What to Expect and Why It Works This Way
Starting something new always comes with a mix of excitement and uncertainty… and if you’ve ever walked into your first Lindy Jazz class and thought,
“Am I the only beginner here?” or “Why are there so few beginners in this class?” you’re not alone.
New people often share this experience. They notice that many people stay on for the second class. They wonder if the first class, our Foundations class, is really just for beginners.
It’s such a good question and a lovely opportunity to explain how things work at Lindy Jazz.
We Have a Structure… But It’s Not Rigid
At Lindy Jazz, we do have a structure for teaching.
But that structure is designed to adapt to you, not the other way round.
Over the years, the way people join and progress has naturally shifted. There was a time when almost everyone attended just the first class, our Foundations Class. Now, many people choose to stay for both.
Rather than separating everyone into fixed levels, we’ve allowed the structure to evolve with our members.
The Foundations Class Is For Everyone
It’s easy to assume that the first class is just for beginners, or that attending it again means you’re “going back.”
That’s not how it works here.
You will see that every member takes part in the Foundations Class.
It’s not about repeating the exact same material or starting again.
It’s about building, refining and deepening your dancing.
Each week, the focus may feel familiar, but your experience of it changes as you grow.
The same step can feel completely different when:
- your timing improves
- your connection becomes clearer
- your confidence increases
So rather than “going back,” you are actually moving forward with stronger foundations.
Even very experienced dancers keep coming back to the basics, because that’s what builds strong, reliable technique.
Why Our Classes Are Mixed
You might notice that the Foundations Class isn’t made up of only brand new beginners.
And that’s intentional.
A mixed group creates something really valuable:
- Newer dancers get support and reassurance from those with a little more experience
- More experienced dancers improve their own dancing by adapting to different partners
- The whole room feels more like a real social dance environment
At first, this can feel slightly uncomfortable, especially if you feel like the only beginner.
But that feeling is temporary and often the quickest path to progress.
Why We Don’t Say “Beginner” or “Advanced”
We’ve consciously moved away from labels like “beginner” and “advanced.”
Not because levels don’t exist, but because those words can quietly create pressure and hierarchy.
Instead, we keep things simple.
The second class is called the Extra Class.
It’s not about being better.
It’s about having:
- extra time
- extra headspace
- extra energy
The Extra Class & What It Really Means
Anyone can join the Extra Class when they feel they have those extra resources.
As a gentle guide:
- You will usually have completed around 6 weeks of classes
- You will have a basic understanding of rock steps and triple steps, your core vocabulary
- You can let your arms swing freely with a relaxed, easy tone, keeping tension to a minimum
But here’s the most important part.
The Extra Class is not about ability. It’s about mindset.
The Mindset We Expect
You are expected to:
- Be patient. Give things time to settle and grow.
- Be accepting. Allow yourself and others to make mistakes, knowing this is a natural and essential part of progress.
- Be open-minded. Learn through experience, not perfection.
A common misunderstanding is thinking
“I’ll wait until I’m better before I join.”
But in reality you become better by joining and letting go of needing everything to be perfect.
If You Feel Out of Your Depth
IIt’s very common to feel a little overwhelmed at times, especially in the early weeks.
If that happens, the best thing you can do is not overthink, assess or analyse.
You don’t need to understand or remember everything straight away.
Just stay with the music, keep moving, and allow things to settle in their own time.
Instead:
- Allow yourself to miss things
- Allow yourself to not grasp everything immediately
- Stay with the music and keep moving
Learning to dance isn’t about getting everything right in the moment.
It’s about letting things settle over time.
And something lovely tends to happen:
- You begin to recognise the steps
- You feel more comfortable with different partners
- You realise you’re more capable than you first thought
Little by little, it starts to click.
Want to give it go?
No experience needed. Just come along and enjoy it.
👉 Book your place: https://www.lindy-jazz.co.uk/weekly-classes
