Welcome to Boston Swing Central!

Have Fun!

We’re extremely excited that you’re checking out our website! This is your gateway to the world of swing dancing.  The Lindy Hop, East Coast Swing, Charleston, and Balboa are all authentic dances from the 1930s and 1940s that fall under the larger category of Swing Dance.   From here you can learn about the dance styles, attend our social dance and discover how fun swing dance and the people that do it are.  Watch a video here:

What can you expect?

First off, each evening starts with a 1-hour beginner lesson.  The lesson starts at 8:00pm, but you’ll want to get there by 7:50pm so that you have time to park and get into the dance hall.  There is plenty of parking available, but there can be traffic getting into the Sullivan Square area on a Friday evening.  We can’t predict the traffic patterns, so plan accordingly. We recommend using our Google map for help with where to park.

The lesson is taught by some of the best swing dance teachers in the Boston area.  In the lesson you will be asked to partner up…that means you find a partner.  (Gender does not matter here, as people of the same gender often dance with each other, though usually this means a male and female partnership.)  Don’t worry you won’t be stuck with this person for very long, the instructors will rotate partners frequently. Swing dancing is a very social dance and you’re going to meet and dance with a lot of people from all walks of life, especially in the lesson.

After the lesson, we have a night filled with the very best music we can provide.   Boston Swing Central brings in a lot of bands from New York and the Brooklyn Trad Jazz Scene is exploding right now.  There is a diverse group of musicians and bands that play together in many different line-ups and configurations.  Those who attend our dance regularly will discover amazing artists like Baby Soda, Gordon Webster Band and the Blue Vipers of Brooklyn.  As well as many talented locals such as Toni Lynn Washington, White Heat Swing Orchestra, Swing Legacy, Phil McGowan & the Easy Winners and many many others.

Our DJs are like vintage musicologists, culling the 80-90 years worth of recorded swing music for treasures from Cab Calloway, Fats Waller, Benny Goodman & Sidney Bechet all the way up through modern times and Indigo Swing & Diana Krall…They try to kick it old school as much as possible to give you that feeling that you’ve been transported back in time.

Get some exercise.

Swing dancing is energetic and some of the tempos are fast.  Dancing to fast tempos can be quite a workout….the great thing is, we hardly notice all the work while we’re dancing.   It’s not like the dreadful treadmill or riding a stationary bike where we’re looking at some sort of meter and counting down every mile to meet our goal.  The exercise we get feels almost free.  A lifestyle filled with regular dancing, you won’t need to do any of these types of workouts (unless you’re training for a marathon).  Many dancers find the dance so addictive that they go out 2 or 3 nights a week in lieu of those trips to the gym.

Learning to Swing.

Learning dance is good for your brain!  By learning body movement, choreography and becoming aware of your body and its parts in free space, you’re exercising connections in your brain that you probably didn’t know you had.  It can be challenging, but don’t get discouraged, enjoy the ride and before you know it, you’ll be swinging with the stars!

Be Creative.

The music will hopefully inspire you to move in ways that feel natural to you.  Make up your own style and have fun.  Don’t be afraid to be goofy.   And always deploy the age old phrase: “Dance like nobody’s watching.”  Which is really true, because if you think about who you watch when you’re at a dance, it’s always the really good dancers that catch your eye.  So that is the general rule of thumb, everyone is watching that really good dancers over there…but if you come to our dance regularly, perhaps one day you’ll be one of those really good dancers!

BSC Groupon FAQs

1) Do I need to bring a partner?

A: Nope, just show up.  New dancers get a warm welcome by the dance community!  There will be plenty of helpful folks who are ready and willing to dance with someone new.

2) Can I use half of my Groupon now and half later?  I bought the Groupon and my friend backed out at the last minute, the Groupon says it’s for 2 admissions; can I use one now and one later?

A: Unfortunately, no.  A Groupon used for admission will be used in full whether you have 2 people or not.  Remember that you can purchase up to three (3) of these Groupons, so if your friend misses out on one, there are still two other chances for them to attend with you.

3) I got there at 8:20pm due to heavy traffic?  Can I use my Groupon?

A: Sorry, no.  This check-in time is designed primarily so that you can attend the lesson. Please plan your trip accordingly.  We recommend checking traffic and road conditions on Google Maps. However, if you check in late due to a long line at the front door, you can still use your Groupon.

4) Do I have to take the lesson?

A: You do not have to actively take the lesson, but you cannot check in at the space early, leave, and return for the dance.  You must remain on the property to use your Groupon for admission.

5) Is there a dress code?  What about shoes?

A: There is no dress code, though we encourage people to dress up a bit, or in vintage (1930’s, 40’s, 50’s) attire for fun.  Men usually wear slacks or jeans and Tshirts, polo shirts, or dress shirts. Women usually wear dresses, skirts, slacks, jeans, Tshirts, or blouses.  We discourage shorts and tank tops, except in the summer heat.

As for shoes, we strongly recommend flat shoes.  Keds or tennis sneakers are widely common. Unless you have dance experience, we discourage women from wearing heels. You’ll want a smooth sole (leather or suede) so that you can easily slide around the floor.  Also a clean pair of shoes is also desirable, as opposed to muddy street shoes, so if you have an extra pair of shoes, bring them and keep our floors free of a lot of sand and grit.

6) I regularly attend BSC, is this Groupon offer good for me? 

A: Though we cannot stop our BSC regulars from purchasing this deal, the idea behind this Groupon is to welcome new folks to our dance!   We hope that the existing Swing Dance Community will be extra supportive of this effort to welcome in new dancers!

AND finally…

Feel free to browse the Photo and Video sections on our website and check out the upcoming bands on our News page. We also have a general FAQ section

if you have further questions. And if that isn’t enough information for you, please feel free to email us at info@bostonswingcentral.org

The Fried Bananas (www.thefriedbananas.com) were created with the goal of providing music for swing dancers and plays a mix of blues, swing, and gypsy jazz. The majority of the members live in Boston though Josh lives in Albany and Jeramie lives in DC.

Shawn Hershey put the Fried Bananas together in December of 2006 to play at a Lindy Hop house party for his girlfriend’s 30th birthday party. Josh and Jeramie, lindy hopping friends, came from Albany and Washington DC to dance and to play. Our friends Steve and Ben, both Boston locals, also donated their services. Anna Callahan, also a local swing dancer and musician, joined the band to perform at a Blues Cafe dance. Jim Frey plays with the Fried Bananas when Jeramie can’t make it up from DC to join them.