[Editors note: Unfortunately, this article is by now several years out of date and due for a rewrite to reflect changes in classes offered around town. However, you may find much of it is still relevant today.

Learning to Swing Dance In Houston, Texas

If you've ever been to a Houston Swing Out event, you have seen folks having a great time dancing Lindy Hop and East Coast Swing (with some West Coast Swing, Charleston and Balboa mixed in just for fun). The number one question we get at these events is "Where can I learn to swing dance?" In Houston, the simple answer is "Take lessons from the Houston Swing Dance Society and/or the SSQQ Dance Studio!"

The two groups differ mostly in how they gear their swing dance curriculum. Houston Swing Dance Society puts its instructional emphasis on Lindy Hop while SSQQ puts its focus on East Coast Swing (aka Jitterbug, 6-Count Swing). If you don't know the difference between Lindy Hop and East Coast Swing then just pick one at random. What you learn in one style of swing dancing will give you a boost in learning another style. It is not uncommon to find people who have taken lessons from both groups.

Houston Swing Dance Society
www.hsds.org
3027 Crossview Dr, Houston, TX 77063 (Map)
Monthly Class Fee: $15 General Public, $10 Students; Annual Membership Fee: $25 General Public, $15 Students
The Houston Swing Dance Society is a non-profit (as if you couldn't tell from those prices) dance club that specializes in teaching Lindy Hop. People new to dancing begin with a basic East Coast Swing program that is designed to get folks on the dance floor as soon as possible. After a few weeks they start learning Lindy Hop, considered by many to be a more difficult but rewarding dance.

Second Cup Swing Beginning Lessons at Taft Street Coffee
www.secondcupswing.com
2115 Taft St, Houston, TX 77006 (Map)
Hank is an experienced swing dancer and instructor who has taught many classes for both the Houston Swing Dance Society and Rice Social Dance Society. In 2004 he began teaching swing dancing at Taft Street Coffee on Monday nights. He and Jen distinguish themselves from most swing instructors by really getting into the nitty gritty of energy, frame, connection and other fundamental social swing dance concepts for new students. The classes are inexpensive and the curriculum progresses over six weeks. The starting date changes over time -- your best bet is to pick up one of their flyers at Taft Street Coffee, as well as various other coffee shops around town, or just visit their website above. Fee for Six Week Sessions: $50 General Public, $35 Students and Ecclesia Members.

SSQQ Dance Studio
www.ssqq.com
4803 Bissonnet St, Bellaire, TX 77401 (Map)
Monthly Class Fee: $46 Men, $36 Women
SSQQ is a full-service dance studio, one of the largest in Houston and widely known. If you have ever picked up a Leisure Learning pamphlet, you may recognize SSQQ as the studio that dominates the dance instruction section. SSQQ has a well-developed East Coast Swing curriculum and occasionally offers a Lindy Hop class.

Those two are certainly the most popular choices for learning Lindy Hop and East Coast Swing in Houston but by no means the only ones. There are some additional teaching organizations that you should consider as well. It is beneficial to take lessons from more than one instructor so be sure to try as many studios as you can.

Rice Social Dance Society
www.ruf.rice.edu/~rsds/
Rice University, 6100 Main St, Houston, TX 77005 (Map)
Semester (~3 Months) Class Fee: $30 General Public, $20 Students, $20 Rice Affiliates (Faculty, Staff & Alumni)
As you will discover on their website, the Rice Social Dance Society (RSDS) teaches a wide variety of dances. The classes are typically taught and attended by Rice University students. They have an all-you-can-eat buffet approach to classes - pay one low fee and you can attend all of the classes they teach (Lindy Hop, Salsa, Ballroom, etc.) for an entire semester.

Sonia's World of Dance
www.soniasworldofdance.com
5539 Richmond Ave, Houston, TX 77056 (Map)
Monthly Class Fee: $35
Sonia's World of Dance is a professional dance studio that has added some seasoned swing instructors to their roster. Judy Archer and Lise Gagnon teach East Coast Swing patterns to intermediate and above level swing dancers on Monday nights.

But wait...there's more!
Now that you know about your options for learning Lindy Hop and East Coast Swing in Houston, there is a related dance you may want to consider learning - West Coast Swing. Like its similarly named cousin, West Coast Swing is a descendant of Lindy Hop. It is a great choice to consider if you would like to learn a smooth, provocative swing dance that pairs well with medium-tempo rhythm & blues and contemporary, beat-driven pop music. Organizations in the Houston area that offer West Coast Swing dance lessons include: Bay Area Whip Club, Damico Dance Productions, Houston Whip Club, North Houston Whip Club, Strictly Whip, Southwest Whip Club and the SSQQ Dance Studio.