Charleston (5 Week Series)

Spring/Summer 2025

This is a lesson series designed for dancers familiar with 6 and 8 count Lindy Hop who are seeking to further develop their dance skills and explore a new type of jazz dance.

Welcome to The Charleston! The Charleston is a jazz dance based on a popularized dance called the Juba that first started in Africa around the mid-1800s. As the dance was brought over by enslaved Africans to North America (South Carolina specifically), the Juba was then further adapted and modified throughout the 20th Century.

The Charleston is actually the name of both a dance and a song, and the song came first! The Charleston song was penned in 1923 by James P. Johnson, and was widely heard in a Broadway musical called Runnin’ Wild. A dance was featured in this musical, and it was also called The Charleston! As the musical, and therefore the dance, spread throughout North America, The Charleston dance was quickly and enthusiastically picked up many!

This 5-week series builds upon, and is complimentary to any and all Lindy Hop skills and knowledge developed in our other Swing 1 and Swing 2 lesson series! You will learn the essential technique, rhythm, and moves that are iconic to The Charleston, and how The Charleston influences the Lindy Hop, and vice versa. Each lesson builds on the previous lesson, and the instructor caters to the class skill level. If you want to expand your dance repertoire and/or want to learn a dance that’s designed for faster tempos of jazz music, then this series is for you!

Lesson topics:

• A new 8-count rhythm

• Partner connection

• Leading/following technique

• Moves/combinations: kick-ups, switches, and more!

Not sure if you’re ready to commit the full 5 weeks? Try out a Friday night Social Dance beginner drop-in lesson!