Swing Dance in Charleston, SC
Schedule & Class Descriptions
See below for the schedule & descriptions of classes. In the schedule is listed the at the door prices for single classes and dances if you can't make the full weekend.
Want to stick around Sunday evening for more swing dancing? There's a weekly Sunday social swing dance at Ballroom Dance Club on Sunday evening.
This is not a part of Charleston Alley and the registration for our event does not include this dance event.
Lindy Hop Track Classes with Jon & Annabel
The main track classes of the weekend, categorized by level. There will be no level testing, so read through the descriptions to get an idea of what classes you'd like to try!
Level 1.5- In these classes we'll be delving into topics like musicality, some basic Lindy Hop steps we all know and love and more. This isn't a complete beginner level, so you should be comfortable with swingouts and basic turns already.
Level 2- These classes are for the people who have been dancing Lindy Hop for a while, and want to delve a bit more into the wonderful world of Lindy Hop!
Level 3- This will be a bit more challenging level for those who have been dancing Lindy Hop for a little while and want to try some out some different techniques. This level will focus more so on technique than moves and vocabulary.
Partnered Charleston- We're hosting an event in Charleston! We'd be remiss to not include some Charleston lessons at this event. This is partnered Charleston within the context of Lindy Hop.
Beginner Balboa with Kemper & Aliceann
Balboa was a dance that found fame in the crowded dance halls of southern California. A close embraced dance, this is a great style to have in your back pocket when those blistering fast songs come up.
Come learn some beginner Balboa with Knoxville legends Kemper & Aliceann Talley! They'll be starting with some fundamentals of Balboa and building on the ideas to give you a solid foundation on an incredibly fun dance. No previous experience with Balboa necessary.
Beginner Collegiate Shag with Will & Ellie
Collegiate Shag was one of the most popular dance styles in the 1930s. A rather easy dance to pick up, you could find localized versions of this dance at most little town dances throughout the country in the 1930s. Fast paced and energetic, characterized by hops and kicks, Shag was incredibly popular with the college crowd back in the day.
This intro class will focus on the basic steps and patterns of double rhythm Shag, the most popular style of shag danced today.
Solo Charleston with Jony
The Charleston was a dance that started in our very own city around 1923! Associated with the flappers of the era, this dance craze took the world by storm, becoming one of the most recognizable things associated with the Jazz era and Roaring Twenties.
Jony Navarro will be delving into the down and dirty of Solo Charleston dancing, so jump in and learn some new steps for the Charleston contest on Saturday night!
Slow-Bal with Dee Matthews &Hillary Hudson
It's Balboa, but slow! Balboa is a dance great for all tempos but a particular variant is excellent for slow tunes. Pioneered by original bal dancer Dean Rafferty, slow balboa is a smooth and fun way to dance to the ballads and blues iconic of the swing era. We will discuss dancing to slow music, what makes slow balboa unique, and going through Dean's basic and several ad-libs to make your slow dancing comfortable and musical!