CAMBRIDGE LINDY HOPPERS
LINDY HOP SWING DANCING
Every Wednesday from 7 30 - 10 30 p.m.
Centre at St Paul's
 
Cost: £4 students, £5 workers
Location: Google Maps
or
for an article by BBC Cambridgeshire (with video clip) about Cambridge Lindy Hoppers
Common Questions
What exactly is “Lindy Hop”? Lindy Hop is the original name for swing dancing. The story goes that Shorty George Snowden and Mattie Purnell invented the dance in 1928 during a dance marathon at the Rockland Palace Ballroom in New York. Snowden later christened it the “Lindy Hop”, possibly as a variation on the earlier (unrelated) “Lindbergh Hop”, named in honour of aviator Charles Lindbergh. During the 1980s and 90s there was a huge revival in interest in Lindy Hop, and today it is again danced by thousands of people all over the world.
Can I just turn up?
Yes, of course. You will probably find it easiest to start classes at the beginning of a 4 week block, but you can certainly drop in at any time, with no prior dance experience.
Do I need a partner?
No. Swing dancing is a social dance, and we like to keep students rotating so that they learn to dance with different partners throughout the classes. Sometimes partnerships build up over time and couples enter competitions or perform regularly together, but even then most dancers continue to dance with as many partners as possible socially.
What should I wear?
Loose fitting clothing is best, and be warned: Lindy Hop is a decent physical workout, so you will get warm in most classes. Flat soled trainers are perfect, and it’s not necessary to wear leather soled shoes. We generally advise students to avoid open-topped, split-soled or high-heeled shoes for Lindy Hop. Jewellery can scratch and get broken, so wear as little as possible.
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