What’s Shakin’
Classes
To learn more about the classes click on the title.
Events
Our events give you a place to try out your steps on the social dance floor, meet other dancers in the community, and just have a good time listening to good music.
There are 3 main types of traditional social dance events, social dances, exchanges, and workshops. We’ve written a bit about each below if you want to know more about them. Check out our Instagram for more details on the latest of our upcoming events.
Important to note: as with anything else dance-related, there is always room for creativity, even in event design! Different types of events exist or can be created and explored bringing new fun to the community.
Social Dances
Social dances are where we dance live or DJ’d music. To invite old and new dancers alike, dances start with a beginner lesson before the dance gets started. Once the lesson is done it’s generally followed by 2-3 hours of social dancing, where anyone can ask anyone to dance.
Some dances are more special and feature live music, a theme, or both!
Exchanges
Exchanges are social swing focused weekend gatherings and parties. This is a chance for dancers from all over – even different cities – to come together and dance. Typically they start on Friday with a social dance, saturday has activities and a social dance going late into the evening, and sunday is a chill final day with a last bit of dancing before saying goodbye to all your new friends!
Workshops
Workshops are educational-focused events. Typically structured over weekends, workshops feature special learning experiences, different or more condensed than class series. Many times instructors are brought in from different places to provide special instruction as well as bring new styles, music, or ways of doing things differently. And of course, there are still social dances!
It’s time to get dancing! But what to expect!?
What are the Expected structures for classes and Events?
Classes are typically one hour long and are structured over the semester to build new skills with each class.
In partnered dance classes, you end up switching partners and learning to dance with everyone. If you are nervous don’t worry, the instructors will go over everything with you.
Social dances are typically structured with a beginner lesson to start the evening, followed by 2+ hours of social dancing. Sometimes based on the theme or goal of the dance other fun things might happen but this is the general structure. The beginner lesson is structured like our classes but only focuses on people getting the skills they need to start dancing that night. It generally does not build on other skills. Social dancing is just an open dance floor with DJ’d music (or sometimes if you are lucky live music!), dancers ask each other to dance and have fun cutting a rug!
For other events like pop-up events, workshops, or exchanges there are general structures but each one is different since they are more unique events.
What Should I wear?
You are moving your body so it’s important to dress appropriately and remember that you dance with others so please be thoughtful about personal hygiene. You should wear things like:
- Comfortable, non-marking indoor shoes (shoes that have not been worn outside)
- Clothes you can move in
- Deodorant
- Kick shorts (if you want to make sure no one sees anything while wearing a skirt)
- Hair ties/Scrunchies (Sometimes people like to tie their hair back if it’s long to stop it from getting in their face!)
It’s important not to wear things like:
- Stilettos
- Perfumes
- Flip flops
- Loose clothing
- Large sweaters
- Jewelry that could entangle someone
This is for your and others’ safety. These things could cause injury to you or others while dancing and we know that no one wants that!
What is Expected Of You?
To create spaces welcome for all when you dance at a TRUSU Swing class or event we expect that you will:
Are you ready to dance?
Get your membership and join our community!
Learn more about our membership benefits and find the right fit for you. Memberships allow you to gain discounts on any paid event or lesson series that we run. TRU students can snag a free membership!