About us
Swing Dance St Andrews has been a part of the university community since at least 2006! In our distant past we used to host a swing dance "weekender" called 600 Minutes of Swing. We have also performed at balls in the past and collabed with other societies to teach or show off our dancing!
These days our biggest event is called Swing Prom, which we have held twice and which grows every year!
Our 2025 prom theme was "Swing Into Spring," be on the lookout for info on our 2026 prom!
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You can find Swing Dance in the Large Rehearsal Room every Wednesday 6-8 for our weekly classes,
or in 601 on most Saturdays 1-3 for our Open Practice Sessions.
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Swing Dance St Andrews is committed to making the rich tradition of swing dance accessible to beginners and to provide seasoned dancers a space and community to enjoy.
What is swing dance?
Swing Dance is a family of African American Vernacular Dance that developed in the 1920s-1940s to match the new "swing" rythmns of the period's jazz music. Many swing dance styles are social dances, meaning they are danced with a "Lead" and "Follow" pair. (Do not worry about coming to our classes with a partner! Everyone dances with everyone.) Below is a sample of dances you might learn with us:
Lindy Hop
Lindy Hop was born in Harlem, and was most famously danced at the Savoy Ballroom. Famous Lindy Hoppers include: George "Shorty" Snowden and his partner "Big" Bea (1st Gen), Norma Miller, and Frankie Manning (2nd Gen).
Most of our classes are Lindy Hop.
Charleston
Charleston is one of the oldest swing dances, as its earlier form, 20s Charleston, predates "swing." Many will be familiar with Chaleston as a "flapper" dance, but the 30s or "College" style is also popular. Charleston can be danced in partner or solo!
Other Styles
Every year we mix up our classes with a few other styles of swing dance including but not limited to: Collegiate Shag, Solo Jazz & Solo Routines, Blues, Balboa, East Coast!
If you are coming to St Andrews and know one of the above, or a style we haven't yet mentioned, feel free to reach out to us about teaching your favorite style of dance!