Now swing dancing doesn’t necessarily sound like the perfect SlowLife skill: there is nothing slow about the different styles of swing from lindy hop (or jitterbug as it is called in the US) to the Collegiate Shag, Hollywood and Balboa. On the contrary, swing is a fast-paced, whirling and twirling kind of dance that developed alongside jazz in the Twenties, Thirties and Forties.
But if you look at it closer- the nights spend away from your TV at swing clubs, the close-knit community of swing lovers and the overall old-fashioned lifestyle of dancing swing – you’ll see that it’s indeed a brilliant way of slowing down your life.
Swing dancing has made quite the comeback in the last decade or so and you can now find swing dancing schools and swing clubs in every major city around the globe. Here in London you can easily spend every evening of the week dancing the night away, and there is a range of schools such as Jitterbugs, the London Swing Dance Society, the London Swing Cats and Learn to Jive teaching you every style of swing available.
What’s so nice about taking swing lessons is that you’ll meet a whole new bunch of people from all walks of life. At tea dances you’ll often bump into elderly couples who have been dancing for decades and everybody dances with everyone so if you don’t arrive with a dancing partner, it won’t be long before someone will ask you to dance.
There are also amazing swing weekenders such as Hep Cats or Rhythm Riot, a long weekend full of dancing and life music usually at a Pontins or Butlins camp in some quiet sea side resort. It’s incredible what a weekend just relaxing, dancing and having fun away from all the city mod-coms can do for your sanity! And don’t worry swing is for everyone – whether you are a full-time vintage lifestyler or just want to have fun – everyone’s welcome.
