Lindy Hop
Lindy Hop is also referred to as the grandfather of swing. It originated in the late 20s in the ballrooms of Harlem. Lindy Hop was open to all people, age-groups and skin colours. It was danced to the big-band swing jazz music of the 20s to 40s. The music leaves a lot of room for improvisation. Accordingly, a lot of freedom in interpretation and movements is allowed as long as they fit the music. Depending on the rhythm of the music and the tempo, the dance can be wild and spontaneous or even cool and elegant. In the 1980s, the swing dance was "rediscovered" and gained more and more friends in Europe. Since 1998, Lindy Exchanges have been held regularly in many cities to get to know each other and the typical dance style of another city.
Participants of our Lindy Hop Courses can come with partner or alone. In Lindy Hop classes, it is common to change dance partners frequently to learn faster, to dance better, and to make getting to know each other easier. With the "Social Dance" also partners are changed, so that anyone can invite everyone. Mostly you dance two to three songs with the same partner, the first one often to "get to know each other".
Swing into May Workshops on 01.05.2025
We start the spring with fresh input from guest teachers!
- Beginner-Intermediate
- Intermediate-Advanced
Informations & retistration you can find here.
The next round of classes is about to begin soon! This time also including a Solo Jazz class as well as Balboa 1!
We are also introducing a solidarity fund in order to support motivated dancers that have difficulties to afford the class fees. Each class has a limit of 50 participants due to space constraints. When we reach the limit, we will contact the participants that are on the waiting list explicitly. If you do not get a message indicating that you are on the waiting list, your participation is confirmed. If you change your mind and do not want to attend a class after registration, please let us know as soon as possible so we can give a chance to the people on the waiting list.
Group 1 - First Steps
for everyone who has occasionally attended the Monday tasters at Exil, has little or no knowledge of the leading and following techniques in swing dancing, or is interested in learning the opposite role. In this course, we will be taking our first steps in order get to know the fundamentals of Lindy Hop and experiment with some fun variations. In addition to the absolute basics, the exact contents in this course are different every time, so that it is possible to attend this course several times in order to deepen the foundational dance skills and get more comfortable with the essential technique and basic movements.
Group 2 - Vocabulary
for everyone who has attended a beginner's class and is familiar with the fundamental techniques of leading and following in Lindy Hop, and even for those that have longer experience. In this course, we will focus on expanding the dancing vocabulary, in order to have even more fun on the dance floor. The exact contents of this course are different every time so it is possible and even recommended to attend this course multiple times.
Group 3 - Balboa 1
or everyone who has attended at least a beginner's (or even a follow-up) class and is familiar with the fundamental techniques of leading and following in Lindy Hop, and even for those that want to revisit their Balboa skills or learn the other Role. In this course, we will start the fundamentals of Balboa and build on top of them. The class takes place with a minimum of 12 participants.
Group 4 - Collegiate Shag
for everyone who has attended at least a beginner's (or even a follow-up) class and is familiar with the fundamental techniques of leading and following in Lindy Hop, and even for those that have longer experience and want to revisit and expand their Collegiate Shag skills. In this course, we will revisit the basics, refine the technique and explore new fun movements in Shag. The contents of this course are different every time so it is possible and recommended to attend this course multiple times.
Group 5 - Balboa 3
for everyone who has attended one or more Balboa classes. In this course, we will expand on the basics of Balboa so that faster music no longer feels like a challenge. The exact contents of this course are different every time so it is possible and even recommended to attend this course multiple times.
Group 6 - Solo Jazz
for everyone wants to enjoy swing music even without a partner or wants to incorporate solo jazz variations into the partnered Lindy Hop. In this course we will work on basic movements and improvisation techniques in Authentic Solo Jazz and build small sequences to develop freedom of movement and add more flow in your own movement.
Group 7 - Lindy Fit
for everyone who needs more intense body movement to stay fit on and off the dance floor. In this course, we will focus on exercises and movements to improve overall fitness so that super fast music, long parties, and delicate balancing movements all feel like breeze.
When?
Wednesdays, from 07.05.2025 to 25.06.2025
17:15 - 18:15 - Lindy Fit
18:30 - 19:30 - Balboa 1
18:30 - 19:30 - Collegiate Shag
19:45 - 20:45 - Balboa 3
21:00 - 22:00 - Vocabulary
21:00 - 22:00 - First Steps (Clubraum 1)
Thursdays, from 08.05.2025 to 26.06.2025
20:00 - 21:00 - Lindy Fit
First lesson in the weekly classes is free to try!
Where?
Zentralmensa, Clubraum 5 and 1
Platz der Göttinger Sieben 4
37073 Göttingen
Fee?
Class fees (Early Birds):
40 Euro (Students) for 8 Lessons
45 Euro (Employees and guests) for 8 Lessons
65 Euro (Students) for 2 Courses
70 Euro (Employees and guests) for 2 Courses
Additional fees (Late Birds):
5 Euro from 17.05.2025
10 Euro from 24,05.2025
Solidarity fund:
We are introducing a solidarity fund in order to support motivated dancers that have difficulties to afford the class fees. All participants have the option to indicate a contribution to the fund during the registration. Motivated dancers that have difficulties to afford the class fees should explain their in the comment area during the registration. We will review each case and get back to them.
With whom?
Eric's specialty is Collegiate Shag, a high-energy swing dance, often associated with 1930s cartoons that allows for rhythmic oddities and stylish footwork variations. Eric brought shag to Göttingen together with Rowan, now an integral part of the Swing community.
Klaus immersed himself in the world of swing music and Lindy Hop together with his wife Regine in 2018 and he is inspired by the originality and playfulness of swing. As a DJ, he brings regularly the Göttingen dance community in motion and surprises the dancers with rarely played pieces. The swing and the dancing give him joie de vivre, which he likes to share with others.
Moonika has been active in the international swing dance scene for more than 20 years. Since 2007, she has been teaching regularly and with her skill and sense of humour she can get anyone to swing, regardless of whether they are 5 or 70 years old.
Rowan caught the Swing-bug in 2014, drawn to the playful nature of the dance. Although a Lindy hopper at heart, Rowan has a soft spot for the faster-paced dance styles, such as Balboa and Collegiate Shag.
Viola has been dancing Lindy Hop in Göttingen since the beginning of 2017 and has been enthusiastic about this dance ever since. For her, Lindy Hop means joie de vivre, freedom and creativity! She completely immerses herself and enjoys the moment when the musicians and the dancers swing together and feed off each others' energy.
Photo credits: Eric Bobrie (For Dancers Only) and Heiko Glindemann.
