Bringing Lindy Hop to New England since 1995!

Hop to the Beat

Lindy Hop originated in the dance halls of Harlem in the late 1920s and evolved with the hot Jazz and jumpin’ Blues music. It’s an exuberant style of Swing, mixing uptempo Charleston with slow groovin’ and everything in between! Influenced by other dance styles and changes in popular music, Lindy Hop thrives today as an incredibly fun, creative partner dance mixing classic with new. Join in the fun and become part of the friendly Lindy Hop community! There are classes for all levels. Beginners are very welcome as well as singles and couples.

Toni Lynn Washington Band at Uptown Swing this Saturday

By Hop to the Beat on Tue, 05/14/2013 - 10:49pm

Toni Lynn WashingtonCome on out to Uptown Swing this Saturday, May 18 for a fun night of dancing with the Toni Lynn Washington Band! Toni is Boston’s own Queen of Swing and she knows how to keep our happy feet moving all night. The music will be excellent for Lindy Hop, Swing, Balboa and even some Blues.

This month we will be dedicating our Shim Sham to the worldwide King of Swing, Frankie Manning! Sadly we lost Frankie a few years ago. This month marks what would have been his 99th birthday. Be sure to join in as we honor this most wonderful man.

Uptown Swing is held at KI, which is our beautiful venue conveniently located on Harvard Street near Coolidge Corner in Brookline. There’s AC, a fabulous large floor for dancing, plus nearby town lots and free street parking after 8:00pm. Beginners are very welcome and there is a lesson included at the beginning of the evening to get everyone started. You do not need to have a partner to attend. Bring your friends and introduce them to the joy of dancing!

  • Beginners welcome, no partner needed
  • Location: KI, 384 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA 02446 (Entrance on Williams Street!)
  • Band: Toni Lynn Washington Band
  • Date: Saturday, May 18, 2013
  • Time: 8:15pm-12:00am
  • Swing Lesson: 8:15-9:00pm
  • Admission: $15 ($10 with Student ID)
  • Parking: Town lots and street parking available. Some free after 6:00pm, others free after 8:00pm.

Uptown Swing Dance information.

Beantown Camp Music

By Beantown Camp on Tue, 05/14/2013 - 10:44pm







It’s Beantown’s 17th yearand of course we have to make it the most awesome ever! With the stellar line-up of bands and DJs, it’s a can’t miss!

The week kicks off with the fabulous Baby Soda Jazz Band from NYC! It may be their first Beantown appearance, but we love them here in New England and can’t wait to share them with our Beantown friends!

Next we have the return of Jonathan Stout and his Campus Five! Not just one night, but for two! This year the truly wonderful and versatile Naomi Uyama will be the guest vocalist. There was no question after last year that we had to bring them back as this band knows how to rock the house!

Rounding out the live music will be Gordon Webster, a Beantown favorite! New this year, the Gordon Webster Quartet will be playing on Tuesday night for a special evening in the Lodge. On Wednesday night we’ll be celebrating another amazing week of Beantown Camp with the Gordon Webster Band featuring Naomi Uyama on vocals and special guest Mike “Falty” Faltesek.

Five nights of fabulous live music! That’s a lot to be excited about! But there’s more…

Allen Kerr will be running our DJ booth with an excellent crew which includes Mary Freitag, Joanna Lucero, Dan Newsome, Jesse Hanus, and Alain Wong! In addition, Peter Strom will be back hosting a late night Soul Party, a not-to-be-missed Beantown highlight!

Camp runs from June 27 to July 4 with multiple registration options. Join us for an amazing dance vacation. Register by May 31 to get the last discount prices!

The website continues to be updated with the latest info. Check out all the details.

Last Chance for Early Bird Discount!

By Beantown Camp on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 2:53am

Beantown Camp 2012 Hightlight Reel

The Early Bird discount for camp registration expires this Tuesday, April 30! Both a registration and payment are required to qualify.

Join us for an amazing dance vacation! Beantown is known for an incredible learning experience, friendly dancers, beautiful environment, tons of fun, and a wonderful positive spirit!

Camp runs from June 27 to July 4 with multiple registration options. If you have always wanted to come to Beantown, this will be a phenomenal year to do so. If you’ve never done the full week, what better time than now? You will be glad you did!

Full Camp Information & Registration

If you are planning to attend, please respond on the Beantown Facebook event page if you have not already done so. Thanks!

Help Josh Get to Camp!

By Beantown Camp on Mon, 04/29/2013 - 2:05am

Josh at Beantown CampIf you were at Beantown last year, there is a good chance that you met Joshua Mclean. He was one of our Frankie Foundation Lindy Hop Ambassador Scholarship Winners. If there is anyone that exudes the joy of Lindy Hop, that would be Josh! He is currently a high school senior and is raising funds for a combined trip to Beantown as well as for a visit to Morehouse College where he has been accepted.

Go HERE to read more about Josh’s story and help fund his trip.

Join Second Week of New Session Lindy Hop/Swing Classes

By Hop to the Beat on Thu, 04/25/2013 - 5:06am

DanceAs always, it is still possible to join our new session of classes in the second week. This is our last session before Beantown Camp! Classes for this session include Beginner Swing/Intro to Lindy Hop Level 1 and Lindy Hop Level 2. These classes are offered both on Sunday evenings at the Newton Lower Falls Community Center and on Monday evenings at Ruggles Baptist Church in Boston.

The Level 1 class in Boston has more leaders! Followers, this is a great session to join! All other classes are even or close to even.

Also on Sunday in Newton we are teaching Variations Aplenty!, a fun class where we’ll take fundamental moves and add twists and turns and rhythm variations to create something new and unexpected. This class is close to even.

Free parking available in both locations as well as near public transportation.

Full details and registration.

Beantown Camp Early Bird Date Coming Up April 30

By Beantown Camp on Thu, 04/25/2013 - 4:59am

Beantown CampThe Early Bird discount for camp registration expires on Tuesday, April 30. Payment (deposit or full) must be received by that date to qualify! Come to Beantown for a dance vacation! Everything you need is included on campus. No need for a car. No need to figure out where to eat. Immerse yourself in dancing, friends and having an amazing time. The setting is beautiful, right on the shore just north of Boston. World class instructors, incredible dancers, top bands, performances and entertainment, competitions and SO MUCH MORE!!!

Join us for our 17th year! There are multiple housing choices to choose from whether you want a single, double (2 beds) or to coordinate with a group of people.

Camp runs from June 27 to July 4 with multiple registration options. If you have always wanted to come to Beantown, this will be a phenomenal year to do so. If you’ve never done the full week, what better time than now? You will be glad you did!

The website continues to be updated with the latest info.

Full Camp Information & Registration

If you are planning to attend, please respond on the Beantown Facebook event page if you have not already done so. Thanks!

Toni Lynn Washington at the next Uptown Swing Dance in May

By Hop to the Beat on Thu, 04/25/2013 - 4:43am

Toni Lynn WashingtonOur next monthly Uptown Swing Dance is coming up in Brookline on Saturday, May 18 featuring the Toni Lynn Washington Band. We’ll be back at KI, our beautiful dance venue near Coolidge Corner.

Beginners are very welcome and you do not need to have a partner. The music will be great for Lindy Hop, Swing, Balboa and some Blues. This will be an excellent night to bring your friends and introduce them to the joy of dancing!

Uptown Swing Dance information.

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Sunday, June 9, 2013

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Testimonials

I’d like to thank you both for all the efforts you’ve made to bring some rhythm to our lives. Lindy is the best and you are the best at bringing it to us. Looking forward to all the fun in the coming year.

Larry F
Winchester, MA

I’d like to thank you for the great teaching and the unforgettable Beantown Camp. In my top five of best memories, three are related to Lindy Hop. Thanks for being my first Lindy Hop teachers and I hope to see you some time next year during one of my visits to Boston!

Sophie D.
Belgium

I am still so grateful for the lessons we had with you - you and Tony truly gave us the first dance we dreamed up, and that we (and our guests!) won’t soon forget! Thank you again and looking forward to seeing you soon!

Mary L.
Ashland, MA

A year ago, we were a young couple in (desperate) need of dance lessons for our wedding. Lucky for us, we happened on one of the monthly Uptown Swing events in Brookline, discovered Tony & Aurelie, and now we can’t get enough!

Tony & Aurelie are knowledgeable, fun teachers that deliver well-balanced lessons—always adding new moves to the mix, covering (necessary) technique, and giving personal feedback. Lindy is so much fun and we continue to have a blast learning it together (even after the wedding). We have Tony & Aurelie to thank for our new found addiction that will certainly keep us dancing (and laughing) together for years to come.

Derek H.
Brookline, MA

Aurelie & Tony are such wonderful Lindy Hop teachers.  I absolutely love their classes.  Their fantastic dedication in nurturing their students and in providing a terrific strong supportive Lindy and swing community is a total inspiration.  Uptown Swing—their dynamite monthly dance in Brookline, is not to be missed!  Their most incredibly phenomenal premier Beantown Lindy Hop Camp for the worldwide Lindy community is truly absolutely amazing beyond words.

Connie S.
Boston, MA

It is a pleasure being part of the Swing dance community.  Aurelie & Tony you make everyone enjoy dance in a warm inviting happy way.

Shelly T.
Brookline, MA

I think you consistently have the best dance: great dancers, lots of energy and great bands.

Julie N.
Watertown, MA

We want to express to you our deep gratitude for your participation in making New Year’s Eve a hugely successful event. Your performance was wonderful. We continue to hear compliments from the evening’s attendees.

Jeremy A.
Dance Umbrella, MA

Thank you for doing a tremendous job as DJs and dance teachers at our wedding…We were thrilled to see so much energy on the dance floor…It’s impossible to overstate how instrumental you were in catalyzing that energy…thank you for creating a fantastic wedding.

Julie & James

I have heard nothing but wonderful comments from many Festival patrons and our other performers about your performances at the Milford Oyster Festival. I also appreciate that your group helped to work up the audience to participate…Your dance routines were what I have been looking for for a long time and the period attire only made it more appealing.

Walter S.
Milford Oyster Festival, CT

…just want to thank you for being such wonderful teachers, delightful people, and powerful advocates and supporters of the Swing dance community! It has been terrific participating in your classes; I learned so very much and enjoyed myself all the way.

Laura M.
Waltham, MA

When I think of what it means to be a traveling Lindy Hop instructor, it is always Beantown that comes to mind. For me it has been the model against which the rest of my teaching career has been measured. Every year, Beantown is one my very favorite places to teach. The people have the right attitude for learning, the setting is always great for classes, and the week-long camp provides enough time to really help people to change their dancing for the better. And on top of it all, you will rarely find a nicer crowd of people.

Peter Strom
Minneapolis, MN