1. What is the Bread & Butter Jam like? The Bread & Butter Jam is our weekly practice dance on Thursdays from 8:15–11:00. Everyone is welcome, regardless of age or experience, and it’s an incredibly friendly and welcoming environment, so please join us! We have complimentary snacks and a free intermediate mini-lesson at 9:30 called the Swing Snippet. top 2. What are Providence Swings classes like? Super fun! The environment is very supportive, and all of our instructors are at least a little wacky, so the classes are entertaining, as well. Typically the instructors are in the middle of a circle of dancers, so everyone has an unobstructed view. We rotate partners throughout the class, so you have the opportunity to learn and dance with a variety of people. Classes run from 7:00–8:15 pm and are either followed by a 45-minute practice session (Tuesday classes) or the Bread & Butter Jam (Thursday classes). All classes focus on technique and connection as well as moves, and the instructors are generally available afterwards to answer questions. Group classes are a great way to learn how to dance—not only do you learn the steps and techniques yourself, but they also create a core group of people who know the same material and with whom you can dance and practice. Please take a look at our Classes page for more information.top 3. What are the Saturday dances like? Since they occur on the weekend, these dances tend to draw people from a bigger geographic area than the Bread & Butter Jams, and some people choose to dress up a little more. We feature guest DJs at these events and a large spread of food. Each dance is preceded by a beginner lesson, so bring a non-dancing friend with you!top 4. How do I register for classes? Just arrive 15 minutes before the first class session and we’ll sign you up!top 5. What kind of clothing should I wear? You should wear non-restrictive comfortable clothing. Classes and the Bread & Butter Jam are fairly casual (think jeans and T-shirts), but many people dress up a little bit more for our Saturday dances. The main studio is air-conditioned in the summer, but the dancing will warm you up quickly regardless of the weather outside, so plan accordingly!top 6. What kind of shoes should I wear? The most important characteristics of your shoes are that they should be clean and comfortable. In inclement weather especially, please bring a clean pair of shoes so that we don’t track in any mud/rain/snow/gum/etc. Rubber soles will make it more difficult to spin and slide, so you may want to consider shoes with hard leather or suede soles. High heels and backless shoes should be avoided.top 7. I’m a beginner—can I come to a dance? All of our Saturday dances are preceded by a Beginner Swing lesson designed to get you up and dancing the same night, so absolutely! Our Thursday Bread & Butter Jams are preceded by our weekly classes, so check the class schedule to see whether or not the class being offered in a particular month would be suitable. That being said, we’re a very welcoming and laid-back group, so feel free to come to the Bread & Butter Jam either way!top 8. I’m a beginner—which class should I take first? We generally recommend that students start with Beginning Swing A, which is generally offered on Tuesdays in January, May, and September. This class is geared towards new Swing dancers, and will give you a solid foundation in the fundamentals. If you just can’t wait until the next time that Beginning Swing A is offered (and who could blame you?) then Charleston A is another good place to start. Charleston is the granddaddy of all the swing dances, and we generally offer this class on Tuesdays in March, July, and November. All Tuesday classes are followed by a 45-minute practice session, so we’ll have you dancing in no time! If you can’t make it on Tuesdays, you might consider starting with Beginning Lindy Hop A, which is generally offered on Thursdays in January, May, and September. While it is very helpful to have had some Swing experience prior to taking this class, it isn’t necessary.top 9. Do I need a partner? Absolutely not! Most of our students come without a partner, and we rotate partners frequently in all of our classes, so you will have the opportunity to dance with a variety of people each night.top 10. Do you allow drop-ins for classes? While you can pay for the classes on a week-by-week basis (although you do forgo the discount by choosing this option), in order to maintain the best possible learning environment for the class as a whole, students are not permitted to join a class after the second week of a series without the instructors’ permission.top 11. How do I know when I’m ready to move up to the next class level? That’s hard to say. If you have paid for an entire class series, you can retake that series at a discounted rate if you would like to get more comfortable before moving up to the next level. If you are unsure as to whether or not to move on, we’d suggest talking to the instructors of the class you most recently attended and/or the class you are considering taking. They will do their best to help you figure it out.top 12. What can I do to improve? Practice! (Did you really expect a different answer?) You might also find it helpful to listen to swing music in the background as you go about your day—it’s a great way to get the feel of the rhythms and phrasing of the music. But the key is just to keep dancing—there are dances almost every night of the week in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, so there are plenty of opportunities.top Do you offer private lessons? Many of our instructors do offer private lessons, but those are arranged individually with the instructors and not through Providence Swings in general. Your best bet is to come on a Thursday in order to get a sense of whose dancing and/or teaching would be the best fit for you, and then approach that instructor.top |