Learn to swing dance and Lindy Hop at Cat’s Corner! Have fun, meet new people, and get great exercise all at once! Cat’s Corner offers:

    • hip, expert & friendly dance instruction with Nathan, Chiara and monthly guest teachers
    • progressive format classes so you can get better each week
    • convenient and secure online class registration
    • Live Music Dance Party & Cocktails after class!

Register for classes

Find May 2018 class info here!

4 week class session runs April 4, 11, 18 & 25 at Swedish American Hall, SF.

  Main Ballroom Side Room
7-8pm Beginning Lindy Hop 4-week Series
with Nathan and Chiara
Beginning Balboa 4-week Series
with Jeff and Kristin
8-9pm Intermediate Lindy Hop 4-week Series
with Nathan and Chiara
Int/Adv Lindy Hop 4-week Series
with Chad & Rebecca
9-9:30pm Beginning East Coast Swing Drop-in Class
with Nathan and Chiara
 
 

[wptab name=’For Beginners’]

Beginning East Coast Swing Drop-in Class

with Nathan and Chiara

Class time: 9-9:30pm

This short and sweet class is designed for the absolute beginner with no previous dance experience. We start from scratch each week, covering partner dance fundamentals and introducing simple 6-count East Coast Swing, Jig Walks and Charleston steps to get you out on the dance floor and grooving to the music.

Cost: $10 per week (includes dance party admission). No registration required.

Beginning Lindy Hop Month-long Series

with Nathan and Chiara

Class time: 7-8pm

In this class, you will learn the basics of Lindy Hop, the original swing dance from the 1930s that features fast footwork and addictive rhythms. You’ll learn the basic 8-count steps that every lindy hopper should know — swingout, lindy circle & charleston — plus solid lead and follow technique and a different set of beginner level steps each month. This class is a progressive series, which means we review and build steadily upon previous weeks’ material.

Previous swing dancing experience is helpful but not required. To get the most out of the class, we recommend that you are already comfortable with “triple-steps” — if you don’t know these yet, we suggest taking our 9pm drop-in swing class a few times first.

4-week series cost: $60 early registration by Monday, April 2. $65 online after the deadline. $70 at the door.
Drop-in cost: $20 per week, weeks 1 & 2 only or with special teacher permission.

Sign up for classes now

Save your spot in class!

Four Month Class Cycle (okay to start any month!)

Jan/May/Sep (A)
  • Swing out from open
  • Swing out from closed
  • 6-count tuck turn from closed
  • 8-count tuck turn from closed
  • Reverse Jerk
  • Promenade with Pecking
Feb/Jun/Oct (B)
  • Side-by-side Charleston
  • Toss Across & Yo-Yo Charleston
  • Toss Across & Yo-Yo Lindy
  • Swing out from closed
  • Swing out from open
  • Lindy Circle
  • Shimmy
Mar/Jul/Nov (C)
  • Simplified Swingouts (no triple steps)
  • Swing out from closed
  • Swing out from open
  • 8-count Inside Turn
  • 8-count Outside Turn
  • 8-count Texas Tommy
  • Lindy Circle
Apr/Aug/Dec (D)
  • 6-count turns
  • triple steps vs. jig walks
  • closed vs. open position
  • Behind-the-back Charleston
  • Side-by-side Charleston
  • Kick-through Charleston

About the Teachers

Karen Huddleston :

Karen Huddleston

Karen came to the Bay Area from Portland, where she regularly danced Lindy Hop and Blues. She started training in dance at the age of 3 and discovered swing dancing as a high school student. In college, she helped run the swing dance club and participated in the ballroom dance team as a member and coach for several student groups. She's an avid social dancer in San Francisco and has performed with the Someday Sweethearts and Nathan's Swing or Nothing dance troupes. Karen and Nathan recently taught their first Intermediate-Advanced Lindy Hop class at Cat's Corner, and they had so much fun that Karen decided to return for more!

Nathan Dias : Resident Teacher, Cats Corner Founder

Nathan Dias

Resident Teacher, Cats Corner Founder

Nathan specializes in Lindy Hop, the high-energy swing dance from the 1930s and 40s, and has been teaching, performing and DJing since 2005. He started swing dancing in 1997 and lindy hopping in 2000. A regular dancer in San Francisco since 2001, Nathan enjoys the creativity and personal connection of social dancing as well as the challenge and satisfaction on working on and improving his dance.

He has taught at practically all of the local swing dance venues at one time or another, including the 9:20 Special, Lindy in the Park, Tuesday Night Jump, Rent Party and original Doghouse, and has been a featured instructor at regional workshops such as Swingin' at the Savoy, California Swingin', *Workshop (San Luis Obispo), Santa Swing (Santa Barbara), and Le Hot Sauce (SF).

nathan@catscornersf.com

[/wptab]

[wptab name=’Intermediate Lindy Hop’]

Intermediate Lindy Hop

with Nathan & Chiara

Class time: 8-9pm

In this class, you will build up your repertoire of lead and follow techniques, classic lindy hop moves and styling.

Requirements:

Students wishing to join the Intermediate class must have completed our 4-month Beginning Lindy Hop program (or the equivalent) as well as a friendly level-check with one of our teachers. Students should be regular social dancers at this point, and should be able to confidently dance the steps listed on our 4-month Beginner curriculum (click the “Beginning” tab above) including 6-count turns, 8-count swingout, Lindy circle and related turns, and basic Charleston patterns. Contact the teachers to arrange a level-check and get class level advice.

4-week series cost: $60 early registration by Monday, April 2. $65 online after the deadline. $70 at the door.
Drop-in cost: $20 per week, weeks 1 & 2 only or with special teacher permission.

Register now for classes

Save your spot in class!

Intermediate Lindy Hop 6-month Class Cycle (start any month)

Jan/Jul (A)
  • Swingout Like Things: Reverse Jerk, Reverse Swingout, Half-Swingout, Slip-out, Travel Swingout
  • Charleston: Airplane, Cross-plane & Shadow
  • Footwork, Rhythm & Style I
Feb/Aug (B)
  • Mixing 6-count, 8-count Turns and Tuck Turns
  • Classic Sequences: Pecking Promenade, Curl & Points, Quick-Stop, Jump Turn, Tango, Drags
  • Spins & Turns
Mar/Sep (C)
  • Dancing Fast: Jig Walks, Charleston Swingouts & Fast Lindy
  • Charleston: Kick-Through & Hand-to-Hand
  • Footwork, Rhythm & Style II
Apr/Oct (D)
  • Swingouts, Circles & 6-counts: mixing 6- vs. 8-counts, Forward & Backward swingout technique, rotational swingouts
  • Charleston: Side-by-side, Yo-Yo, Face-to-Face and Hacksaws
  • Moving Like a Dancer
  • Musicality
May/Nov (E)
  • 8-count Turns: Inside, Outside, Finger-roll & Texas Tommy from an 8-count swingout
  • Charleston:  Tandem & Hand-to-Hand
  • Footwork, Rhythm & Style
Jun/Dec (F)
  • Tuck Turns
  • Classic Sequences: Mini-Dip, Behind-the-Back Promenade, Sailor Kicks, the Chase
  • More Spins & Turns

About the Teachers

Karen Huddleston :

Karen Huddleston

Karen came to the Bay Area from Portland, where she regularly danced Lindy Hop and Blues. She started training in dance at the age of 3 and discovered swing dancing as a high school student. In college, she helped run the swing dance club and participated in the ballroom dance team as a member and coach for several student groups. She's an avid social dancer in San Francisco and has performed with the Someday Sweethearts and Nathan's Swing or Nothing dance troupes. Karen and Nathan recently taught their first Intermediate-Advanced Lindy Hop class at Cat's Corner, and they had so much fun that Karen decided to return for more!

Nathan Dias : Resident Teacher, Cats Corner Founder

Nathan Dias

Resident Teacher, Cats Corner Founder

Nathan specializes in Lindy Hop, the high-energy swing dance from the 1930s and 40s, and has been teaching, performing and DJing since 2005. He started swing dancing in 1997 and lindy hopping in 2000. A regular dancer in San Francisco since 2001, Nathan enjoys the creativity and personal connection of social dancing as well as the challenge and satisfaction on working on and improving his dance.

He has taught at practically all of the local swing dance venues at one time or another, including the 9:20 Special, Lindy in the Park, Tuesday Night Jump, Rent Party and original Doghouse, and has been a featured instructor at regional workshops such as Swingin' at the Savoy, California Swingin', *Workshop (San Luis Obispo), Santa Swing (Santa Barbara), and Le Hot Sauce (SF).

nathan@catscornersf.com

[/wptab]

[wptab name=’Intermediate/Advanced Lindy Hop’]

Intermediate-Advanced Lindy Hop

with Chad Kubo & Rebecca Shannon

Class Time: 8-9pm

Stretch and grow as a Lindy Hopper by focusing on important fundamentals: connection, musicality and momentum while learning and dancing more complex patterns, challenging lead and follow techniques, and impressive styling.

Required: 6+ months of Intermediate Lindy Hop classes and social dance experience, or the equivalent.
Recommended: 12+ months Intermediate Lindy Hop class & social dance experience

If coming from another dance program, check our Intermediate Lindy Hop syllabus (click the “Intermediate” tab above) to see if what you’ve covered in other classes and social dancing is comparable. In particular, we are looking for:

  • Your swingouts, lindy circle, 6-count turns, 8-count inside & outside turns, Texas Tommy and 6- and 8-count tuck turns should all be solid, fluid, and social dance worthy at medium tempos (140-170 BPM) with clean, accurate footwork
  • You should be able to dance common modes of Charleston (side-by-side, kick-through, hand-to-hand, airplane, tandem and face-to-face) along with simple transitions into and out of them
  • You should be able to incorporate some common footwork variations in your basics, independent of your partner (i.e. kick-ball-change, heel pops, Al Minn’s footwork, scissor kicks, Frankie’s footwork).
  • You should be able to dance at least a few classic lindy hop “flashy” patterns such as: Curl & Points, Mini-Dip, the Chase, Sailor Kicks, Hacksaws, Behind the Back Promenade, Quick Stop, etc.
  • You are starting to demonstrate an ability to lead and follow improvised movements not explicitly taught in class

There is no formal level-check, and student placement is by honor system.  Teachers, however, are instructed to, at their discretion, politely send unqualified students to the appropriate level. When in doubt, the best is to arrange a friendly level check with one of our teachers.

Register online today

Chad Kubo :

Chad Kubo

Chad Kubo is the original Ambassador of Swing in San Francisco. He has been dancing lindy hop since 1994, and has performed and taught workshops in the United States and abroad, including SF Frankie Manning Workshops, and at events featuring jazz legends Lionel Hampton and Wynton Marsalis. He is the co-founder of San Francisco’s Lindy in the Park, and for many years taught at and ran The Doghouse, SF’s premier Saturday dance party. Drawing on his 30+ years of martial arts experience (black belts in aikido, judo, and karate), as well as a background in gymnastics, Chad emphasizes movement and body dynamics in his lindy classes, such as Zen and the Art of Lindy Hop, Creativity and Musicality, Aerials, Stealing and Switching Partners, Jazz Movement, and Floor Craft.

Rebecca Shannon :

Rebecca Shannon

Rebecca is known for her friendly, fun-filled classes and her love of all things swing. Knowledgeable in Lindy Hop, Charleston, Balboa, Blues and Collegiate Shag, she has taught, performed and competed throughout the Bay Area and beyond and is currently the teaching partner of David Blood at San Francisco City College. She also performs with and does choreography for the City College performance troupe the Hot Bloods.

[/wptab]

[wptab name=’Electives’]

Beginning Balboa for Lindy Hoppers

with Jeff Kroll and Kristin Wojkowski

Class time: 7-8pm

Video: Balboa dance fun by dancers in Slovenia, featuring Balboa enthusiast Gasper Hrovat.

Curious about Balboa? Come learn the basics of this dance and join the movement!

Balboa is a swing dance style that originated in southern California on the Balboa Peninsula and became popular in the 1930s and 1940s. It is characterized by its closed position and body lead. Its simple and efficient basic step makes it well-suited for dancing to extremely fast music, including songs over 300 beats per minute. Balboa also has a unique focus on flash footwork, which is a great way to add footwork and rhythmic precision to your dancing as well. Modern Balboa also includes a style known as Bal-Swing. This style allows for more room between partners and typically incorporates movements from Charleston and Lindy Hop. 

Geared toward Intermediate dancers, but all welcome!

3+ months of Intermediate Lindy Hop classes & regular social dancing recommended.

Register online today

Jeff Kroll :

Jeff Kroll

Jeff Kroll has been swing dancing since 1996, and teaching and competing nationally since 2004. He has danced on TV and for the big screen, and has performed, taught, and DJed at countless weddings and private events.

While Jeff enjoys all styles of swing dancing, he has a particular fondness for Balboa-Swing and 1920s Charleston and will dance it and teach almost every chance he gets. His love for dancing and his desire to share it shows in the enthusiasm and positive energy he brings to his classes, the fun and creativity with which he infuses everything including even the most technical of details, and the relaxed, patient individual attention and encouraging guidance he gives.

Kristin Wojkowski :

Kristin Wojkowski

A friendly face around the SF swing dance scene, Kristin actually got her start swing dancing at Cats Corner at Savanna Jazz Club! She's taught with Nathan at Ashkenaz and Mission Mondays, and was a guest teacher with Autumn LaVarta at the Verdi Club. She loves to perform and has entertained audiences along with the SF Jitterbugs and with Nathan's Swing or Nothing dance troupe. She has also been involved with organizing an increasing amount of swing dance events, including live music, dancing and vintage trolley rides in the Castro. Kristin's vibrant energy will help put a hop in your step and a smile on your face!

[/wptab]

[end_wptabset]

Series class sizes are limited and often sell out. A few extra spots are also made available to our staff volunteers.

Class Pricing

Beginning Swing Drop-in Class  (9 PM, 30 min)
$10 per week. Cost includes dance party admission.

4-week Monthly Series (7 & 8PM, 60 min)

$60 early registration online by April 2, 2018. $65 full price online. $70 door.
$20/week drop-in.

All class costs includes the 9pm Beginning Swing drop-in class and dance party admission.

Dropping in for Monthly Series Classes

Drop-ins for monthly classes allowed during weeks 1 and 2 of the series, or with teacher permission for later weeks of classes. Drop-ins are always welcome in the Beginning East Coast Swing class.

Multiple Series Class Discount:
$10 off ($5 off per class) the early registration cost when you enroll in two classes in the same month. You must meet the requirements for the higher level class to take both. Discount is automatically applied at checkout.

Register online today

Save $10 or more!

(Can’t make Wednesdays? Check out Monday Classes in the Mission!)


Progressive vs. Drop-in Classes

All of the Lindy Hop classes are progressive, with each week’s material building on the previous week’s class. Lindy Hop drop-ins are allowed for $20 which also includes dance party and 9pm lesson admission.  Please note that if you drop in to one of the classes, it may be in the middle of the class series, and you may fall behind. We recommend that you take the full series. We always offer a drop-in Beginning Swing class each Wednesday from 9:00-9:30pm.

Not sure which class is for you? Send us an email with any questions!

After the Classes

All class costs include admission to the Cat’s Corner Swing Dance Party. Stay to dance to live swing music starting at 9:30pm. The venue features cocktail bar, roomy dance floor, and great swinging ambiance. We often have surprises around 10:30pm – it could be a special performance, contest, or silly group activity — to add to the festivities.