Swing & Lindy Hop Dance Classes
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, knowledgeable & skilled dance instruction with Catrine & Nathan
- intimate class sizes
- the only 8PM Intermediate Lindy Hop class in San Francisco
- progressive classes allow you to build your skill week by week
- online class registration
- Live Music Dance Party, Full Bar, and Restaurant after class!
Next 4-week class series start April 7th.
Cost: $55 if registered by Monday, April 5th. $65 after the deadline.
Price includes dance party admission (a $40 value).
Stay and dance to LIVE MUSIC every Wednesday!
Register online by Monday, April 5th and save $10!
| * Beginning Lindy Hop Series:$55 with Catrine & Nathan Wednesdays, 4/7-4/28 (4 weeks), 7-8pm Class size limited to 20 students. Sign up today to ensure your spot! |
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| * Intermediate Lindy Hop Series:$55 with Catrine & Nathan Wednesdays, 4/7-4/28 (4 weeks), 8-9pm Class size limited to 20 students. Sign up today to ensure your spot! |
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| * Add-A-Class: $30 Register for two series classes for the same month for an even better deal! You must qualify for the higher level class to take both. |
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* Beginning Swing Drop-in: $10 |
Every Wednesday. |
Lindy Hop drop-ins allowed if space is available. $20 per class.
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. Savanna Jazz Club features a full bar, dining until 10:30pm, a slick 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.
Class Descriptions and Pre-requisites
Beginning Swing Drop-in Class (9pm)
This 30-minute 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.
Beginning Lindy Hop Month-Long Class (7pm)
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.
Intermediate Lindy Hop Month-Long Class
In this class, you will build up your repetoire of lead and follow techniques, classic lindy hop moves and styling. You must already be confident with 6- and 8-count basics, including the Lindy Hop swingout and related turns, and basic Charleston steps. 3-4 months of Beginning Lindy Hop and social dancing are recommended before taking this level.
| Swingout Footwork Variations | Basics + Beyond | Charleston Variations | Classic/Flash Moves | |
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| Jan/Jul | kick ball change, follower swivels | 8-count outside turn + variations | behind the back (tandem) |
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| Feb/Aug | scissor kicks, follower swivels | 6-count turns & variations | side-by-side |
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| Mar/Sep | Al Minns styling, follower swivels | 8-count inside turn + variations | kick-through |
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| Apr/Oct | charleston swingout , follower swivels | swingout w/ behind the back hand change (aka Texas Tommy) + variations | face-to-face |
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| May/Nov | leader's kick, follower swivels | 8-count reverse jerk + variations | airplane |
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| Jun/Dec | heel pop, follower swivels | tuck turn variations | hand-to-hand |
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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. Drop-ins are allowed for $20, which includes the dance. 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 9-9:30pm.
Not sure which class is for you? Send us an email with any questions!
About the Instructors
Catrine Ljunggren
Catrine Ljunggren is a dancer, teacher, performer & swing organizer specializing in dances of the Swing Era as well as Argentine Tango. Catrine teaches at dance camps and workshops all around the world.
Catrine is one of the original members of the legendary Rhythm Hot Shots and one of the founders of Herrang Dance Camp, the world's largest dance camp which has been in existence since 1982. Catrine and her dance company are one of the main groups responsible for the resurgence of Lindy Hop today.
Catrine learned from Al Minns and Frankie Manning, both members of Whitey's Lindy Hoppers in the 1930's. Catrine is known for her energy -- she likes to dance fast and fly high and it is a joy to watch her dancing as she is an excellent performer and dancer. In her dance partner Elliott Donnelley she has found someone willing to attempt to keep up with her, and they are a joy to watch because they really have fun when they dance.
Nathan Dias
Nathan specializes in Lindy Hop, the high-energy swing dance from the 1930s and 40s. Nathan also loves to dance Charleston and jazz dance, and has dabbled in tap. 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.
Yon Richner (guest instructor, January 2010, weeks 1-2)
Yon loves to social dance and feels fortunate to be able teach around the Bay Area. Her teaching experience includes City College of SF, Swing Central, Wednesday Night Hop, Cat's Corner and the 920 Special.
2009 was a big dance year for Yon. She won 1st place at Camp Hollywood's Amateur Jack &Jill and 1st place at Boogie By the Bay's Jack & Jill. Yon is grateful to Lindy Hop for giving her the opportunity to connect with many, many, many wonderful people from all over the world.
Calle Johansson (guest instructor, December 2009)
Both Catrine and Calle (pronounced "call-ay") learned to dance lindy hop around the same time in Sweden from original swing dance legends Frankie Manning and Al Minns. The two Swedes were instrumental in jump-starting the current revival of Lindy Hop through their involvement in the Rhythm Hot Shots and Shout And Feel It performance groups and the Herrang Dance Camp.
Over the years, Catrine & Calle have taught and performed alongside each other at dance camps worldwide, including most recently: Masters of Lindy Hop & Tap (Seattle) & the Lindy Hop Argentina International Festival. They are excited to bring their unique Swedish style of Lindy Hop -- which is really Frankie and Al's style -- to you at Cat's Corner...expect zany, flashy, bouncing-off-the-wall fun and a swingin' good time.
Besides the dancing, Calle is a one-of-a-kind person and showman, known, internationally for his Elvis impersonations, humor, and charming way with the ladies.
