Learn to Dance East Coast Swing Online

At the University of Dance, we use the phrase "East Coast Swing" as an umbrella term for the closely-related family of dances that grew out of the Swing Era, which can be mixed and matched with each other on the dance floor. Throughout the ages, this family of dances has gone through a variety of evolutions, many of which we will explore in this course.

We'll start with Street Swing (a fun and easy way of dancing swing moves to pop music) then build on the skills you gain through that dance as we progress through Six Count Swing, Triple Step Swing, Charleston, Lindy Hop, and Collegiate Shag. Then we'll round everything out with a sampler of Solo Jazz steps to really find your swing character!

What You Will Learn

    1. Welcome to East Coast Swing!

    1. How We Teach

    2. Lead and Follow

    3. Dance Positions

    1. Music

    2. Basic

    3. Outside Turn and Back Together

    4. Turning Basic

    5. Butterfly

    6. Double Face Loop

    7. R-in-R Free Spin

    8. Inside Turn to Change Hands

    9. Behind-the-Back Hand Change

    10. Inside Turn

    11. Waist Slide

    12. Waist Slide to R-in-R

    13. Review

    14. Practice with Music

    1. Music

    2. Basics

    3. Swing Moves

    4. More Swing Moves

    5. Tuck Turn

    6. Practice with Music

    7. Follow's Dishrags

    8. Follow's and Lead's Dishrags

    9. Lead First Dishrags

    10. She Goes, He Goes

    11. Swiveling Fingers in She Goes, He Goes

    12. Cradle

    13. Wrong-Way Cradle

    14. Cradle Yo Yo

    15. Wrong-Way Cradle Yo Yo

    16. Cradle Sendout

    17. The Intermediate Dancer's Approach to Cradle

    18. Loop de Loops

    19. Swing Kicks

    20. Tips for Swing Kicks

    1. Music and Basics

    2. Triples and Singles

    3. Swing Moves

    4. Practice with Music

    5. Sliding Doors

    6. Revolving Doors

    1. Charleston Kicks

    2. Hand Styling for Charleston Kicks

    3. Charleston Rollaway

    4. Combining Charleston and East Coast Swing

    5. Cross Kicks

    6. Visual Partnering in Cross Kicks

    7. Hand-to-Hand Cross Kicks

    8. Tandem Charleston

    9. Rules vs. Guidelines in Social Dancing

    10. S-Turn Entrance to Tandem

    11. Inside Turn Exit from Tandem

    12. Tandem Inside Turn

About this course

  • $199.00
  • 88 lessons

Music

Here's a preview of some of the music this course will teach you to dance to:

Your Instructors

Nick & Melissa Enge

Nick & Melissa Enge are social dance instructors at the University of Texas, where they teach hundreds of students how to dance every semester. They are known for their relaxed, fun-loving approach to dancing, which puts even the most terrified students at ease. Given that their in-person classes are always full, with a waitlist, they created this site so that anyone, anywhere can learn from them at any time, and experience the joy of dancing!

Misty Enge

Misty, Nick and Melissa's Siberian Forest Cat, is named after the early 20th century dancer Mistinguette, inventor of the Apache dance. Whenever she graces a lesson with her presence, she is always sure to steal the show.

FAQ

  • What will I learn in this course?

    In this course, you'll learn the basics and many popular variations of Street Swing, Six Count Swing, Triple Step Swing, Charleston, Lindy Hop, Collegiate Shag, and Solo Jazz. Whether you choose to learn to lead or follow, after taking this course, you'll have a good understanding of how to dance this family of dances.

  • Why should I learn East Coast Swing online?

    In our online classes, everyone gets the best view, instead of having to crane their neck to see what the teacher is doing. In addition, when learning online, you can watch the lessons over and over again (now, and any time in the future), as well as rewinding or slowing down the video if you need more help with a particular step.

  • Why should I learn East Coast Swing from you?

    Unlike many other sites that offer online classes, where you might only get a quick demonstration of the steps, in the hours of detailed instruction you will receive in this course, you'll actually get a step-by-step breakdown of each variation as well as many specific tips about the finer points of leading and following them. In addition, in developing this course, we thought carefully about how to arrange the variations so that each lesson builds on what you've learned in the previous lessons, so you'll always know exactly what's going on.

  • Do I need a partner?

    No! In addition to teaching the variations in a partnered context for students who are learning with a partner, in each lesson, we virtually dance the steps with you so that even if you're learning solo, you'll have us to dance with.