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The origin of swing dancing goes hand-in-hand with the birth of jazz music. Take the Lindy Hop, the most popular form, which can be traced to late-1920s Harlem. Drawing on both African and European traditions, the dance unfolds with flow and frenzy, often reflecting the feel of the music.
As it evolved, swing dancing took on new forms. Blues. Shags. Jitterbugs. Jives. And despite the different rhythms, paces and steps, one thing remains the same: its social nature. That is to say it takes two people to Lindy Hop. This means no two dances are ever the same, says David Vinson, membership coordinator for the Colorado Swing Dance Club. The group fills the Denver Turnverein every Friday night.
“It's a skill set you keep getting better at simply by doing it,” Vinson says. “Every dance is truly a learning experience. Social dancing is always spontaneous.”
Whether you’re a beginner in need of an introduction or a regular body mover stricken with a case of happy feet, you can boogie-woogie your way across a floor most nights in the Metro area.
Mondays at Overstreet Dance Company (5366 S. Bannock Street; Littleton, CO 80120)
Tuesdays at the Mercury Cafe (2199 California Street; Denver, CO 80205)
Tuesdays at the Avalon Ballroom (6185 Arapahoe Road; Boulder, CO 80303)
Wednesdays at the Irish Snug (1201 E. Colfax Avenue; Denver, CO 80218)
Thursdays at the Mercury Cafe
Thursdays at the Stampede (2430 S. Havana Street; Aurora, CO 80014)
Fridays at the Denver Turnverein (1570 Clarkson Street; Denver, CO 80218)
First Saturday of every month at the Avalon Ballroom
Sundays at the Mercury Cafe
Sundays at the Denver Turnverein
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