March, 2025

  1. Social Dancing at The Cartologist!

    March 30, 2025 by Joo-Lee

    Exciting News – A New Twist for Our Final Class!

    We have something exciting to share with you! For a while now, we’ve been thinking about how to create a more sociable atmosphere for our social Lindy Hop classes. While the church hall is a great space with a lovely smooth floor, and our Week 6 meet ups at Fram Ferment are always fun, we want to offer you even more!

    So for the final Wednesday of this course, on 9 April, we’re trying something new, and we’d love your thoughts! For our final class, we invite you to The Cartologist, a beautiful bar close to the station, where we’ll have exclusive use of their stunning Summer Room. The staff will clear the space so we can hold our usual two classes, followed by an extended Social Dancing session from 21:00-21:45—at no extra charge!

    This will be a perfect chance to dance with each other, practise your moves, or just enjoy your favourite swing tunes. If you have friends who are curious about Lindy Hop or just want to soak up the atmosphere and Andy’s fantastic playlist, they’re welcome to join us too!

    Good news for drivers: There’s plenty of on-street parking nearby, and it’s free after 18:00, making it even easier to join us for the evening.

    Andy and I will be arriving early to have a bite to eat at 18:15, so if you fancy grabbing some food or just popping in for a chat before our classes start at 19:30, you’re more than welcome!

    With the lighter evenings, we hope this will be a great opportunity for those travelling from outside Durham to stay a little longer and fully enjoy the experience. Of course, you’re free to leave at any time that suits you.

    After we try this out, we’d love your feedback! Would you like this to be a special Week 6 event for future courses? Would you prefer to keep things as they are? Or could this even work as a venue for all 6 weeks of a summer course?

    We want to strike the right balance between structured learning and a relaxed, social dance environment—so your input is invaluable!

    We can’t wait to hear what you think and, most of all, to dance with you at The Cartologist on Week 6 – that’s 9 April.

    A summary:

    • This coming Wednesday 2 April is Week 5. We’re dancing at St Aidan’s as usual
    • Wednesday 9 April is Week 6. We’re dancing at The Cartologist (in a private space!) and afterwards have a chat to find out everyone thinks!

    Questions & Answers – Week 6 at The Cartologist
    ❓ Will this new format be permanent?
    ➡️ No, this is just a trial, mainly for the summer months.

    ❓ Do I have to book separately for Week 6?
    ➡️ No, it’s included in your course. Just turn up and enjoy!

    ❓ Can I bring a friend who doesn’t dance?
    ➡️ Yes! They’re welcome to watch, soak up the atmosphere, and enjoy the music.

    ❓ Will there still be a structured lesson?
    ➡️ Yes! We’ll run our usual two classes before the social dancing.

    ❓ Is there parking nearby?
    ➡️ Yes, plenty of on-street parking, free after 18:00.

    ❓ Do I have to stay for the social dancing?
    ➡️ Not at all—stay as long as you like!

    ❓ Could this be a venue for future courses?
    ➡️ That depends on feedback. Nothing is fixed yet. So, let’s check it out and talk about it. We’d love to hear your thoughts!

    Let us know if you have any other questions! 😊

    Booked up for the next course? Click here.

    Category Courses & Classes, Lindy Hop | Tags: | No Comments

  2. The Secret to Happy Dance Partnerships: Encouragement, Not Instruction

    March 13, 2025 by Joo-Lee

    When couples decide to take up Lindy Hop together, it can be a wonderful shared experience—full of fun, laughter, and new discoveries. But as with many things in life, learning to dance as a couple comes with its own unique challenges.

    At Lindy Jazz, we recognise that many beginners feel safer sticking with their own partner, and that’s completely understandable. The thought of not knowing if you’ll keep up or do well in class can feel uncomfortable—or even terrifying. But we want to assure you that the culture of our classes is friendly, welcoming, and supportive. We are here to dance and to help one another.

    That said, one of the best ways to make the most of your dance experience is to consider the idea of dancing with different partners. This teaches you to listen through movement, respond to different styles, and develop the essential skill of improvisation. But we also want you to feel comfortable—so while we encourage it, we never insist on it. You are always welcome to learn in a way that feels good for you.

    The Good Intentions That Backfire

    If you’re the more experienced partner, it can be tempting to help your other half by offering tips, corrections, or explanations. After all, you just want to make things easier for them, right? But in reality, this often has the opposite effect.

    By stepping into a ‘teacher’ role, you may end up presenting the material differently from the class instructors, causing confusion or even contradicting what’s being taught. This can disrupt the lesson, overwhelm your partner, and—most importantly—take away their chance to learn and progress at their own pace.

    Many beginners find being corrected by their partner frustrating or discouraging. They might feel self-conscious, pressured, or simply exhausted by the constant feedback. In fact, this kind of ‘help’ is one of the most common reasons why new dancers hesitate to return to class.

    The Best Way to Support Your Partner

    If you truly want your husband, wife, partner, or family member to enjoy learning and stick with it, the best thing you can do is give them space to learn.

    ✔️ Smile warmly and encouragingly—your partner is already trying their best.
    ✔️ Let them make ‘mistakes’—it’s all part of the process & we all make mistakes anyway.
    ✔️ Allow them to stumble and discover things for themselves—this builds confidence.
    ✔️ Trust the teachers to do the teaching—that’s what they’re there for!

    And most importantly, if you really want to help, encourage your partner to dance with others. This may feel counterintuitive, but dancing with different partners helps them develop adaptability, connection, and confidence much faster than only dancing with you.

    Dancing Together, Learning Independently

    If you love dancing and want your partner to keep learning and enjoying it too, remember that the best support you can offer is patience, positivity, and a willingness to let go of control.

    At Lindy Jazz, we’re here to help you both on your dance journey—without any ‘dance domestics’ getting in the way! 😉

    💃🕺 Want to join a class where you both feel supported? Come and dance with us!

    Category Health & Fitness | Tags: | No Comments

  3. What Makes Me a Confident Social Dancer

    March 9, 2025 by Joo-Lee

    Lindy Jazz Events

    Last weekend, Andy & I were teaching a private lesson, and one of the biggest advantages of private lessons is that students can ask for specific tips, tricks, and techniques based on their own goals. One common concern that comes up, especially among Lindy Hop dancers, is feeling nervous or inadequate when dancing with someone more experienced. Yet, they also know that to improve, it’s important to dance with partners of all levels.

    For followers, a common worry is not being able to keep up with every single move, improvisation, or decoration their leader introduces. My advice? If you want to be a confident dancer—be yourself. You don’t need to mirror, or creatively respond to every movement. The reason I feel confident as a dancer is that I keep my movements simple, with a strong foundation in the basics. I focus on the music and the feeling of the dance rather than overthinking every step. If you’re constantly thinking instead of feeling, your dancing can become less spontaneous and less responsive.

    This applies especially to Lindy Hop, where social dancers often improvise to different songs, including unfamiliar ones, and dance with partners they’ve never met before. For leaders, a similar concern arises—feeling pressure to lead a vast repertoire of moves. My advice? You guessed it—keep it simple. If you want your partner to enjoy the dance and follow you comfortably, focus on solid fundamental techniques and clear movement.

    Confidence Comes from Strong Foundations

    Confidence doesn’t come from knowing endless flashy moves—it comes from having rock-solid fundamentals. These techniques may seem basic, but like any foundation, if they’re shaky, your confidence will be too.

    That’s why at Lindy Jazz, we focus on building strong foundations so you can feel confident, relaxed, and free to enjoy social dancing.

    💃🕺 Ready to build your confidence on the dance floor? Our next Lindy Jazz course starts on 30 April—join us and dance with ease!

    Category Health & Fitness | Tags: | No Comments

  4. Adapting in Social Dance: The Best Way to Support Beginners in Class

    March 2, 2025 by Joo-Lee

    Dancing is All About Adapting

    If you’ve been dancing for a while, you’ve probably been in a class where a new beginner is struggling with the steps. Your instinct might be to step in and offer some guidance—to explain the move differently, correct their footwork, or give them extra tips. After all, you just want to help, right?

    I completely understand your good intentions, but here’s something to consider: when an experienced dancer starts ‘teaching’ a beginner in class, it can actually have the opposite effect. Instead of feeling supported, the beginner often feels overwhelmed, confused, or even discouraged. They might worry they’re doing everything wrong, feel pressured to get it ‘right’ immediately, or even dread coming back.

    Focus on Your Own Learning Instead

    Instead of focusing on the new person’s learning, shift your focus to your own. How well can you adapt to your new partner? Social dancing isn’t about perfecting steps or performing—it’s about adapting. Adapting to different partners, different energy levels, different interpretations of the music.

    Each time you dance with someone new, challenge yourself to adjust your movement to connect with them. Can you match their timing? Can you sense their comfort level and create a dance that feels good for both of you? Instead of trying to ‘fix’ their dancing, see how well you can adapt to the moment.

    Why ‘Helping’ Can Be Counterproductive

    When you correct or explain things in your own way, you’re introducing a different perspective than what the teacher is presenting. This can contradict the lesson, disrupt the flow of the class, and leave the beginner unsure of who to listen to. It also takes them out of the natural learning process—making mistakes, experimenting, and gradually improving at their own pace.

    The Best Support You Can Give

    Instead of instructing, correcting, or ‘helping’ during class, try these instead:

    ✅ Smile warmly and encouragingly – Let them know it’s okay to stumble. Every dancer has been there!

    ✅ Allow mistakes to happen – It’s all part of the learning process. Trust that they will improve with time, just like you did.

    ✅ Be a friendly presence – If you want to support a beginner, the best time to do so is before or after class. A simple chat, a kind word, or a shared laugh about the learning journey can make them feel truly welcome.

    Dancing is All About Adapting

    At the heart of social dancing is the ability to adapt—not just to different music, but to different partners and even to your own energy levels, which may change from week to week. The best dancers aren’t the ones who execute perfect moves; they’re the ones who can adjust, connect, and make every dance enjoyable for themselves and their partner.

    So next time you dance with a beginner, resist the urge to teach—simply enjoy the dance, offer a warm smile, and let them discover their own way. Your patience, encouragement, and ability to adapt will do far more to support their learning than any technical tip ever could. 💛

    Category Beginners, Courses & Classes, Dance, Improvers, Lindy Hop | Tags: | No Comments