We are excited for our first Uptown Swing dance this Saturday, September 15 at our new venue. This place is gorgeous with an excellent wood floor. It is BIG, so there will be plenty of room for your dancing pleasure:-) This month features a special treat with the Solomon Douglas Quintet and Alison Dreyfuss on vocals. We are thrilled to have Solomon back in Massachusetts. He makes his home in Seattle these days but he does get around the country quite a bit playing for dancers with his own and other bands. Please spread the word and help us to celebrate both our new season of dancing and the debut of our new venue.

Our new awesome space is at KI (Congregation Kehillath Israel), located just a few blocks from Coolidge Corner in Brookline and only a mile from our former location. There are stations nearby for both the B and C branches of the Green Line, and a bus which stops right out front. Plus there is street parking and several town lots nearby, free after 8:00pm. If you want to come early for dinner, there are plenty of good choices in walking distance on Harvard St and in Coolidge Corner.

We are excited for this new chapter and hope you will join us as we celebrate our first dance!

Uptown Swing Dance information and directions.

The new season of dancing is upon us! Plus September marks the 17th anniversary of Hop to the Beat. Wow! We never could have imagined back in those early days that this is where we would be today. This season brings our move to a new dance venue. Mark your calendar for our grand opening on September 15!

Our new 6 week session starts this Sunday, September 9 at the Newton Lower Falls Community Center in Newton and this Monday, September 10 at Ruggles Baptist Church in Boston near Fenway Park. You do not need to attend with a partner for any of the classes. If you have any friends who would like to get started, please pass on the info. Now is a great time to start classes! Here is what’s coming up:

• Beginner Swing/Intro to Lindy Hop: This class is for brand new dancers, those with some experience, and continuing students who would like to build a stronger foundation and gain more confidence on the dance floor. Six count basics are covered along with a different selection of fun steps each session. There are 7 different sessions at this level, which can be taken in any order, providing the opportunity to develop a good base for social dancing while continuing to learn new steps. This class meets in both Newton and Boston.
• Lindy Hop Level 2: This class is aimed at intermediate level Swing dancers who can already comfortably social dance any style of triple-step Swing. It is not necessary to already know Lindy Hop to get started. The class focuses on core moves, including a mix of 8 and 6 count basics, emphasizing technique and lead-follow connection. There are 8 different sessions at this level which continually change over time and can be taken in any order. Each session includes a mix of classic Charleston moves and newer variations. This class meets in Newton and Boston.
• Interesting, Fun and Fancy Turns: This new class features a variety of moves from open and from closed which include the element of turning for follows, leads and sometimes both. We’ll be moving in and out, twisting and turning and passing while working on connecting with flow, stretch and momentum. (All that good stuff!) For experienced Lindy Hop dancers with solid basics, no partner required. This class meets on Sundays in Newton.

If you are planning to attend any of these classes and have not already done so, it is very helpful if you would submit an on-line registration to speed up check-in. You can pay in advance through PayPal or at the first class by cash, check or credit card. Thanks!

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

Full class details and registration.

Our new 6 week class session starts Sunday nights on September 9 in Newton Lower Falls and Monday nights on September 10 at Ruggles Church (near Fenway Park). There are classes for all levels, no partners required.

• Beginner Swing/Intro to Lindy Hop Level 1
  Newton & Boston
• Lindy Hop Level 2
  Newton & Boston
• Interesting, Fun & Fancy Turns
  Newton

Now is an excellent time to take classes. For complete details and registration:

Class details and registration.

This year the Boston Swing Dance Network is coming up to 26 years of bringing live music to the Boston Swing dance community! This dance was created when a Swing community was just getting started and we have Roger Weiss to thank for keeping it going all these years. The first dance is on Saturday, September 8 with Doc Scanlon at a new location just around the corner. An excellent way to kick off a new season of dance!

Full information on BSDN.