www.boogienights.net
West Coast Swing: laid back and stylish to a hip hop or r 'n' b beat Swing styles let you dance solo (The Madison, above), or with a partner 
Lee & Seema of ESDS showing how to swing!
All the dance classes come warmly recommended, are open to all ages, and are fun!
Ross Carlin and partner dancing West Coast Style
All classes are rotated, so you can come on your own, and get to dance with lots of different people.
Lindsay Brown of Boogie Nights in action
Classes are cheaper than a cinema ticket and you don't have to buy popcorn!
Charleston class
Dress code is generally smart casual and loose. There are parties, balls and weekend events and people tend to save their best threads for these!
Wednesday is for West Coast Swing
Lindsay Brown (to the left,) has championed this smooth, sweet, sexy style of dancing in Scotland. She teaches most Wednesday nights from 8.00 pm onwards upstairs in The Merlin.
You'll get a warm welcome and lots of encouragement from a very experienced teacher.
West Coast is danced to smooth R 'n' B, and a Hip Hop beat. It's laid back, and you can learn to express yourself, without working up too much of a sweat! There's always two classes. First, it's beginners time, where you can learn a few moves, and get the feel of the dance. Then there's a break to rest or practise in, followed by an improvers class, where you can build on what you've learnt with some more challenging moves.
You can get to The Merlin easily from the heart of Leith & North Edinburgh, by taking LRT bus Nos 5, 11, 15, 16, or 23. Take the bus, and you can have a drink after! It's one of the nicest small dance areas in Edinburgh.
www.boogienights.net >>>
And Swing into the weekend with ESDS
Edinburgh Swing Dance Society (ESDS) have been going 12 years strong now!
These guys are the best, and they run the classes and teach with love, knowledge and enthusiasm.
Lindy hop is danced to swing music, from the big bands of the Thirties, right up to modern artistes such as Indigo Swing and Danny Brillant. In truth, once you get the ear, you can dance it to anything!
Classes are run most Thursdays, in the Stockbridge Centre, Cheyne St from 7.30pm. There are ongoing courses of beginners classes to get you going followed by stroll classes where you get to learn a huge variety of dance steps and pick up the history of popular dance. The evening rounds off with an improvers class, and there's lots of room to get in some dance practise in between classes.
Lindy is a great form of exercise, beats the treadmill in the gym any day. Plus you'll have fun in a very friendly atmosphere.
www.hopscotch-swing.co.uk >>>
Weekends: it's not just about classes
And if that's not enough...
ESDS invite top dancers from around the UK and Europe to Edinburgh to run workshops several Saturdays a year. And there's the Harvest Moon Ball coming up. Check
www.hopscotch-swing.co.uk >>> for details.
Lloyd Wallace opens the Salsa Lounge, on the first Sunday of every month. And usually in York Place. Check Lloyd's web site >>> for more.
ESDS, yes, them again, hold tea dances once a month on Sunday afternoons, mid month. Check www.hopscotch-swing.co.uk >>> to keep up to date.
