Lindy Hop Curriculum
Courses: a progressive 3-week course. You must attend all 3 sessions. Each course costs £30 or 3 standard credits (concession credits are not valid for courses).
Series: a 3-week series of drop-in classes, on a particular theme. Attend any single class, or all three. Single classes cost £15 (£10 concession) or 1 class credit. Book the full series for £30. Walk-ins are welcome.
Drop-In / 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. Single classes cost £15 (£10 concession) or 1 class credit.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Prerequisites
In our curriculum, ideally you’ve completed the “Level 1 6-Count Lindy Hop” course and are feeling confident with that material.
Learned your basics elsewhere? No problem! This is a Level 2 (Improvers) course, so it is expected that you already know your 6-count Lindy Hop footwork, Open and Closed positions, the concept of lead/follow and partner connection, and some fundamental moves like the 6-Count Basic in Closed, Send Out, Pass By and Tuck Turn.
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.
Prerequisites
In our curriculum, ideally you’ve completed the “Level 1 8-Count Lindy Hop” course and are feeling confident with that material.
Learned your basics elsewhere? No problem! This is a Level 2 (Improvers) course, so it is expected that you already know your 8-count Lindy Hop footwork, basic positions (open, closed and side-by-side), concept of lead/follow and partner connection, and some fundamental moves like 8-Count Circles, Butterflies, Promenades, Promenots, etc. Perhaps you have already learned a Swing Out, but this is not required to take this course.
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!
Prerequisites
In our curriculum, ideally you’ve completed the “Level 1 6-Count Lindy Hop” course and our “Level 1 Lindy Charleston” course, and you are feeling confident with that material.
Learned your basics elsewhere? No problem! This is a Level 2 (Improvers) course, so it is expected that you already know your 6-count Lindy Hop footwork and some fundamental moves like the 6-Count Basic in Closed, Send Out, Pass By and Tuck Turn. You should also know the Lindy Charleston basic footwork, and some fundamental moves like Side-by-Side Charleston, Barn Doors and Hand-to-Hand Charleston. Experience with 8-count Lindy Hop is beneficial, but not required for this course.
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.
Lesson Topics
- Week 1 – Introduction to Sugar Pushes & Swivels
- Week 2 – Introduction to Frankie Sixes
- Week 3 – Cool Tricks with Tuck Turns
This is a themed series of 3 classes that are all complimentary. Book the full series, or you can book or drop-in to any individual class (for example: you can attend the Week 3 class even if you did not attend Weeks 1 and 2).
Prerequisites
In our curriculum, ideally 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
Learned your basics elsewhere? No problem! This is a Level 3 (Intermediate) course, so it’s expected that you have mastered your 6-Count Lindy Hop footwork. Your lead/follow partner connection should be starting to feel pretty good, and you have a growing collection of 6-count moves, including fundamentals like the Basic in Closed, Half Circles, Send Outs, Pass Bys and Tuck Turns.
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.
Lesson Topics
- Week 1 – Introduction to Mixing 6-counts and 8-counts in your Lindy Hop
- Week 2 – Leading & Following when 6 becomes 8
- Week 3 – Leading & Following when 12 becomes 8
This is a themed series of 3 classes that are all complimentary. Book the full series, or you can book or drop-in to any individual class (for example: you can attend the Week 3 class even if you did not attend Weeks 1 and 2).
Prerequisites
In our curriculum, ideally you have completed all the Level 1 and Level 2 courses, but at the minimum you should 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)
Learned your basics elsewhere? No problem! This is a Level 3 (Intermediate) course, so it’s expected that you have mastered your 6-Count and 8-Count footwork patterns. Your lead/follow partner connection should be starting to feel pretty good, and you have a growing collection of 6-count and 8-count moves, including fundamentals like Swing Outs, Lindy Circles, Promenades, Promenots, Butterflies, Send Outs, Pass Bys and Tuck Turns.
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!
Prerequisites
In our curriculum, ideally you have completed all Level 1 and Level 2 courses, but at the minimum you should have completed the Levels 1 and 2 Lindy Charleston courses.
Learned your basics elsewhere? No problem! This is a Level 3 (Intermediate) course, so it’s expected that you already know your Lindy Charleston fundamentals like Side-by-Side Charleston, Skip Ups, Barn Doors, Hand-to-Hand Charleston and Jig Walks. You should be getting comfortable dancing at faster tempos and using your Lindy Charleston on the social dancefloor.
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.
Lesson Topics
- Week 1 – Musical Structures in Swing
- Week 2 – Grooves + Frankie Manning’s Rhythmic Legacy
- Week 3 – Musicality with Classic Break Steps
This is a themed series of 3 classes that are all complimentary. Book the full series, or you can book or drop-in to any individual class (for example: you can attend the Week 3 class even if you did not attend Weeks 1 and 2).
Prerequisites
In our curriculum, ideally you have completed all the Level 1 and Level 2 courses, but at the minimum you should have completed:
- Level 1 6-Count Lindy Hop
- Level 1 8-Count Lindy Hop
- Level 1 Lindy Charleston
- Level 2 6-Count Lindy Hop
- Level 2 8-Count Lindy Hop (Swing Outs)
Learned your basics elsewhere? No problem! This is a Level 3 (Intermediate) course, so it’s expected that you have mastered your 6-Count and 8-Count footwork patterns, and know your Lindy Charleston basics. Your lead/follow partner connection should be starting to feel pretty good, and you have a growing collection of 6-count and 8-count moves, including fundamentals like Swing Outs, Lindy Circles, Promenades, Promenots, Butterflies, Send Outs, Pass Bys and Tuck Turns. You should be getting comfortable social dancing at a range of tempos, and hopefully have been listening to a lot of swing & jazz music!
What next?
After this course you can take the other Level 3 courses.
If you have completed all Level 1-3 courses you are ready to move on to any Level 4 class.
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
In our curriculum, ideally you have completed all the Level 1 and Level 2 courses, but at the minimum you should have completed:
- 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)
Learned your basics elsewhere? No problem! This is a Level 3 (Intermediate) course, so it’s expected that you have mastered your 6-Count and 8-Count footwork. Your lead/follow partner connection should be starting to feel pretty good, and you have a growing collection of 6-count and 8-count moves, including fundamentals like Swing Outs, Lindy Circles, Promenades, Promenots, Butterflies, Send Outs, Pass Bys and Tuck Turns. You should be getting comfortable social dancing at a range of tempos.
What next?
After this course you can take the other Level 3 courses.
If you have completed all Level 1-3 courses you are ready to move on to any Level 4 class.
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
In our curriculum, ideally you have completed all the Level 1 and Level 2 courses.
Learned your basics elsewhere? No problem! This is a Level 3 (Intermediate) course, so it’s expected that you have mastered your 6-Count, 8-Count and some Lindy Charleston footwork. Your lead/follow partner connection should be starting to feel pretty good, and you have a growing collection of moves, including fundamentals like Swing Outs, Lindy Circles, Promenades, Promenots, Butterflies, Send Outs, Pass Bys, Tuck Turns, Side-by-Side Charleston, Jig Walks, Hand-to-Hand Charleston, etc. You should be getting comfortable social dancing at a range of tempos.
What next?
After this course you can take the other Level 3 courses.
If you have completed all Level 1-3 courses you are ready to move on to any Level 4 class.
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
In our curriculum, ideally you have completed:
- 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
Learned your basics elsewhere? No problem! This is a Level 4 (Intermediate-Advanced) course, so it’s important you are very comfortable with your 6-Count and 8-Count fundamentals, including Swing Outs, Lindy Circles, Tuck Turns, Pass Bys, Send Outs, Frankie Sixes and more. Followers should have some experience with Swivels, and Leaders have tried at least a few footwork variations. You should be comfortable social dancing at a range of tempos and mixing your 6- and 8-count patterns in a social dance.
What next?
After this course you can take the other Level 4 courses.
If you have completed all Levels 1-4 courses you are ready to move on to our Level 5 Advanced drop-in classes!
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.
Lesson Topics
- Week 1 – 4-Count Lindy Hop
- Week 2 – Multiplication in your Lindy Hop
- Week 3 – Deconstruction in your Lindy Hop
This is a themed series of 3 classes that are all complimentary. Book the full series, or you can book or drop-in to any individual class (for example: you can attend the Week 3 class even if you did not attend Weeks 1 and 2).
Prerequisites
In our curriculum, ideally you have completed:
- 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
Learned your basics elsewhere? No problem! This is a Level 4 (Intermediate-Advanced) course, so it’s important you are very comfortable with your 6-Count and 8-Count fundamentals, including Swing Outs, Lindy Circles, Tuck Turns, Pass Bys, Send Outs, Frankie Sixes and more. You should be comfortable social dancing at a range of tempos and mixing your 6- and 8-count patterns in a social dance.
What next?
After this course you can take the other Level 4 courses.
If you have completed all Level 1-4 courses you are ready to move on to our Level 5 Advanced drop-in classes!
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.
Lesson Topics
- Week 1 – Lindy Charleston Revision
- Week 2 – Charleston Corridors
- Week 3 – Hacksaws
This is a themed series of 3 classes that are all complimentary. Book the full series, or you can book or drop-in to any individual class (for example: you can attend the Week 3 class even if you did not attend Weeks 1 and 2).
Prerequisites
In our curriculum, ideally you have completed all Levels 1-3 in Lindy Charleston.
Learned your basics elsewhere? No problem! This is a Level 4 (Intermediate-Advanced) course, so it’s expected that you already know your Lindy Charleston fundamentals such as Side-by-Side Charleston, Skip Ups, Barn Doors, Hand-to-Hand Charleston, Jig Walks or Tandem Charleston. You should be getting comfortable dancing at faster tempos and using your Lindy Charleston on the social dancefloor.
What next?
After this course you can take the other Level 4 courses.
If you have completed all Level 1-4 courses you are ready to move on to our Level 5 Advanced drop-in classes!
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.
Lesson Topics
- Week 1 – Swingout & Lindy Circle Breaks
- Week 2 – Squat Breaks, Glorias & The Chase
- Week 3 – The Quick Stop
This is a themed series of 3 classes that are all complimentary. Book the full series, or you can book or drop-in to any individual class (for example: you can attend the Week 3 class even if you did not attend Weeks 1 and 2).
Prerequisites
In our curriculum, ideally you have completed all the Level 1 and Level 2 courses, and also the following Level 3 courses:
- Level 3 6-Count Lindy Hop
- Level 3 Mixing 6 & 8 Count Lindy Hop
- Level 3 Rhythm & Musicality
Learned elsewhere? No problem! This is a Level 4 (Intermediate-Advanced) series, so it’s expected that you have mastered your 6-Count and 8-Count footwork patterns, and know your Lindy Charleston basics. Your lead/follow partner connection should be starting to feel pretty good, and you have a growing collection of moves. For this series, it’s particularly important that you are feeling confident with your Swing Outs (aka Lindy Turn) and Lindy Circles, and already know some variations like inside turns and outside turns. And hopefully you have been listening to a lot of swing music!
What next?
After this course you can take the other Level 4 courses.
If you have completed all Level 1-4 courses you are ready to move on to any Level 5 class!
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.
Lesson Topics
- Week 1 – Rolls and Redirections
- Week 2 – Pop Turns
- Week 3 – Barrel Rolls
This is a themed series of 3 classes that are all complimentary. Book the full series, or you can book or drop-in to any individual class (for example: you can attend the Week 3 class even if you did not attend Weeks 1 and 2).
Prerequisites
In our curriculum, ideally you have completed all the Level 1 – 3 courses, but at the minimum you should have completed:
- 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
- Level 3 Turns & Spins
Learned elsewhere? No problem! This is a Level 4 (Intermediate-Advanced) series, so it’s expected that you have mastered your 6-Count and 8-Count Lindy Hop footwork patterns, and already have some turn/spin moves in your repertoire (eg: Double Tuck Turn, Texas Tommy etc). Your lead-follow partner connection should be starting to feel pretty good, and you have a growing collection of moves. Fundamentals like Swing Outs (Lindy Turns), Lindy Circles, Tuck Turns, Send Outs, Pass Bys and so on should be effortless at this stage.
What next?
After this course you can take the other Level 4 courses.
If you have completed all Level 1-4 courses you are ready to move on to any Level 5 class!
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.
Lesson Topics
- Week 1 – Dean Collins & Jewel McGowan
- Week 2 – Legends of the Savoy Ballroom
- Week 3 – Classic Footwork Variations from 1943
This is a themed series of 3 classes that are all complimentary. Book the full series, or you can book or drop-in to any individual class (for example: you can attend the Week 3 class even if you did not attend Weeks 1 and 2).
Prerequisites
In our curriculum, ideally you have completed all the 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
Learned elsewhere? No problem! This is a Level 4 (Intermediate-Advanced) series, so it’s expected that you have mastered your 6-Count and 8-Count footwork patterns, and know your Lindy Charleston basics. For this series, it’s particularly important that you are feeling confident with your Swing Outs (aka Lindy Turn) and Lindy Circles, and your basic footwork is feeling effortless. Some experience with jazz steps or jazz routines like the Shim Sham will be helpful, but isn’t required.
What next?
After this course you can take the other Level 4 courses.
If you have completed all Level 1-4 courses you are ready to move on to any Level 5 class!
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 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
In our curriculum, ideally you have completed 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.
