courses you are ready to move on to any Level 4 class.
COURSE CODE: AB3
Level 3
Lindy Charleston
3-week course
Let’s get kickin! Practice Lindy Charleston steps you learned in Levels 1 and 2 in fun new combinations and polish your technique. We’ll also learn a challenging new position, Tandem Charleston!
Upcoming Dates
9.15-10.15pm Tuesdays 4, 11 & 18 February 2025 at Jazzbourne, £30.
You must register for the full 3-week course.
Prerequisites
Preferably you have completed all Level 1 and Level 2 courses, but at the minimum you must have completed:
- Level 1 Lindy Charleston, and
- Level 2 Lindy Charleston
What next?
After this course you can take the other Level 3 courses (we especially recommend the “Level 3 Easy Fast” course) and/or move on to the “Level 4 Lindy Charleston” series.
If you have completed all Level 1-3 courses you are ready to move on to any Level 4 class.
COURSE CODE: C3
Level 3
Rhythm & Musicality
3-week series
Want to better understand the marvellous jazz music we dance to? Learn the musical structures in swing songs, play with cool rhythms and learn some classic break steps so you can respond to the music. Drop-ins welcome.
Prerequisites: complete all Level 1 and Level 2 courses
Upcoming series: 25 Nov – 9 Dec 2024, 10-24 March 2025
COURSE CODE: D3
Level 3
Turns & Spins
3-week course
Spins and turns are some of the most fun and impressive elements in Lindy Hop. We’ll give you iconic Lindy Hop turns, including the Texas Tommy, plus clear, easy-to-follow exercises to work on your technique.
Prerequisites: Preferably all Level 1 and Level 2 courses, but at the minimum: Level 1 6-Count Lindy Hop, Level 1 8-Count Lindy Hop, Level 2 6-Count Lindy Hop, Level 2 8-Count Lindy Hop (Swing Outs)
Upcoming courses: 7-21 October 2024, 6-20 January 2025
COURSE CODE: E3
Level 3
Easy Fast
3-week course
Are you sitting out the fast songs? Let’s change that! Lindy Hop can be danced up-tempo with neither kicks nor triple-steps. Related to Charleston, Breakaway and other jazz age dances, these fun steps are great for dancing fast without breaking a sweat.
Prerequisites: complete all Level 1 and Level 2 courses
Upcoming courses: 28 Oct – 11 Nov 2024, 3-17 February 2025
COURSE CODE: F3
Level 4 Intermediate-Advanced
Level 4 courses/series can be taken in any order. We offer one each month.
Level 4 6-Count Lindy Hop:
Sugar Pushes
3-week course
Sugar Pushes are a marvellous vehicle to play with power, flow, rhythms and shapes. Progressing from your basic Sugar Push we will elevate your style, build to more challenging variations and make you fall in love with this classic 6-count fundamental!
Prerequisites: Levels 1-3 in 6-Count Lindy Hop, Level 1 8-Count Lindy Hop, Level 2 8-Count Lindy Hop (Swing Outs), Level 3 Mixing 6 & 8 Count Lindy Hop.
Upcoming course: 6-20 January 2025
COURSE CODE: A4
Level 4
Beyond 6 and 8 Count
3-week series
Once your 6- and 8-count moves start feeling solid and you can mix them in a social dance, you might realise that actually the counts don’t matter that much. In this series we move beyond the limits of 6- or 8-count patterns. Drop-ins welcome.
Prerequisites: Levels 1-3 6-Count Lindy Hop, Level 1 8-Count Lindy, Level 2 Swing Outs, Level 3 Mixing 6 & 8 Count Lindy.
Upcoming series: 3-17 February 2025
COURSE CODE: AB4
Level 4
Lindy Charleston
3-week series
Level up your Lindy Charleston! Building on your repertoire from Levels 1-3, we will learn more classic Lindy Charleston moves, improve your technique and play with different tempos. Drop-ins welcome.
Prerequisites: Levels 1-3 in Lindy Charleston
Upcoming series: 10-24 March 2025
COURSE CODE: C4
Level 4
Classic Breaks
3-week series
Break steps are flashy, fun and musically satisfying. In this series we will work on some more classic break steps that all Lindy Hoppers should know, including the Quick Stop, Chase and Glorias. Drop-ins welcome.
Prerequisites: complete all Level 1 and Level 2 courses, Level 3 6-Count Lindy Hop, Level 3 Mixing 6 & 8 Count Lindy Hop, Level 3 Rhythm & Musicality.
Upcoming series: 7-21 October 2024
COURSE CODE: D4
Level 4
Turns, Spins & Rolls
3-week series
Now that you’ve got the fundamental turns & spins under control, let’s level up your Lindy Hop with more advanced turning moves including Redirections, Pop Turns and Barrel Rolls. Drop-ins welcome.
Prerequisites: Levels 1-3 in 6-Count Lindy Hop, Level 1 8-Count Lindy Hop, Level 2 Swing Outs, Level 3 Mixing 6 & 8 Count Lindy Hop, Level 3 Turns & Spins.
Upcoming series: 28 Oct – 11 Nov 2024
COURSE CODE: E4
Level 4
Classic Footwork
3-week series
Fancy feet! Learn more about the history of Lindy Hop, as we show you stylish footwork variations and cool rhythms made famous by the legends of the dance in the original swing era. Drop-ins welcome.
Prerequisites: complete all Level 1 and Level 2 courses, plus Level 3 6-Count Lindy Hop, Level 3 Mixing 6 & 8 Count Lindy Hop, Level 3 Rhythm & Musicality.
Upcoming series: 25 Nov – 9 Dec 2024
COURSE CODE: G4
Level 5 Advanced
Challenging classes for Advanced dancers.
Level 5
Advanced Lindy Hop
Drop-In Class
Join Sharon Davis & Joel Bechet for an Advanced Lindy Hop class followed by optional practice time. This class is run in 3-week blocks to align with the rest of the curriculum, but it is a drop-in class – meaning every class is different, and you can come anytime. Walk-ins are welcome to this session.
Upcoming Dates
Always check the bookings schedule for the most up-to-date information.
- 9.15-10.15pm Monday 25 Nov 2024
- 9.15-10.15pm Monday 2 Dec 2024
- 9.15-10.15pm Monday 9 Dec 2024
- 9.15-10.15pm Monday 6 Jan 2025
- 9.15-10.15pm Monday 13 Jan 2025
- 9.15-10.15pm Monday 20 Jan 2025
- 9.15-10.15pm Monday 3 Feb 2025
- 9.15-10.15pm Monday 10 Feb 2025
- 9.15-10.15pm Monday 17 Feb 2025
- 9.15-10.15pm Monday 10 Mar 2025
- 9.15-10.15pm Monday 17 Mar 2025
- 9.15-10.15pm Monday 24 Mar 2025
Prerequisites
Complete levels 1 to 4.
Advanced is a class for Lindy Hoppers who are very confident with their repertoire and are looking to challenge themselves with advanced connection, challenging moves, sweet rhythms, musicality, style and speed. You have probably been dancing for a number of years, and you have taken part in workshops as well as regular classes. You are confident to social dance with any partner. You can comfortably social dance Lindy Hop from slow tempos (around 120bpm) to fast (around 200bpm at least). Your Swing Out and Lindy Circle should be extremely comfortable, and you should already know a number of different footwork variations and styles (including swivels for followers). You also have some experience with solo jazz, and you know the Shim Sham well.
Here are some examples of some moves that you hopefully already know and are comfortable with: Swing Outs with inside turns or outside turns, Texas Tommy, Pop Turns, Double Turnout, Tandem Charleston, Points, Barrel Rolls, Cuddle/Basket, Hand-to-Hand Charleston, Jig Walks, Sailor Kicks, Sugar Pushes, Minnie Dip, Frankie Sixes, Switches, Quick Stop. At this stage in your dancing, you appreciate that levelling up takes focused effort and you are prepared to invest in yourself to get there.
